Objective and fair selection criteria should be consistently applied at all stages of the recruitment process. This will help ensure that the best candidate, assessed based on the candidate’s ability to perform a job, is recruited to fill the post. Staff involved in the recruitment process, including human resource staff, hiring managers, line supervisors and staff handling queries about job vacancies, should be trained to recognise and avoid discriminatory practices. 

Here are some of recruitment disciplines to be reviewed: 

Job advertisements 

Selection criteria should be stated clearly in the job advertisements, and should be principally related to qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience. Employers should avoid using words or phrases in the job advertisements that could be perceived as discriminatory. Employers who advertise a position requiring a specific attribute which might be viewed as discriminatory should ensure it is indeed a requirement of the job and state the reason for the requirement in the advertisement. This will ensure that the job requirements are well understood, expand the range of eligible candidates, and avoid negative perceptions of the employer concerned. Words or phrases that exclude or indicate preference for certain job seekers outside the home region should not be used in job advertisements, for examples: 

• Age – Employers should not stipulate age as a requirement for employment unless there are legal or regulatory requirements which must be stated clearly. Words or phrases that suggest preference for job candidates of a particular age group should also not be used in job advertisements. Examples include “young” or “youthful working environment”. If the nature of the job is physically demanding such as the handling of heavy cargo, the required physical attributes or other job-related criteria should be clearly described in the job advertisements, rather than indicating an age cut-off. 
• Language – If a job entails proficiency in a particular language, employers should justify the need for the requirement. This would reduce ambiguity and minimise incidence of misunderstanding between the job seekers and the recruiting party. 
• Gender – Employers should not stipulate gender as a requirement for employment. However, where the practical requirements of a job dictate the need for employees of a particular gender, the reason should be clearly stated.
• Marital status and family responsibilities – This type of requirement are irrelevant criteria in employment, as jobs can be performed equally well by married persons, single persons and those with family care responsibilities. 
• Religion – Religion is unacceptable as a criterion for recruitment except in cases where employees have to perform religious functions or fulfil religious certification standards as part of the job requirements. In such cases, the requirements should be clearly, objectively and sensitively presented. 

See also: How To Boost Recruitment In 2020

Job applications 

Employers should review the fields in their job application forms to ask only information relevant to assessing an applicant’s suitability for a job. This not only streamlines the application form but also ensures that the job application will be assessed fairly and based on merit. 

Similarly, when requesting for resumes, employers should refrain from asking information that is not relevant in assessing an applicant’s suitability for a job. Examples of information that are not relevant to ask are: age, date of birth, gender, race, religion, marital status and family responsibility, disability, etc. 

If employers need personal information, they should ask for it at the point of job offer with clear reasons why such information is needed. In addition, personal data collection during recruitment should always be kept confidential. 

Job interviews 

Employers involved in recruitment should be appropriately trained on the principles of fair employment practices and to recruit and select employees based on merit. They should ensure that the interviewing process is fair and unbiased. To help ensure an objective assessment of the applicant, employers should have: 

• a list of selection criteria relevant to the job to be applied consistently to all candidates,
• a list of interview questions directly related to the selection criteria identified, 
• a proper record of interview, assessment process and job offer made, and should be kept for at least a year for a documentation, 
• more than one interviewer, if possible, and interviewers should be familiar with the principles of fair employment. 

Read also: The Changing Landscape of Recruitment by Intelligent Design: Q&A with Sergei Makhmodov, CEO of DaXtra Technologies APAC