Before we dive into the topic of bias, and how it relates specifically to video interviews, it's important to first understand what bias is.

Bias, simply put, is any unfair or unequal treatment of a person based on their membership in a particular group. This can be due to a person's race, gender, age, religion, or any number of other factors.

During the interview process, biases can show up in many forms.

Here are 6 of the most common interview biases:

1. Affinity bias: This is the tendency to hire or work with people who are like us in some way. We might share the same hobbies, come from similar backgrounds, or have the same educational experiences.

2. Confirmation bias: This is the tendency to look for information that confirms our pre-existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them.

3. Stereotyping: This is the act of making assumptions about someone based on their membership in a particular group. For example, if we think of women as being bad at math, we might be less likely to hire a woman for a math-related position.

4. Halo/ Horn Effect Bias: This is the tendency to judge someone based on one particular trait that we view as either positive (halo effect) or negative (horn effect). For example, if we think someone is smart, we might also think they are good at their job.

5. First Impression Bias: This is the tendency to form an opinion about someone based on our first meeting with them. This can be due to several factors, including their appearance, body language, and the way they speak.

6. Recency Bias: This is the tendency to give more weight to information that is fresh in our mind and less weight to information that is older.

These biases can have a serious influence on our ability to make fair and objective decisions and can have an impact on the future of the candidate's interview with your company.

When it comes to video interviews, there are two specific ways that bias can creep in.

First, there is the issue of first impressions and appearance. Long before we meet a candidate we might form judgments based on a hard-to-pronounce name, clothing, hairstyles, or another factor that will not affect their ability to do the job.

However, when we meet them in a video interview we have the opportunity to get to know them as a person and realize that their appearance is just one small part of who they are. This is an example of Halo/ Horn effect bias.

Second, there is the issue of body language, accents, and speech. When we meet someone in person or through a video interview, we can pick up on a lot of information through the way they talk and communicate through body language.

We can see if they are nervous or confident, engaged or disengaged, sincere or insincere.

Often we're most confident with people who talk, act, look like, or have similar traits to us. This is an example of affinity bias.When it comes to video interviews, bias can manifest itself in several different ways. However, there are steps you can take to mitigate the impact of bias and ensure that you're making objective decisions about your candidates.

Here are 4 tips to help reduce bias in video interviews:

1. Be aware of your own biases: Harvard collaborated with Project Implicit to make a great free test available to anyone who wants to begin working on their personal biases.
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2. Create a structured interview process: By having set questions that you ask every candidate, you can avoid the trap of confirmation bias and ensure that you're getting the most accurate information possible.
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3. Use interview intelligence software: Software like Pillar can help you to identify interviewer patterns in the data that might be indicative of bias. This data can help you coach interviewers and teams within your organization to be more objective when interviewing.

4. Train your team: Make sure that everyone who is involved in the interview process is aware of personal biases, and has access to the tools and training to eliminate them from the interview process.

Problems With Video Interviews

Despite the many advantages of video interviews, there are also a few potential drawbacks that companies should be aware of.

First, technology.

Wifi issues, headphone connection issues, background noise, blinking battery symbols, video conferencing, and scheduling issues.

If any of these things go wrong, it can lead to a frustrating interview experience for both the interviewer and the candidate. Especially when connections are slow and people feel like they're talking over one another or interrupting.

Second, many people are not used to them.

Video interviews are only a few years old, which means that we're still getting used to the idea of talking to someone on a screen instead of in person. This can lead to awkwardness and unease on both sides.

Third, they can be less personal.

In a face-to-face interview, it's easier to build rapport, make a connection, and get to know someone on a personal level. The problem with video interviews is that this can be more difficult.

Body language and social cues are harder to read on video. Because we can't see the candidate's body language or read their social cues, it can be difficult to get an accurate sense of their personality and ability to communicate.

There are advantages and disadvantages of virtual interviews. Most of them can be mitigated with a well-designed hiring process, preparation, patience, and effective communication.