Despite our best intentions, unconscious biases beyond gender orrace can show up in the recruitment process as people naturally seek to find commonalities when getting to know one another. One critical action we can take to gather relevant information during recruitment conversations is to utilize competency-based interview questions, which concentrate on a candidate’s ability or experience through discussion of actual situations and examples of their performance, rather than personal connections and preferences. By focusing on job-relevant behaviors, a competency-based approach helps us mitigate unwanted biases to ensure greater objectivity, accuracy, and consistency when interviewing multiple candidates for a position.

Whilst delivering the recruitment related diversity training, we identified a gap with some managers and their understanding of D&I related matters. This led to a realisation that such a complex issue needs close attention and formal training; a strategy cascaded down needs to be complemented with further education. Whilst we have and can continue to make a significant impact in hiring and onboarding diverse talent a long-term focus on education is being realised to reinforce and further enhance our inclusive culture.

Mitigatediscrimination from recruitment process

All hiring managers and interview panel members are required to complete Competency-Based Interview Training when participating in the recruitment process. This is independent from level in the organization or department. Since the pandemic those trainings are offered as live-virtual trainings.

This practice contributes to enlarging of diverse talent in the firm. In parallel, candidate experience is also excellent contributing to reinforce BBH reputation on the market. This is well summarised in comments from a diverse, senior candidate: “During each interview I learnt something new. I felt that each interviewer approached the conversation with different perspective from both a business and competency perspective. Very positive experience that served to reinforce my desire to work for BBH”.