Does Blind Hiring Work for Employers?

A recent New York Times article posited that “blind” hiring–where an employer keeps the hiring process blind as long as possible to eliminate any potential bias–may be the best method for increasing diversity in the workforce.  Software like GapJumpers can give applicants tests that mimic what employees do on the job, and publish those test results to the potential employer without other data that might increase the potential for bias in the hiring process.  The underlying premise is that employers rely too much on flawed human judgment when they recruit.

But does that work in every workplace?  Not really.  The demands of many positions cannot be reduced to a simple test.  Moreover, it is critical for many positions that employees be personable, have good eye contact, be able to carry on a conversation with a client, and be able to communicate effectively, none of which can be measured by a simple computer-generated test.