Hiring is never purely a mechanical process. While expertise, intuition, and cultural understanding all play a role, there is one factor that can quietly undermine even the most experienced hiring heads: positive bias. Specifically, the tendency for hiring managers who deeply love their company to let that enthusiasm cloud their objectivity when evaluating candidates.
The Risk of Positive Prejudice
It’s natural to want to find someone who “fits” the culture and shares your passion for the organisation. However, this well-meaning desire can quickly turn into a form of prejudice. When a hiring head is positively biased, they may overvalue responses that align with their own enthusiasm, overlook gaps in skills, or give undue credit to traits that are not genuinely relevant to the role. Essentially, the candidate becomes a reflection of the interviewer’s hopes, rather than being assessed on what they can actually contribute.
Objectivity Is the True Measure of Fit
Remaining objective does not mean being cold or impersonal. It means evaluating every answer and every example against the requirements of the role, the challenges of the team, and the outcomes the organisation needs. An effective hiring head asks themselves: Does this candidate demonstrate the skills, mindset, and behaviours needed to succeed here? Not: Do I like them? Do they seem enthusiastic about our company?
Strategies to Guard Against Bias
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Structured Interviews: Use a consistent set of questions for every candidate. This reduces the risk of subconscious preference influencing the process.
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Criteria-Based Scoring: Score answers against pre-defined competencies and outcomes rather than gut feelings.
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Panel Participation: Including multiple interviewers ensures that one person’s enthusiasm does not dominate the assessment.
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Reflective Pause: After each interview, take a moment to separate your impressions of the candidate from your affection for the company. Ask, “Am I excited about this candidate, or about the idea of them in my company?”
The Consequences of Overlooking Objectivity
When positive bias creeps in, organisations risk hiring candidates who are not the best fit for the role, team, or long-term objectives. The result may be higher turnover, underperformance, and frustration for both the new hire and the manager. Ironically, the very enthusiasm for the company that motivates the hiring head can become the source of poor decision-making.
Conclusion
Love for your organisation is a strength—but unchecked, it can cloud judgement. Hiring heads must work consciously to maintain objectivity, separating their admiration for the company from their evaluation of each candidate’s true potential. By doing so, they ensure that every hiring decision is fair, balanced, and ultimately in the best interest of both the organisation and the individual.
