Assembling a diverse panel of interviewers is crucial for ensuring that your organization's hiring process is fair and inclusive. By including a range of perspectives and backgrounds, you can make sure that candidates are being evaluated fairly and that your organization is able to attract and retain the best talent.
Here are five steps to assemble a diverse panel of interviewers:
1. Identify areas of diversity that are important to your organization
Identifying areas of diversity that are important to your organization is an essential step in creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace. It helps to ensure that you are considering a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds when making decisions about your company's direction and culture. Some common areas of diversity to consider include gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and more. By actively seeking out and valuing diversity in these areas, you can create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all of your employees.
2. Consider the specific role and needs of the position you are hiring for
When assembling your panel, think about the skills, experiences, and perspectives that will be most relevant for the role you are hiring for. This will help to ensure that you have a well-rounded group of individuals who are able to evaluate candidates based on the specific characteristics that are relevant for the role.
For example, if you are hiring for a role that requires strong communication skills, you may want to include individuals on your panel who have experience in this area. Similarly, if you are hiring for a role that requires specific technical expertise, you may want to include individuals who have expertise in that area. By carefully considering the needs of the position and selecting a panel of interviewers who have the relevant skills and experiences, you can ensure that you are making informed and fair hiring decisions
3. Look beyond your immediate team or department
Looking beyond your immediate team or department when selecting interviewers can be an effective way to promote diversity and inclusion in the hiring process. By considering people with diverse backgrounds and experiences, you can bring fresh perspectives and diverse viewpoints to the interview process, which can lead to more informed and objective hiring decisions. Additionally, involving people from different teams or departments in the interview process can help to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for candidates. This can be particularly important for candidates from underrepresented groups, who may feel more comfortable and supported by a diverse interview panel.
When selecting interviewers from outside your immediate team or department, be sure to consider factors such as their level of experience, their ability to work well in a team, and their communication skills.
4. Utilize employee resource groups (ERGs)
Utilizing employee resource groups (ERGs) when selecting interviewers can be an effective way to promote diversity and inclusion in the hiring process. ERGs are groups of employees who come together around a common identity, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, to promote diversity and inclusion within the workplace. These groups can be a valuable resource for finding potential interviewers who represent a variety of backgrounds and experiences. By involving members of ERGs in the interview process, you can bring a diverse range of perspectives and experiences to the table, which can lead to more informed and objective hiring decisions.
Additionally, involving ERG members in the interview process can help to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for candidates, which can be particularly important for candidates from underrepresented groups. When utilizing ERGs to find potential interviewers, be sure to consider factors such as their level of experience, their ability to work well in a team, and their communication skills.
5. Involve external stakeholders
Involving external stakeholders in the interview process can be a powerful way to promote diversity and inclusion in the hiring process. By looking beyond your organization for diverse interviewers, you can bring a broader range of perspectives and experiences to the table, which can lead to more informed and objective hiring decisions. Some external stakeholders who may be worth considering when selecting interviewers include clients, investors, vendors, and community partners.
These individuals can provide valuable insights and perspectives on the candidate pool, as well as bring a fresh perspective to the interview process. Involving external stakeholders in the interview process can also help to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for candidates, which can be particularly important for candidates from underrepresented groups.
Assembling a diverse panel of interviewers is an important step in creating a fair and inclusive hiring process. By considering the demographics of your organization and industry, actively seeking out diverse candidates, providing training on unconscious bias, using structured interviews and evaluation criteria, and using a mix of interviewers for each candidate, you can help ensure that your organization is able to attract and retain the best talent.
