Blind CVs have been in the news a lot recently, with many quarters calling for their wider implementation to reduce bias (conscious and unconscious) and increase diversity in the workplace. So what are blind CVs, and do they work effectively? And what might this mean for my applications in future?
What are Blind CVs
Blind CV’s are a template, often used in the recruitment industry, which remove all of the ‘identifying’ information from a candidate’s profile. This includes Name, Age, Gender, Date of Birth and so on. As the CVs you receive will have this information on, they will need to be prepared internally by someone who not directly involved in the hiring process for that role.
Do they Work?
The primary purpose of a Blind CV is to remove any risk of bias in the initial shortlisting for a role, and in this respect, they work really well. Applicants are shortlisted equally, irrespective of their heritage or background.
Clearly a candidate cannot be anonymised forever, but the benefit comes with the shortlisting for candidates who may otherwise have struggled to get the opportunity of an interview. This broader interview pool will create the opportunity for a more diverse workforce, and potentially increase the quality of potential hires, as everyone is there on merit of their experience.
Are there drawbacks?
Some have questioned their benefit, as much of the information still remains, and can mean that a profile of the candidate can still be established; someone with a lot of experience will give an immediate guide on age, for example.
The lack of context can also work against some applicants, many candidates will have gaps in their work history for all kinds of understandable reasons; by drawing the focus onto the work history, these applicants may be at a disadvantage with the lack of supporting information and justification.
What are the other solutions?
Blind CVs can be a really useful, and quick fix to support a much wider and more complex issue; and implementing them should certainly be explored if this is high on your agenda. If you are looking to diversify the team then there are other solutions you can try in addition. Have you tried vocalising and promoting your ambition of hiring a more varied team on your adverts, which can be an easy step to encourage everyone to apply.
Advertising the role in different places can in itself bring a wider pool of applicants. Getting in touch with a recruitment agency, such as ourselves, can help to reach more candidates and ensure the shortlisting for the role is done completely objectively.
Have you ever used Blind CVs in the recruitment process, how did it go? If you are going to be running a trial soon, let us know the results in the comments.