The traditional recruitment methodology that permeates the world of work is often influenced by biases and subjective assessments that may sometimes prejudice potential candidates. In response to this problem, a revolutionary practice called ‘blind recruiting’ can help people make more informed choices and carry out objective assessments with the sole purpose of hiring great talent capable of growing and prospering the business over time.

In this article we will analyse and find out in detail everything there is to know about this particular and innovative recruiting methodology.

What is blind recruiting

Blind recruiting is a practice within the personnel selection process that aims to minimise or eliminate the potential bias resulting from candidates’ personal information. The aim is to base recruitment decisions solely on skills, abilities and experience rather than on personal characteristics such as age, gender, ethnic origin or other factors that might induce unconscious discrimination.

This is a concrete response to the challenges of unconscious discrimination in selection processes that aims to create a fairer and more diverse work environment. In addition, according to a recent study conducted by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, more than 85% of Millennials want to work in a company that adopts ethical, respectful and more responsible personnel policies.

History of blind recruiting: how and when it was born

In 1952, the Boston Symphony Orchestra was one of the pioneers in adopting this innovative approach. At a time when most orchestras were composed mainly of white men, blind auditions were introduced to promote gender and ethnic equality. The idea was to focus exclusively on musical performances, removing any extraneous elements from them. Thanks to this pioneering move, in the following years (mainly the 1970s) many orchestras replicated the model previously promoted by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Some time later, in a completely different industry, entrepreneur Kedar Iyer again implemented blind recruiting within his company in Silicon Valley. He recognised that the applications of many talented programmers were being ignored due to biases related to academic education or ethnic minority background. To address this issue, Iyer designed software that hid candidates’ names, faces and personal information in the early stages of the recruitment process. This strategy increased the chances of interviews by 40% for all applicants belonging to various minorities and also for many women.

The history of blind recruiting represents a fundamental chapter in the natural evolution of recruitment practices. Within a constantly changing employment landscape, the emergence of empathy as a core value has fuelled the need to develop increasingly effective methodologies. The main objective is to ensure that employees have access to job opportunities in companies that operate fairly and, at the same time, enable companies to attract real talent regardless of age and character variables that might influence judgement. 

Blind recruiting was born as a response to a growing awareness of the disparities that can arise during the traditional selection process. This innovative approach aims to remove the unconscious biases that often influence recruitment decisions, focusing instead on the actual skills, experience and qualifications of candidates. 

In a context of increasing commitment to diversity inclusion, blind recruiting becomes a key practice to build fairer workplaces and to give each individual the opportunity to prove his or her worth without being prejudiced by factors unrelated to his or her professional capabilities.

How blind recruiting works

In blind recruiting, identifying elements are removed or anonymised from candidates’ CVs. These elements may include name, photo, address and other personal information that could become a source of bias.

Interviews can be conducted anonymously or structured, with standardised questions for all candidates. This helps to ensure that each candidate is assessed on the basis of the same competences and criteria.

Involving a diverse selection committee, composed of people with different experiences and perspectives, can help to ensure that the decision-making process is not influenced by a single perspective. Providing training to staff involved in the selection process is crucial. Awareness of unconscious bias and training on how to avoid it can ensure fairer recruiting.

The adoption of recruiting technology platforms that support blind recruiting can simplify the process. These platforms can automate the anonymisation of information and the management of selection steps.

The importance of going beyond prejudices for companies

Overcoming prejudices is essential to promote diversity and inclusion in companies. Organisations that embrace diversity benefit from a wide range of perspectives, experiences and skills, which can lead to more innovative solutions and – most importantly – a richer working environment. Managing prejudices contributes to a more organisational and positive climate. When employees perceive that they are treated fairly and that opportunities are accessible to all regardless of personal characteristics, a more collaborative working environment follows.

Diversity of perspectives stimulates innovation. By overcoming prejudices, companies can harness the unique skills of each employee, encouraging creativity and the ability to solve problems in innovative ways. Companies that actively address prejudice and promote diversity often enjoy a better reputation. This can have positive impacts both internally, by improving employee morale and pride, and externally, by attracting customers and partners who share similar values.

Does blind recruiting work?

Blind Recruiting, while a valuable effort to reduce bias in the early stages of selection, can actually lose effectiveness when candidates come into direct contact with hiring managers during interviews. Despite the fact that personal information is initially hidden, the ultimate goal of the recruitment process is to find individuals who do not only meet the technical requirements, but also fit well within the company culture by collaborating effectively with colleagues.

During interviews, HR and hiring managers often try to assess the personality, their approach to work and the adaptability of candidates. This can unconsciously lead to preferring individuals who share similar attitudes, beliefs and experiences with the existing team. The search for candidates who fit in culturally may therefore be an unconscious process of favouring similarity to generate a homogeneous corporate culture.

The risk is that, if not carefully managed, this approach may discourage diversity, reducing the variety of perspectives and skills in the company. To foster a truly diverse work environment, employers should more consciously seek out people who bring unique, diverse and innovative perspectives. This not only enriches the corporate culture but can also bring a considerable increase in creativity and innovation in the company.

What are the advantages of blind recruiting

As analysed in the previous section, blind recruiting not only improves fairness in the selection process, but can also lead to a more diverse workforce, thus contributing to a richer and more dynamic corporate culture. Below we have listed the main advantages of adopting this recruitment technique.

• Bias reduction: reduces or eliminates unconscious bias related to personal characteristics, such as gender, ethnicity, age or physical appearance. This allows for a more objective evaluation based on skills and experience.
• Greater fairness in the selection process: by anonymising personal information, the selection process becomes fairer, giving all candidates the same opportunities to be assessed on the basis of their competences.
• Diversity and inclusion: by reducing bias in the recruitment process, it helps to promote diversity and inclusion within the company. This is key to creating a work environment rich in diverse and stimulating perspectives.
• Improving the quality of recruitment: focusing on skills and qualifications can lead to an overall improvement in the quality of recruitment. Candidates are selected on the basis of their suitability for the role rather than on personal characteristics.
• Growth of corporate reputation: companies that adopt blind recruiting demonstrate a commitment to diversity and fairness. This can enhance corporate reputation, attract more diverse talent and create a positive brand image on the labour market.
• Increased organisational awareness: the implementation of blind recruiting often implies an increased awareness of the challenges related to bias in the selection process. This can lead to an organisational culture more oriented towards diversity and inclusion.
• Employee satisfaction: a fair and transparent selection process can contribute to employee satisfaction. They will easily perceive that opportunities within the company are based solely on skills and results.

Would you like to successfully implement a blind recruiting process and overcome prejudices in your company? Contact us and let’s work together!

Kilpatrick offers specialised HR services that support businesses at every stage of the selection process. From the design of fair selection policies to the implementation of application review techniques, our team is committed to ensuring that recruitment is competency-centred and free from discrimination.