From the White Paper: Automating Blind Screening
Blind screening requires redacting identities from applicants in such a manner as to avoid any leakage of information that may trigger biases, while ensuring that sufficient information is given on candidate qualifications to allow screeners to make intelligent decisions. Manual management of a blind screening program can incur a significant workload.
For this reason, it may be advantageous to employ a technology product to automate a blind screening workflow. The point of a blind screening system is to reduce the level of effort required to manage a blind screening program, making it as efficient and effective as possible for HR, hiring managers, and candidates.
When evaluating blind screening software, consider the following factors:
- Does the product properly redact enough demographic information to block bias? This is not always as obvious as it seems. For example, the year that someone graduated from college can be used to infer their age, opening the door for age-based bias.
- Does the product provide any assistance in providing an evidence trail of proper blind screening on behalf of the organization?
- How well does the product integrate with the existing hiring workflow? For example, will it integrate with existing applicant tracking systems (ATS’s), or can the screening workflow be configured to adapt to the organization’s needs?
There is substantial evidence to support that blind screening is an effective method of removing bias, including unconscious bias, from candidate screening. It presents a tangible step that organizations can take to promote diversity hiring. When automated with the right software, it can be adopted without an onerous burden on the hiring process.
The above excerpt is from the Opus AI white paper on blind screening. You can download a complete copy of the white paper here.
