Mar 23, 2025
This week's episode features Josh
Millet, the founder and CEO of Criteria. We dove deep into the
world of evidence-based hiring, exploring how to make objective
talent decisions that not only reduce bias but also drive better
business outcomes. Josh shared some powerful insights about the
common pitfalls in hiring, the importance of focusing on "strong
signals" rather than "weak signals," and how to create a more
equitable and transparent hiring process. It's like trying to bake
a cake with a recipe written in a different language – you might
have all the ingredients, but you're missing the key instructions.
We talked about how traditional hiring practices, like relying
heavily on resumes and unstructured interviews, can inadvertently
perpetuate bias and limit our talent pool. Josh's expertise really
shines a light on how we can move beyond these outdated methods and
embrace a more scientific approach to talent acquisition. Plus, we
even touched on the tricky topic of DEI and how, regardless of your
stance, everyone can agree that reducing bias is a win-win. So,
grab your favorite beverage, settle in, and let's explore how we
can build a workforce that's not only diverse but also incredibly
successful.
Here are the key takeaways from our
conversation:
- Beyond the Resume:
Traditional hiring methods often rely on "weak signals" like
education and years of experience, which aren't always the best
predictors of job performance. Josh advocates for focusing on
"strong signals," such as cognitive ability, personality traits,
and the ability to learn, which are more closely linked to
success.
- The Interview Trap:
Unstructured interviews are rife with bias. Josh shared that almost
50% of people make up their mind about a candidate in the first
five minutes! He emphasizes the importance of structured interviews
with standardized questions and scoring to ensure a more objective
evaluation.
- Assessments with
Intention: Assessments can be powerful tools for measuring
potential and reducing bias, but they need to be used thoughtfully.
Josh highlighted the importance of explaining the purpose of
assessments to candidates, providing feedback, and offering
accommodations when needed. He also discussed innovative formats
like game-based assessments to improve the candidate
experience.
- DEI Reimagined:
Regardless of your personal feelings about DEI, reducing bias in
hiring is something everyone can agree on. Josh pointed out the
clear ROI of diverse teams, including increased profitability,
innovation, and creativity. He also emphasized that diversity
encompasses much more than just race and gender, including age,
socioeconomic status, disabilities, and veteran status.
- Transparency is
Key: Candidates, especially Gen Z, value transparency in
the hiring process. They want to know how they're being evaluated
and appreciate equitable treatment. Open communication and feedback
mechanisms can significantly improve the candidate experience.
Actionable Allyship
Takeaway: Review your current hiring process and identify
at least one area where you can incorporate more objective,
evidence-based practices. Maybe it's structuring your interviews,
rethinking your assessment strategy, or simply being more mindful
of the language you use in job descriptions.
Insightful
Quotes:
- "So much to unpack in there. I
hadn't thought about Big Ten bias, but I think I'm going to look at
that one." - Josh Millet
- "You're not going to remove all
the bias and subjectivity from your process. And we don't think
that, any kind of tool should, should try to do that or should
purport to do that because we're all human, we all have our set of
biases." - Josh Millet
- "The business case is
settled...building a diverse workforce, does lead very clearly to a
series of non woke metrics like higher profitability, better return
on shareholder equity, you know, higher revenue growth." - Josh
Millet
Find Josh at criteriacorp.com for more information and connect
with Josh Millet on LinkedIn. Find Julie Kratz at
nextpivotpoint.com and on LinkedIn.