3 Ways Recruiters Can Use AI to Reduce Unconscious Bias

3 Ways Recruiters Can Use AI to Reduce Unconscious Bias Bias in hiring is still a widespread problem. Even when we have the best intentions, unconscious biases automatic, mental shortcuts used to process information and make decisions quickly can negatively affect our recruiting decisions outside of our awareness and control. Fortunately, we can now turn to technology to help solve this very human problem. The biggest topic in recruiting these days is artificial intelligence (AI). As AI techniques become more common in recruiting, AI is helping recruiters fight unconscious bias in three promising ways. How AI is being used for recruiting AI for recruiting is applying artificial intelligence techniques such as machine learning, sentiment analysis, and natural language processing to streamline or automate parts of the recruiting process. The most common recruiting functions that AI is being used to streamline and automate include candidate sourcing, screening, and outreach. These are areas where research has found unconscious bias in hiring can occur. How unconscious bias affects hiring Unconscious bias includes stereotypes based on group membership and cognitive biases such as the similarity attraction effect (i.e., the tendency for people to seek out others who are similar to them). Research on hiring practices has found this similarity attraction effect: hiring managers prefer candidates who are similar to themselves in terms of hobbies such as the sports they play and life experiences, even though these similarities aren’t related to job performance. A famous study found resumes with white-sounding names receive 50 percent more interviews than identical resumes with black-sounding ones. Another study found resumes with male names were twice as likely to be hired than identical resumes with female names. AI can fight unconscious bias in job postings A carelessly written posting is bad not only from a recruitment marketing standpoint but from a diversity one as well. Employers may not be aware that their job postings might be turning off segments of the candidate pool from applying. Studies has found, for example, that using too many masculine-type words (e.g., ambitious, dominate) in your job description may dissuade female candidates from applying. Software that uses AI can “de-bias” a job posting by conducting sentiment analysis to identify exclusionary language and suggest alternatives that appeal to a more diverse talent pool. AI can reduce unconscious bias in resume screening AI can screen thousands even millions of resumes instantly. Software that uses AI can reduce unconscious bias by using machine learning to understand what the qualifications of a job are. AI does this by analysing employee resume data rather than relying on (untested) rules of thumb such as the school someone graduated from and then identifying resumes of candidates who fit the profile. To further prevent unconscious bias at the screening stage, AI recruiting software can be programmed to ignore demographic information such as gender, race, and age or proxies for race and socioeconomic status such as the names of schools attended and addresses. While resume screening can be mind-numbing for human recruiters, it’s exactly the type of pattern matching AI was made for immune from the mental fatigue, assumptions, and biases that humans fall victim to. AI can pinpoint unconscious bias in your overall recruiting process Because AI is trained to detect prior patterns, any human bias that may already be in your recruiting process can be learned by the AI. That means human oversight is still necessary to ensure AI isn’t replicating existing biases or introducing new ones. You can test your recruiting process for bias by assessing the demographic breakdown of your new hires and comparing it to the overall candidate pool. The nice thing is that AI can identify where bias is happening more quickly and accurately than a human can. So while technology can identify the problem, it still requires recruiters’ best judgment to come up with solutions to overcome biases that may be limiting the diversity of the workplace. About the author: Ji-A Min is the Head Data Scientist at Ideal.

Rules For Writing a Resume - What to Include

Rules For Writing a Resume - What to IncludeMany people want to know what the rules for writing a resume are. They don't want to put anything in that they are not comfortable with and they don't want any of their information to be copied.The rules for writing a resume do not need to be complicated or exacting. It should be simple and straightforward. It should be able to express the interest you have in the company as well as your personal qualities.You should be able to write a resume without having to ask your own questions. If you have problems, ask others in the same situation.A legitimate problem for some people is that they are afraid to mention their hobbies and interests. Some employers might think that you are putting on a show or that you are just trying to get a job. However, if you are sincere about wanting a new job and you have an interesting, professional resume, you will find that you will get a lot more interviews than you ever thought possible.Once you have a clear picture of what you want to include in your resume, you will be able to start looking at it. What information are you going to write? Where is the information coming from?Have you done any research about the company? If you haven't, you should do some.What information do you have to say about the person who you are applying to be? How does he or she represent yourself?In order to make a great impression, you have to be certain that you have the right information about the individual that you are interviewing. The more information you can supply the employer with, the better your chances of being hired.

7.4 Million Jobs Available Find Your Dream Job NOW! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

7.4 Million Jobs Available â€" Find Your Dream Job NOW! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career As this article is being written, there are over 7 million jobs available each and every month. Yes, you read that correctly . . .   over 7 MILLION jobs are “open” each and every month today! So, now may well be the best time in the last several years for you to go looking for your dream job, if you don’t currently have it. But, Skip, you’re undoubtedly saying to yourself, how can that possibly be? The jobs report that just came out last Friday said there were 227,000 new jobs added to the job market! What’s up with that? Here is the explanation: For the most part, the news media focuses only on one set of employment figures each monthâ€"new jobs added to the workforce. From time to time you will see a more informed, more detailed and comprehensive analysis of the true picture (and scope) of the current job market, usually deep within the business news sections, but that is rare. Almost without exception, it is the report released each month by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the so-called “jobs report,” that captures all the headlines. That is actually unfortunate because the number of jobs represented by the BLS report only represents a small subset of the actual numbers of jobs currently available. The whole representation It is the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report that gives us the true picture and scope of the current labor market. Here is what the JOLTS report is showing, on a rolling monthly basis, about the current job market: 4.05 million people hired each month + 3.38 million positions remaining open/unfilled each month = 7.43 total positions available each and every month Now, here is a very telling statistic: 1.93 million of these openings (26%) were due to people quitting their current jobs. Underscoring the fact that the heretofore slumbering job market may finally be picking up some genuine “steam,” is that, over the last two months, more people have quit their jobs (presumably to take new jobs) than at any other time since late 2008! Why are so many people quitting their current jobs? There are numerous reasons why so many people are quitting their current jobs: For many, their career has stalled Pay raises have been stymied or pitifully small Due to layoffs, people are currently doing the work of 1 ½, 2 or even 3 people They are simply tired and worn out Thus, it is time to look for something new In fact, depending upon the survey you read, anywhere between 40% and 70% of currently employed people say they want a new opportunity. Since there are 150 million currently employed people in the U.S., that means somewhere between 60 and 105 million people are indicating that they would like a new career opportunity. Are you one of these people? Is now the time for you to step out in search of your Dream Job? Better yet, how would you like to brand yourself in such a fashion that your dream job may actually seek you out?! 3 ‘secrets’ for getting your dream job I have found that there are essentially THREE “secrets” to positioning/branding yourself so that the jobs can start coming to you, instead of you having to spend untold hours (usually on the Internet) seeking after the jobs! 1. First and foremost, thoroughly understand that this hiring concept is literally cast in stone in today’s job market. Companies today hire only two types of people, those who can “make ‘em money” or “save ‘em money,” or ideally, accomplish both of these things. With somewhere in the vicinity of 100 million currently employed people wanting a new career opportunity, it is absolutely critical that you effectively and unmistakably brandâ€"and quantifyâ€"yourself as being among the candidates who can actually do one (or both) of these things for a company. 2. While you are still working, make the Internet work for you, instead of the other way around. With 7.4 million rotating job openings each and every month, “headhunters” like me, hiring managers and Human Resources professionals are continually “patrolling” the Internet for highly qualified, top-notch candidates to consider for the openings we are trying to fillâ€"each and every month. That means, if you have properly branded and positioned yourself among this type of candidate, your dream job could literally be just a phone call away! How do you go about making sure you are among this group of highly qualified potential candidates? Here are some of the more important considerations: Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date and kept up to date, ensuring that your quantifiable accomplishments and achievements are duly (and prominently) noted. (With 160 million people on LinkedIn, it is the Number One place “headhunters,” hiring managers and Human Resources professionals now go when they want to locate top-notch talent for open positions.)  Determine the TOP 20 to 30 keywords that best  brand you, i.e., what you do, and how well you do it, in your particular professional specialty. Then, from this group, choose (and then strongly emphasize) the TOP 10 in your LinkedIn profile. Have at least THREE recommendations (this will return you higher in search results). Ensure that some of your top 10 keywords appear in these recommendations. Capture additional keywords in your professional headline, titles of your roles and summary statements. Use the “Specialties” section as a keyword repository and load it up with the remaining 20 or so keywords branding yourself and your professional abilities. Upload a professional picture to your profile. Provide current, correct contact information. In addition to establishing and maintaining your brand and presence on LinkedIn, make sure you also do the following: Secure your Google profile brand: https://profiles.google.com Develop a ZoomInfo presence: http://www.zoominfo.com If currently employed, ensure your name and contact information is in http://www.jigsaw.com 3. Become part of a “headhunter’s” “inner circle.” Check out my previous blog post here to learn how to accomplish that. As the late Steve Jobs said, “Life’s fragile.” Be significant. Pursue your dream! And NOW is a golden opportunity to do just that! NOTE: Click on (or paste into your Web browser) this link to learn more about finding your dream job in 2012 (make sure your speakers are turned on): http://portal.sliderocket.com/BFDSG/Find-Your-Dream-Job Author: Skip Freeman is the author of “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever! and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The HTW Group (Hire to Win), an Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area Executive Search Firm. Specializing in the placement of sales, engineering, manufacturing and RD professionals, he has developed powerful techniques that help companies hire the best and help the best get hired.

How to Write a Resume - Step No. 4 - Design to Inspire

How to Write a Resume - Step No. 4 - Design to Inspire Most published resume writing advice is focused on content. In this 4th post in my ‘How to Write a Resume’ series, I want to get you to focus on something I think is every bit as important â€" resume design. It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it: Have you ever been to the website of someone you consider an expert and found an ugly, outdated, template-based site that looks like the expert’s 12 year-old nephew designed it on a rainy weekend? Whenever that happens to me, I instantly think less of that person’s expertise. The bad design screams ‘out of date’ to me. If their web design is so outdated, what am I to make of their advice? First impressions count. We all know that. You wouldn’t go to a job interview in a t-shirt and sweatpants, so don’t send a resume that is badly laid out. It makes exactly the same impression. Design with the strategy in mind: But there’s another aspect to a well-designed resume and that goes back to what I discussed in my last post â€" strategy. If you’ve followed my steps. You have developed a strategy for your resume. You know your value proposition and you have decided on content that will help you communicate that value proposition. This is where design comes in â€" now you must choose a resume design that reinforces your strategy. If you’ve decided that the most important thing employers need to know is that you have developed successful brands for leading Fortune 500 packaged goods companies, then perhaps you should create a bold headline that communicates exactly that fact. You might also choose to bold the names of the Fortune 500 companies whenever they appear throughout your resume. If a sales rep decides that his consistent ability to increase sales is his value proposition, then he should make sure that sales numbers jump off the page all the way through the resume. That can be done with selective bolding or colors and lots of white space. (White space is key to making sure that key information is visible). Content is not king: When it comes to resume writing, content is only one piece of the puzzle. The best content in the world won’t work if people can’t read it easily, or if information is bunched up on the page so that they don’t even see the most important facts. Writing a great resume is a challenge. Balancing design and content, knowing exactly what to include and what to leave out, targeting every word to your selected audience … all these are tricky. But when you get it right, the rewards come in the form of phone calls and interviews. It’s worth spending some time to get to that point! In my next post, I’ll talk copy writing and show you how to choose (and arrange) words that sell. If you’d like me to send you an email notification when it goes up, just leave me your email address here. Louise Fletcher co-founded Blue Sky in 2002 after a career as an HR executive. She admits to being a ‘wordnerd’  at heart and loves to write. She developed the Blue Sky resume approach, has written two books, and has been a featured expert for sites such as Monster, The Ladders and HR Guru.   Dont miss the other steps of this series: 1 Feel the Employers Pain, 2 Know Your Value, 3 Strategy Wins the Battle.

Writing a Summary For Your Resume

Writing a Summary For Your ResumeThere are many different ways that you can write a summary for your resume. It is also very important to make sure that you do not use the same outline in all of your writing. There are plenty of advantages to using different styles.A good idea would be to write a summary for your resume that covers both the skills that you are looking for and the skills that you have already. This will give you a bit more information when you review your resume. Make sure that your summary does not repeat information that you have already listed.When you write a summary for your resume, make sure that you don't cover every last detail. It is best to only list things that you need to know. If you are going over every single point, then you may find that you just don't have enough time to go through the entire resume and find the necessary information. So, try to only list the information that you really need to know.When you are trying to summarize your resume, try to be as brief as possible. You want to get your point across while you still get to the point. Being too long is just going to cause you to waste time reviewing the information that you want to in your resume.If you are writing a long words then try to choose shorter words. It will help to avoid turning your resume into a novel. Even if you think that it is too long, try not to break it up.On the other hand, if you have a very basic resume, then it might be better to try using abbreviations. For example, instead of writing x's or y's for your points, you can just write x's. However, when you do this, make sure that you don't use too many of them.Once you have gotten a summary for your resume to where you feel comfortable with it, you will want to print it out. Then, you will have a more accurate representation of your resume. Since the summary will be your first impression, it is good to make sure that you get it right the first time.There are plenty of ways that you can write a summ ary for your resume. While it may seem like there are a lot of options, you should still try to stick to the basics. Remember that if you are getting ready to go through the applications for the job, the summary is the only chance that you will get to highlight your skills.

Learn How To Tell Your Career Story

Learn How To Tell Your Career Story It isnt enough to have a slick resume. You must be able to tell you career story in meaningful terms. But, this isnt easy.   Weve been hardwired to believe that a resume is THE tool to use to get a job. But, every study out there today points to employee referrals as the best source for finding jobs. A resume doesnt open many doors. Talking to people opens doors. Networking simply means showing genuine interest and learning about someone. This is how all relationships  (personal and professional) begin! At some point, youll be asked about yourself and what you do. Will your career story be ready? Dont Let Someone Else Tell Your Career Story Your story is already onlinesomewhere. But is that the best version  of your story? Do yourself a favor, right now, go search your name and see what appears on the first page of search results. THIS is what a potential employer will see. This is your new resume. According to CareerBuilder 2018 survey  70% of employers research you on social media and 60% research candidates using search engines at some point during the recruiting process. And what if they dont find anything? 47% of hiring managers said they were less likely to interview a candidate they couldnt find online, so deleting your social profiles isnt a good idea either. And Jobvite 2016 Recruiter Nation study reported that 92% of recruiters are using social media. Gain control and be proactive about your online visibility But how? Simple. Build a personal website and be purposeful on social networks. LinkedIn is the obvious choice but dont overlook Facebook.    Prepare Your Facebook Profile for Job Search. Your Personal Website Is An Online Portfolio Creating a website and owning your name as a domain makes a smart career strategy. It ensures that you will always control, to some degree, the top search results for your name and the content that appears on your pages. Personal branding and search engine optimization (SEO) at their finest! Visual Content Is More Engaging Our brains process pictures and images faster than text, 60,000 times faster according to some data.  The added bonuses of adding visuals are that pictures engage readers and emotionally connect readers to the content! How To Use Visuals You can use visuals on your personal website, within your LinkedIn profile and in status updates! You can even create a presentation promoting you which you can embed in LinkedIn. What About Infographic Resumes? You bet infographic resumes are valuable tools to network with and WOW an interviewer. Just dont try to put them into an ATS. You dont need to have graphic design skills to build an infographic resume templates. Order your  copy  and get step  by step instructions and beautiful, inspiring ideas. STC Spectrum Presentation I was fortunate to present on this topic and wanted to share the slides here. (Photo credit and shout out to Todd DeLuca) Listening to @careersherpa give talk about telling our stories at #spectrum16 with @stc_rochester colleagues. pic.twitter.com/apc9yNZwVm â€" Todd DeLuca (@TechCommTodd) April 18, 2016 Dont Let Someone Else Tell Your Career Story Don’t Let Someone Else Tell Your Career Story from Hannah Morgan

Recent interviews with me - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Recent interviews with me - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog One of the most gratifying things about my work, is to see how it is spreading across the world. Im based in Denmark where the idea of happiness at work is so ingrained and commonplace, that there is even a word for it in the dictionary: Arbejdsgl?de. But more and more companies around the world are waking up to the importance of creating a workplace where employees actually like coming. For instance, I just spoke at a conference in The Bahamas and went from there to Dublin where I gave a speech to the UK division of Philip Morris. Also, Ive been getting a lot of press internationally from Canada to Pakistan. Here are some of my recent international media apperances: Chief Executive China: Happiness at work a Chinese translation of the first chapter of my book Happy Hour is 9 to 5. Elemente Magazine, Canada: Shiny happy people (go to page 66). Its an excellent article with some great pics of beautifully designed workplaces. AOL Canada: How to be Happy: A Better Life at Work. An interview with me. The Pakistani Spectator: Interview with the Chief Happiness Officer. An email interview with me. Christian Science Monitor: Why More Offices Are Going to the Dogs. I give my take on dogs and other pets in the office. Strictly Business Magazine, South Africa: Innovation with a smile. An article by me on how happiness at work improves innovation. Chronicle Herald, Canada: Put People First. Interview with me. Sales and Marketing, Lithuania: The Customer is Always Right is Wrong. An article of mine. Im also all over the Danish media from business papers to womens magazines and of course, I was recently on the BBC and mentioned in the New York Times. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related