Much is said about diversity and inclusion nowdays; this is not a subject to be considered “a plus” within companies and in society in general, but rather essential for us as individuals to grow as human beings.
With all the discussion on the labor market about the importance of the theme, I came to draw attention to the hiring process of companies. So, how can we think of diversity and pluralism if the “doors are closed” even in the hiring process? In other words, the process itself is not inclusive.
How can we design a hiring process that is not auto-exclusive, which means without any bias and impartiality about gender, race, political, psychological, or mental conditions, respecting people’s indiduality?
Currently, much is said about diversity in companies and in the job market, but are we prepared to interview people without any of these biases?
Questions like: Do you consider yourself a fast learner? We need a person “like this or that…” They are automatically exclusive to people with ADHD or any other similar limitation, for example.
There is a very fine line between visibly being “normal”. People like Linus Torvalds, for example, had no physical or mental limitations (as far as I know); however, he had an introverted personality and an aversion to formalities, but that did not stop him from creating and maintaining the kernel of Linux, one of the most important operating systems in the world to this day. Would he pass half of the recruitment and selection processes at companies today if he weren’t this well-known personality?
I bring this reflection here because I recently started to structure the process of recruiting and selecting QEs at the company that I’m working for, and I realized that this does not only apply to QEs but to any type of hiring, as I could see when I reflected a lot on the subject.
And you? What have you been doing to make the recruitment and selection process more inclusive in the context in which you are today? Finally, is it possible to achieve diversity within companies without stopping and reflecting on these and many other points?