What Are the Benefits of Building a Diverse Interview Panel?

What Are the Benefits of Building a Diverse Interview Panel?

In the quest to enhance candidate experiences and decision-making, we've gathered insights from top executives on constructing diverse interview panels. From implementing diverse interview panels to uncovering unique candidate strengths through such inclusivity, discover the valuable strategies shared by an SVP and a CEO among others. Here are the four enriching perspectives that could transform your recruitment process.

• Implement Diverse Interview Panels
• Ensure Representation Across Demographics
• Define Company-Specific Diversity
• Diverse Panel Uncovers Unique Candidate Strengths

Implement Diverse Interview Panels

Creating diverse interview panels starts with identifying members within your organization that represent a wide array of backgrounds, professional and life experiences, age groups, and cultures. By including these members in the interview process, you greatly decrease the chances of unconscious bias, unfair interview practices, and allow for different perspectives, significantly improving the candidate experience.

It is vital that the members selected receive DE&I training or resources to understand the importance of diversity for success in the organization and to avoid making decisions based on personal opinions or biases. For instance, at ABC Corporation, a diverse panel helped find a candidate with the right skills and who fit in well with the team, leading to better teamwork and new ideas in the company.

Ensure Representation Across Demographics

Creating a diverse interview panel involves ensuring representation across different demographics, including gender, ethnicity, age, country, and professional backgrounds—something I find extremely important as a primarily international-focused business and employer. I try for two different panels: one that covers the above from a cultural perspective and one that considers various roles in the company when possible, as this provides a more well-rounded perspective. It's been the best way I've found to get a more comprehensive evaluation of the candidates.

Define Company-Specific Diversity

Firstly, you need to define what diversity means for your company—this could include factors beyond just ethnicity or gender, like industry experience or different thinking styles. Aim for a panel that showcases a range of perspectives and backgrounds, as this can be a significant advantage in understanding diverse consumer needs and creating innovative solutions.

Diverse Panel Uncovers Unique Candidate Strengths

A while back, we were hiring for a new sales manager position. We decided to assemble a diverse interview panel that included team members from different departments, backgrounds, and levels of experience. The idea was to bring a variety of perspectives to the table and ensure a fair and comprehensive evaluation of each candidate.

The process started with identifying the panel members. We chose individuals who not only had relevant expertise but also represented different demographics and professional experiences. This included senior sales reps, marketing team members, and even someone from our customer service department.

During the interviews, each panel member focused on different aspects of the candidate's qualifications. For example, the marketing team member asked about the candidate's experience with digital campaigns, while the customer service representative inquired about their approach to client relations. This variety of questions provided a well-rounded view of each candidate's skills and potential fit within our company.

One particular candidate stood out during this process. Initially, their resume didn't seem as strong as some of the others, but the diverse panel brought out qualities that might have been overlooked otherwise. The marketing team member noticed the candidate's innovative ideas for social media engagement, and the customer service representative appreciated their empathetic approach to client issues. These insights highlighted the candidate's unique strengths and potential contributions to our team.

Ultimately, we hired this candidate, and they have since become a valuable asset to our company. The diverse panel not only ensured a fair evaluation but also enriched the candidate's experience by showing them that we value different perspectives and skills.