I have spent my career hiring, training, leading, supervising, and managing people. I want to say I have always been very good at doing this …
… that would be a lie.
I have always done my best; however, often I was not as good as I could have been.
With experience, I have improved and I have also gained better perspectives. And especially now as a person who works with people seeking jobs and careers; I appreciate the humanity that would have made me so much better.
Today, I would like to share some of those lessons and perspectives in the hopes that for your teams and organizations, you may be able to make use of these tools.
There are those HR people working who are very good and I encourage you to mentor those people in your organization who need your help, formally or conversationally.
Remember everyone you engage is a person, a real person with hopes, dreams, problems, traumas, fears, and desires. Often, especially when inundated with resumes or under pressure, we can see people as cogs in our machine as interchangeable components and we can develop a detachment that hinders our ability to connect with the right people who we need in our organizations.
Avoid the trap of basing who you interview simply on a resume and cover letter. Some incredible prospects do not do either resumes or cover letters very well are overlooked while others who present those documents incredibly well but do not have the depth and breadth of experience are often hired. Resumes and cover letters are only a 2-dimensional view of 3-dimensional people and often can be misleading.
Learn to realize, appreciate, and empathize with the trauma and barriers that job applicants bring with them and how those experiences have shaped their past, present, and future. No two people have the same starting point or employment journey and thinking this misconception is true can cause you to discount people who could make a larger difference to your organization than someone who has not had to live with and overcome more obstacles.
Acknowledge everyone who takes the time to apply to your organization. I have used the phrase, “We regret that we will only contact those applicants who are selected for an interview.” Simply taking a moment to let someone know you have received their application will make a difference. They have taken the time to learn about your team, they have applied, they are hopeful; and even if you will not offer them an interview, respecting their time and effort will be appreciated.
Read every resume and do not rely on AI to scan and grade your applications. With AI-generated cover letters and resumes some people will present better than they are and all you are basing your decision on is how well someone can create a resume, not on what their skills, experiences, and attitudes might be.
Understand your biases and inherent systematic racism. There isn’t a single person among us who has not been affected by the society in which we live, the learning we have been exposed to, and the thoughts and ideas we believe in; we need to appreciate that what we have learned is not what everyone has learned. With this knowledge, we can make better decisions.
Always do team interviews. A job advertisement represents your organization’s desire for the perfect applicant when you go to market. Likely the perfect applicant may not exist or is working someplace else. Having a least one other person participate who understands the role being sought and they will help to balance your blind spots and add a different perspective to who may or may not be a good fit for your opportunity.
Do a strengths analysis on each applicant taking particular care to avoid systemic bias based on traditional methods for judging potential candidates. BIPOC-D (black, Indigenous, people of color, and people who experience disabilities) bring skills, experiences, and attitudes that many hiring teams often overlook. These individuals may bring tenacity, determination, and a unique perspective as they may have had to overcome far more obstacles to even arrive at the same place as people who are not subject to the same barriers.
Consider the role “privilege” has played in an applicant’s journey to this point and whether or not a “surface to surface” comparison is fair. For example, consider two applicants: one is a white experienced businessperson with no disabilities applying for a bookkeeping position. This person took accounting twenty years ago and understands the concepts but has not used them in more than a decade. They also have had many interviews and are very confident. The second candidate is a person with Asperger’s syndrome, who has difficulty speaking, and has difficulty thinking on their feet, although their grades in college accounting were among the best in their graduating class only six months ago. Who do you think most Human Resources people will favor?
Make your commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Belonging more than words in a document, by supporting accommodation requests by BIPOC-D applicants. Using the example above, the second candidate who has very good and recent bookkeeping abilities has asked for the interview questions in advance so they can prepare their answers knowing they struggle with interviews. Will you grant their request? Does it give an unfair advantage to them, or does the accommodation level the playing field and help your Human Resources People make the best hiring decision?
Educate your existing people, customers, suppliers, and the world in general about the importance of breaking stereotypes, bias, systemic racism, misconceptions, and outright myths of having a diverse organization that hires the best people based on a search that seeks equity for all members of the team.
Appreciate that success isn’t always measured the same way and hiring decisions do not always have to be based on exactly the same criteria.
Make all applicants feel they are part of your team even while knowing that only one person may get the job. If you tell people you will keep their application on file, actually do this.
When someone doesn’t get the job, offer suggestions on how they might improve the next time. If they have taken the time to apply, to come for an interview, they made an effort. Those are real demonstrations of commitment and although they may not have won this time, maybe with your help they will next time.
Offer full-time jobs with benefits as much as possible. Too many people today live precariously, and offering full-time jobs earning a living wage will attract stronger applicants to apply, people you can build your team around.
Be on time with your interviews and treat your applicants as if they were your best customers or clients; it is very possible they could be or already are.
Always look for people with potential that has been overlooked. When possible, take a chance on a person who needs a break.
Look for skilled people who have faced adversity and survived. It is important to appreciate the journey people have taken to this point. Some may not have overcome their adversities completely, but most importantly, search for people who keep trying and have not given up.
Hire people with integrity, courage, and who are teachable. These people will be able to deliver value, they will tell you what they think, and they will make your organization stronger.
When interviewing, always include the person who will be the successful applicant’s supervisor. Organizational chemistry is important for everyone to be successful; it is even more important when the organization is struggling. Encourage hiring teams to have different perspectives, and different backgrounds; in order to reduce “groupthink.” Diversity builds strength. Inclusiveness broadens your base. Equity levels barriers and strengthens accommodations.
Many people say their people are the strength of their organization. Successful organizations of any sector do more than just say this, they believe it and this philosophy permeates every action and every thought.
I have made many mistakes in my time working in Human Resources. I know that too often I saw people as “resources” and as a result, I was not “human” enough. I learned, and I encourage you to learn as well.
Good luck,
Paul.