My Name is Not the Enemy…

The first time you meet someone it is completely normal to introduce yourself by stating your name.

Your name is part of your identity, your history and your culture, it’s a major part of you. Whilst there are many different names and identities, yours forms the start of your story. It’s used by family and friends to celebrate your milestones, called out with pride during your graduation and takes pride of place in every important document connected to you.

So why is it becoming more common and acceptable for businesses to exclude a candidates name as part of the application process? Why is it becoming common practise, the norm and seen as a good idea to encourage blind CV’s?

In an attempt to reduce unconscious bias during the application process some internal recruiters are actively taking away part of an applicants identity to ensure a hiring manager is not biased and using pre conceived opinion’s that could be connected to their name. Studies have shown that once an applicants name has been removed from a CV, the hiring manager only focuses on the skills the CV shows which can often result in an increase in female hires in male dominant industries as well as more growing communities representation in teams that previously were not inclusive.

But is this the right approach? Does this encourage a form of victim blaming as it deals with a symptom not the cause?

Blind CV’s say your name is the reason why you are not getting into our industry or our business, it says you need to hide part of your identity to be accepted here or to even get a chance to get through the door. As opposed to dealing with the bias of the hiring manager. An organisation can not be committed to diversity or want staff to ‘bring their whole self to work’ or ‘actively encourage everyone to be their authentic self’ if to get through the door you had to hide part of you.

Systemic change is the only real thing that will support the growth of truly inclusive environments. So instead of putting a plaster over the issue you need to change the system.

Here are three ways that this could be achieved:

1. Create accountability of feedback during the CV submission process. If the recruiter is providing applicants who match the criteria based on the skills and experience listed in the job description, a hiring manager should be able to detail what skills and experience were not present and why they were not shortlisted.
2. Provide internal training on the benefits of cultural diversity, diversity of thought and inclusive recruitment practises and set tangible objectives of how this can be embedded as part of team working practices. Training on unconscious bias will only raise awareness of what the barriers are, the next step is to set up policies and procedures that limit those biases from making decisions.
3. Ensure the language in the job description does not exclude or lean towards a specific demographic. If there is a representation issue for particular roles or industries, it is normally because people look for the fit and not the add. To broaden the talent pool and ensure more people from growing communities and other under represented groups can apply, make sure the skills and experience are the minimum tangible skills required, i.e. instead of saying 3 to five years experience in xyz, detail what that 3 to 5 years experience would mean they are able to do. Industries or roles that have previously consciously or unconsciously excluded are less likely to have many candidates with multiple years experience, so focus on the skills not the number of years.

Whilst I understand the premise of blind cv’s, its the root cause that we should be tackling not a persons name. Everyone should be able to bring their whole self to work and not have to shorten, change or hide their name.

Do you currently use blind CV’s? Are you thinking about putting them in place or are you against it?