Open-minded hiring: only for real game changers
Accent has opted for open-minded hiring. That means that our job coaches propose new candidates to employers based on pre-determined criteria that are important for doing the job effectively. Data that could lead to an unconscious bias are omitted.
How open-minded hiring works
Open-minded hiring can be done in two ways: through an anonymous CV or an open selection event.
- Anonymous CV An initial, easy introduction to open-minded hiring is the anonymous CV, which contains all the objective information about competencies and studies. Personal details are anonymised.
- Open selection event Another effective method of open-minded hiring is an open selection event. In that scenario, companies and candidates meet each other without the candidates’ CVs being shared ahead of time.
Accent job coaches always get to know the candidate personally beforehand during thorough screenings. Only once we are convinced that there is a match between the candidate, job content and company culture do we introduce the candidate to the employer.
Within open-minded hiring, it is important that the employer gives us an accurate description of the job content, but also indicates which elements are crucial for performing the job safely and properly. Based on that information and criteria, our job coaches can look for the right candidates so that only those who are suitable for the job are ultimately proposed.
Why Accent has opted for open-minded hiring
There is no shortage of candidates. There is a shortage of open-minded recruiters and decision-makers. Every day in our offices we meet motivated candidates with talents that are sometimes overlooked. But sometimes those candidates have a gap in their CVs, they are a bit older or they live in a part of the city that is only in the news in a negative way. These are all factors that do not change the candidates’ motivation or competencies, but unfortunately occasionally play to their disadvantage. We too witness the fact that still too many managers cling frenetically to a strict list of selection criteria. These – often unconscious – biases mean that prospective employees do not always get sufficient opportunities in their job search. To put an end to these biases once and for all and to make it clear to companies how much talent they are letting slip through their fingers as a consequence, we adopted open-minded hiring in early 2023.
Stijn Vandervorst
You can’t argue with figures: there are enough candidates to fill the open vacancies. But some of those may not appear to have the right profile for the job, based on their CV. That’s why we are changing the way we recruit together. Thanks to open-minded hiring, all candidates get the same chances to prove themselves. A win-win situation for everyone: there are fewer jobseekers and open vacancies and the recruiting companies get a more diverse team of employees.
What game changers thought of open-minded hiring
Before we launched open-minded hiring for the general public, we launched a pilot project at ten open-minded companies. For three months, they tested all the principles of open-minded hiring. In exchange for some inspirational workshops and intensive coaching, they provided us with their honest feedback. Want to know what they think of open-minded hiring? This is what they have to say.
Frequently asked questions about open-minded hiring
Open-minded hiring and the anonymous introductions that come with it does raise the odd question. Below are answers to the questions we are asked most often.