Blind resume screening to mitigate bias in the hiring process: The case of the Western Carolina University workforce
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Jane Adams-Dunford (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
Abstract: As the face of higher education has changed, the need for a more diverse workforce has increased. It is aspirational and essential for students of color to see themselves reflected in the faces of their faculty and staff. Campus diversity enriches the educational experience for all faculty, staff, and students. Unfortunately, the rate of hiring faculty and staff of color has not kept pace with the increase in enrollment for students of color. A review of several aspects of the hiring process pointed to implicit bias contributing to applicants of color being rejected early in the hiring process. Western Carolina University’s (WCU) Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) data indicated that applicants of color did not advance as far as White applicants in the hiring process. Improvement science, as a methodology, provided the foundation for this problem-focused improvement initiative. In this intervention, I implemented blind resume screening to mitigate bias in the hiring process, focusing on increasing the number of qualified applicants of color who advance to the seriously considered and interviewed stages. During the improvement intervention, four pieces of data were redacted that could identify an applicant’s race or ethnicity in the cover letter and resume: (a) the applicant’s name, (b) address, (c) university attended, and (d) professional affiliations. Although, I aimed to increase the number of qualified faculty and staff of color who advance to the interview phase at WCU through the results of this study, this approach is not absolute. More research is needed to understand the impact of blind resume screening on improving diversity in the workforce.
Blind resume screening to mitigate bias in the hiring process: The case of the Western Carolina University workforce
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Created on 1/1/2023
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Language: English
- Date: 2023
- Keywords
- Blind Resume Screening, Diverse Workforce, Hiring Process, Implicit Bias, Interviews
- Subjects
- Western Carolina University
- Résumés (Employment)
- Employee screening
- Prejudices