Structuring Panel Interviews For Diverse Perspectives

I used to think the hardest part of hiring was sourcing candidates. Turns out, most firms lose the best talent before interviews even begin, because of subtle bias in job descriptions and unstructured interviews. Here’s what I learned: 1. Unbiased Job Descriptions Matter Gender-neutral language: Replace “he/she” with “they/their,” and swap masculine/feminine-coded words for neutral alternatives like “goal-oriented” or “team-player.” Clear, accessible language: Avoid jargon, acronyms, and long lists of “must-haves” that unintentionally filter out qualified candidates. Inclusive titles: Use “software engineer” instead of “rockstar coder,” “firefighter” instead of “fireman.” 2. Structured Interviews Reduce Bias Standardized questions: Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order to avoid “likability bias.” Scoring rubrics: Grade answers objectively on merit, not gut feeling. Behavioral + situational questions: Focus on skills and past performance, not shared backgrounds. Diverse panels & limited chit-chat: Multiple perspectives + minimal small talk reduce affinity bias. Here’s the kicker: these simple practices don’t just make hiring fairer, they make it smarter. Firms using inclusive, structured approaches attract more qualified, diverse candidates, shorten time-to-hire, and build teams that actually perform. If you’re still relying on old-school job posts and free-flow interviews, you’re leaving talent and revenue on the table.

I remember when I was in a feedback meeting discussing candidates who had just interviewed with our private equity firm. The Senior Managing Director who led the fund was delayed, so we started to have a more informal conversation about the candidates. Interviewers offered their views and shared their scorecards. Then, the Senior Managing Director asked who he thought the firm should hire and asked if anyone disagreed. No one said anything, and the meeting was over. Usually, hiring meetings go differently than this. Still, too often, the highest-level person in the room either dominates the conversation and asks to be challenged or has an opinion and, maybe not intentionally, plays a game of "guessing what's in my head." The interviewers know there is a "right answer," and they are hoping they get it right. In cases like this, hiring scorecards are even more important. The meeting facilitator can tally these cards anonymously and show the results at the beginning of the meeting. A discussion can ensue. At Amazon, we had someone who was a strong advocate for the candidate begin the conversation and someone else who was a strong "No" go next. We then moved around the room, getting feedback using the scorecard throughout. A structured process like this can help with the issue of one person dominating the conversation and influencing others. Of course, this format requires listening and an open mind. You can do everything right in a process, but you can blow it up and risk hiring the wrong person if the hiring manager doesn't gather the data and focus on listening to the various perspectives of each interviewer. You're gathering information and perspectives to make a data-driven and well-thought-out decision.

Structured interviews and diverse panels are key to reducing bias and ensuring fair hiring practices, but this isn’t always the case! Mark Simpson, CEO of Pillar, shares results from their studies that showcase differences in interviews based on gender (e.g., women are often asked more questions and asked to prove their worth more than men). ♦️ Question Disparity: Women are asked 20% more questions with 25% less time to answer. Structured interviews help reduce this gap. ♦️ Proving Worth: Women face more questions about strengths and failures than men. Structured processes can decrease this bias by 42%. ♦️ Compensation Discomfort: Women feel less comfortable discussing compensation. Transparency can help address this. ♦️ Small Talk Bias: Men engage in more sports-related small talk, potentially leading to biases. ♦️ Female Interviewers: Women report better experiences and receive more soft skill questions when interviewed by women. ♦️ Interview Length: Female interviewers tend to conduct interviews 10-15% longer. My advice….diversify your panel! Use tools like BrightHire to ensure unbiased, consistent interview practices for candidates. #Hiring #Recruitment #TalentAquisition #Culture #Values #DiversityandInclusion #Jobseeker #Interviewing #Candidates #ExecutiveSearch