Exploring Biases in Recruitment through Social Media and Online Searches (SMOS)

Abstract

Many organizations claim to incorporate the idea of diversity, inclusion and equality while making hiring decisions. But why these decisions do not always reflect or support the claim of diversity and equality? The current study aims to answer this question by exploring the biases activated during Cybervetting that might account for this contradiction. The study used qualitative research design by conducting semi-structured interviews with 4 Human Resource professionals involved in online recruitment. Thematic analysis was performed using guidelines by Creswell and Creswell (2018). The study’s findings suggested that the use of Social Media and Online Searches (SMOS) by recruiters can initiate biases causing candidate’s rejection based on images or text discovered, or assumptions made during the cyber vetting process. The study found that there is a need to examine, expose, or even eradicate the influence of implicit and explicit bias when recruiters conduct background checks using online platforms. Interestingly, none of the participants verbalized the feeling that cyber-vetting was an invasion of the candidate’s privacy. However, it was seen as a justifiable means to ensure that the candidate would respectively fit the culture and organization. The present study sheds light on the importance that recruiters give to social media profiles, and awareness of biases prompted by pictures and content during SMOS. The study shall help recruiters in spotting these biases and need to design trainings that aim at guiding on eliminating such biases letting hiring process become efficient and bias-free.