blind recruiting

A two-year pilot implemented for the Victorian state government found simple strategies like de-identifying CVs and changing the language in job advertisements can have a huge practical effect in overcoming unconscious bias.

The federal government has no interest in forcing all of its agencies to adopt blind recruitment, despite the popular idea winning strong support within the Liberal Party as a way to ensure hiring decisions are merit-based.

“It’s not about promoting minorities or creating barriers for minorities,” said Canberra-based Liberal policy convenor Ed Cocks on the vote to enact blind recruiting in the Australian Public Service.

The People & Culture Podcast with James Judge is all about skills for the modern public servant.  Each episode features an expert and practitioner, getting their perspective on the skills they’re building, how, and for what outcome. In this first episode James is joined by Tamerlaine Beasley to talk cross-cultural communication issues.

Blind recruiting is effective in eliminating discrimination, but the main bias in Australian Public Service recruitment is in favour of women and minorities, according to an experimental trial by the PM’s nudge unit.