20A Note on Hiring
IN THE AGE OF DISRUPTION, your talent strategy is a marketing tool, from job description to interview. Hiring happens in public, and your language and processes shape your brand reputation and ability to attract the talent you need. Depending on where you operate, legal, compliance, and regulatory considerations, including pay transparency, must be considered (as Allison Venditti just advocated for so brilliantly). Attracting a diverse workforce requires considering your biases and the candidates you want to reach.
Inclusive language in job postings is a key factor in reducing bias. Leaders should be mindful of gendered job titles, such as “businessman” or “salesman,” and avoid stereotypes and gender-coded language, removing “he, she, his, and hers” pronouns and coded terms like “assertive, aggressive, or ambitious,” which can deter women and gender-diverse applicants. Racial and cultural bias are also evident in terms like “native English speaker,” or postings that require education from a particular institution or at a level beyond the role's requirements. Not everyone has the same access to educational opportunities, and this type of language devalues past work experience and schools beyond the Ivy League. Age-related terms like “young and energetic” or “digitally native” are limiting, and requiring “no more than X years of experience” only serves to discriminate against older, more experienced workers.
To get you started on considering bias in your job ...