Reducing ethnic discrimination in resume-screening: a test of two training interventions

Resume-screening by human raters is vulnerable to hiring discrimination but recruiter training as a way to overcome biased resume-screening is under-researched. The present study addresses this gap. Building on key cognitive processes that steer discriminatory decision-making in resume-screening and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of work and organizational psychology 2021-03, Vol.30 (2), p.225-239
Main Authors: Derous, Eva, Nguyen, Hannah-Hanh D., Ryan, Ann Marie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
culture-general assimilator
ethnic discrimination
Hiring
Minority & ethnic groups
Recruitment
resume-screening
structured free recall intervention
Training
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Summary:Resume-screening by human raters is vulnerable to hiring discrimination but recruiter training as a way to overcome biased resume-screening is under-researched. The present study addresses this gap. Building on key cognitive processes that steer discriminatory decision-making in resume-screening and insights from diversity literature, we investigated the effectiveness of two cognitive training interventions (i.e., a culture-general assimilator and a structured free recall intervention) for reducing hiring discrimination against ethnic minority job applicants in the resume-screening stage. A pre-test, repeated post-test experimental study showed initial hiring discrimination (i.e., less positive evaluations of minority job applicants than majority ones), which was reduced shortly after both training interventions. Hiring discrimination, however, resurfaced 3 months later for both interventions. The culture-general assimilator also positively affected participants' perceived ability to suppress stereotypes, both short-term and long-term. Findings are considered in the light of a comparison of these training interventions, their programme features, and their compatibility with the resume-screening task. Implications for prejudice reduction initiatives, their potential differential effects, and further research are also discussed.
ISSN:1359-432X
1464-0643
DOI:10.1080/1359432X.2020.1756907