What’s in a name? How we can limit human potential by our choice of words

Being mindful of our unconscious bias or the unintended impact of the language we use can help us attract the talent our local companies need. Let' s examine five examples:

 1.   Entry-Level Position. This expression may work for the recent graduate, however many candidates may provide superb service and not aspire to progress or may be limited by lack of formal education or personal circumstance. Instead, stick with using the position title or terminology indicating where the position resides - front-line, customer fulfillment, operational support - choosing the expression that provides respect, encouragement, and indicates the contribution of the role to your enterprise.

 2.   Survival Job. This expression is often used with job seekers who are not having success finding a job which matches their qualifications or experience, especially if obtained off-shore. While well-meaning, it can subtly effect the motivation and satisfaction of the candidate, influencing their interviewing approach, and perhaps on-the-job performance. Suggest avoiding this description where possible.

 3.   Our Names. When a culturally different (to you) name appears on a cover letter, resume or an interview list, does it trigger questions around language skills, immigration status, educational relevance, or fit more than a familiar name? Are we missing excellent candidates by not taking that extra time to look for relevant experience and motivation?

 4.   Canadian Experience. Do we automatically assume that the absence of Canadian experience for newcomers will mean more challenges in delivering successful performance and integration into our workplaces? Why is this, when yet many newcomers have successfully worked for global entities or have been part of global supply chains successfully.

 5.   Over Qualified. Similarly, when we see candidates with advanced degrees and experience, does this raise unfounded fears that that the person will be hard to manage, have unreasonable expectations, or be quickly unsatisfied with the role? It’s up to the applicant to explain why they want the position and their motivation, but are we making assumptions without exploring their potential contributions first?

 Regularly examining the words we use, the assumptions behind them, and the impact on others can open our minds, and then the doors to the increasingly scarce talent we need.