Whether we’re aware of it or not, the hiring process has inherent bias. It’s a neuroscientific fact that our brains are hardwired towards finding patterns and similarity - which we are now finding out is the worst thing possible when looking for talent.

Diversity increases productivity

Creating an inclusive and diverse workplace is about more than just being “politically correct” – it really makes teams and businesses as a whole perform better. Research by McKinsey shows that companies in the top grouping for gender diversity in their executive teams were 21% more likely to experience above average profitability than companies in the next class grouping. For ethnic and cultural diversity, there was a 33% likelihood of outperformance above national industry margins.

What is “Blind Recruitment”

It seems the idiom, two heads are better than one really is true - different people tackle problems in different ways. The more approaches to problem solving means greater innovation and competitive advantage. A common approach is to build recruitment processes that are “blind”.  Blind recruitment involves removing some applicant data, or de-identifying it to eliminate unconscious biases such as age, gender or where they are from. But even if we can remove biases from the CV reviewing process, many are suggesting the resume needs a complete overhaul - unsurprising when Leadership IQ notes nearly half of all hires fail within 18 months.

The new breed of CV

At Weploy, we are building the CV 2.0 or a new type of Blind Resume so that our customers can be confident in every hire. Every Weployee in the pool goes through six stages of vetting, including face to face interviews, cognitive and psychometric testing.

A profile can then be built for each Weployee, showing the hard skills Weploy has vetted them for, as well as a chart showing soft skills - which are the most important indicators of success in the New School of Recruitment. We then plot these soft skills as where they stand in relation to our pool of Weployees. It’s important to note that all Weployees are capable of any admin or business support roles they have been vetted for. These charts will give the hiring manager a little extra context into how to best communicate and manage the individual.

Here’s an overview of the top soft skills we test for with a description of each.

•  Self-Insight - Defined as an awareness of own strengths and weaknesses and actively seeking out opportunities for new learning and growth. High scorers are often called out as having a growth mindset.

• Resilience –Those with high resilience remain calm, composed, and optimistic in stressful or high pressure situations. A common term that Weployees who score highly in this trait is “grit”- important when the task is challenging.
• Accountability and Initiative – High scorers are characterised as detail focused and meticulous. They follow through on plans to ensure they are carried out accordingly.
• Emotional Intelligence – Those with a high emotional intelligence perceive and manage emotions in themselves and others. Weployees with high emotional intelligence scores will relate well to others, and have strong interpersonal skills.
• Customer Focus. This trait means the individual is motivated by exceeding customer expectations and fulfilling obligations to others. He or she interacts with customers in a friendly, considerate manner, responding to social cues appropriately and treats all customers equally.

All of the data comes together to create an anonymised, blind resume that will reveal only their initials, past experience, skills and software knowledge. Weployee profiles are designed without details that may imply race, religion or gender. This means that hirers are empowered to make hiring decisions based on skills and experience instead of recruiting completely blind, promoting diversity and equality. That said, every fortnight, we feature a “Weployee of the Week” by email (so make sure you subscribe to the blog!) These are the Weployees who have tested well in each of these areas, and are putting their skills to use in Aussie businesses NOW, helping our customers focus on what matters. Many employers feel uncomfortable with the idea of reviewing a CV blind, but a Weploy profile provides a much clearer view on a candidates potential, without factors like gender or age muddying the waters. If you see a profile you like, contact us for a chat and start focusing on what matters most in your business, or learn more about our talented community of Weployees below.