Many organizations believe their hiring process is objective. Job descriptions are often written with the intention of being thorough, clear, and specific about the qualifications required for a role. But sometimes the details reveal something else. It is not uncommon to see job descriptions asking for 15 years of experience alongside expertise in tools that have only existed for a few years. Or leadership experience in positions that historically were not accessible to many qualified candidates. On paper, these criteria may seem reasonable. In practice, they can quietly narrow the talent pool before the hiring process even begins. When organizations later say, “We couldn’t find qualified applicants,” the issue may not be a lack of talent. In actuality, the system filtered out strong candidates long before the interview stage.
