Hiring with Heart: How Can We Overcome Bias Against Candidates with Career Gaps?

The Challenge of Hiring Candidates with Career Gaps

A few days ago, one of my clients asked me not to share the CVs of candidates who are on sabbatical, have been laid off, are unemployed, or have a career gap. I was taken aback as I couldn't understand the thought process behind this decision. How could an 'unemployed' status tag a candidate as non-hire material?

I believe that performance, capability, and talent have nothing to do with someone currently being out of work. The reasons for a career gap could be varied, but under no circumstances does it diminish an individual's skills and talent. What is the candidate's fault if their process gets ramped down or if their company decides to lay off? A candidate's performance has nothing to do with such decisions. Even I am on a short sabbatical; does this make me inferior or lacking in talent? Why this mindset?

Also, even if organizations consider non-working candidates, they offer them no hike or a minimal hike, which is absolutely unfair.

A Call to HR Leaders

My question to all HR leaders: can't we bring the change and be the change? Can't we free our recruiting team from unconscious biases? Can't we deliberate and find solutions to remove such dogmas that could cloud the horizon for our future generation? Can't we give them a fair chance?

Over to you, guys!

This change would take time to be accepted by recruiters/companies. This is one of the major factors that demotivates a candidate who wants to start working after a break (for whatever reason).

Perhaps, the client may be having a feeling that those on the bench are second best, so why bother when fresh and super good candidates are available. As rightly said above, the problem is that of plenty being available. So there has to be some screening out candidates at the threshold itself, just to limit the numbers. Most organizations have some such criteria, like those who have earlier applied need not apply again. Such biases and prejudices are prevalent in the industry.

Dear HR colleague,

I wish I agreed with you more. What should matter for a recruiter is the talent and capability relevant to the role possessed by the candidate, and it should be the only factor for elimination/selection. Any other considerations should not be allowed to influence our decisions in the selection process.

Regards,
Vinayak Nagarkar
HR Consultant