Bias is basically a filter, it warps what you notice, what you remember, and what you decide in a meeting, consciously or not. And it’s not exactly easy to defend yourself against the 188 cognitive biases researchers have identified. But which ones tend to show up in hiring interviews, and at what point in the process?
Our Chief Product Officer, Sinisa Strbac, breaks down some of the most common traps, and how they influence each stage of an interview.
Common biases here include:
• Lookism (beauty or “polish” bias): You accidentally confuse a professional appearance or a firm handshake with real drive and competence. Someone who “looks like a leader” gets a head start, while a tattoo, a stained shirt, or “too much” makeup can trigger an unconscious no.
• Class-marker bias: A candidate’s accent, dialect, word choice, or clothing can spark assumptions about their social background, which you then (often unconsciously) connect to whether they’ll “fit the team.” This happens whether the candidate speaks with a so called “upper class” accent or an urban dialect or hood speak.
• Anchoring bias: If you just read something very positive, or very negative, in the resume right before the interview, that detail anchors your perception. The entire conversation then gets colored by that first data point.
Here, bias influences the questions you ask and how you listen to the answers.
• Confirmation bias: If the first impression is positive, you may start asking questions that confirm your existing story (“You seem super driven, tell me about…”). Meanwhile, you skip the tougher questions that could challenge your assumption and unconscious bias, because you don’t feel like you need them.
• The halo effect: One strong (or weak) impression in a specific area spill over into unrelated areas. For example, a candidate answers a technical question brilliantly, and you automatically assume they’re also great at collaboration and leadership, even if you have zero evidence for that.
• Hero bias: The charismatic leader who has all the answers. In leadership hiring, many interviewers overvalue confidence and presence, and overlook more humble, listening-oriented leaders. Their thoughtful answers can be misread as “weak” or “uncertain,” even when that style is exactly what the role demands.
When candidates talk about their experience, you may value the same information differently based on your own background and assumptions.
• Techno ageism: When a more experienced (read: older) candidate mentions a technical challenge, you start scanning for signs they struggle to learn new tools. With a younger candidate, you assume digital fluency by default, which often isn’t true.
• Credentialism: You are more interested and assign higher credibility to candidates from elite universities. At the same time, you may dismiss more relevant answers from someone self-taught, or educated at a smaller college, a vocational school, or an unfamiliar international university.
• The fundamental attribution error: If a candidate seems nervous, you think, “They’re a nervous person” (personality), instead of, “They’re in a high-pressure interview situation” (context).
When you summarize your impressions and choose who moves forward, two biases tend to hit especially hard:
• Commitment bias: You notice a candidate has had three jobs in four years and immediately label them a job-hopper, without considering that each move might have been a natural step up, or a strategic sideways move after reskilling. That pattern could actually signal ambition.
• The Dunning–Kruger effect: A very confident candidate (who may be less competent) can sound convincing, while the real expert, who understands nuance and limitations, can come across as less knowledgeable. And then you rate them accordingly.
If you want to counter these biases early in your hiring process, Tengai can help. Here’s how:
Blind interview
Candidates complete a digital interview with Tengai’s AI avatar. They meet an engaging, interactive dialogue and can choose when they want to do the interview. No additional admin load on you as the recruiter. The questions are structured, behavior-based, and competency-based, and every candidate gets the exact same questions in the exact same way. And Tengai can perform the interviews around the clock.
Objective analysis
Responses and behaviors are assessed using scientifically validated psychometric models. Gender, age, appearance, and voice don’t influence the result, only competence, potential, and behavioral patterns do.
Data-driven shortlist
Results are summarized in a data-based report, a Talent Scorecard. You get an automated ranked shortlist of candidates who match the role requirements, without bias contaminating the decision. And from there you make the decision.
Full transparency for candidates
Every candidate receives personal feedback after their interview. That strengthens the candidate experience, makes the process more transparent and inclusive, and ultimately boosts your employer brand.
With Tengai, you get an automated screening tool that scales objectivity and helps you secure the future of your team, right from the selection stage. Want to see how it works in practice?