Why You Should Consider Hiding Names on Resumes

In the world of hiring, we all like to think we are fair. But the truth is, our brains are hardwired to make quick judgments. Sometimes, a person’s name, where they live, or the year they graduated can change our opinion of them before we even read about their skills.

This is where Blind Resume Screening comes in.

What is it?

Blind screening is a simple process: you remove any information that isn’t related to the job before the hiring manager sees the resume. This usually includes:

  • The Candidate’s Name

  • Their Age or Graduation Year

  • Their Address

  • The Names of the Schools they attended

By doing this, the recruiter only sees the experience and skills that actually matter for the role.

Why it works

  1. It Fights "Hidden" Bias: We all have "unconscious bias." We might favor someone who went to the same college as us or someone with a familiar-sounding name. Removing that data forces us to be more objective.

  2. It Finds the Best Talent: When you stop looking at who a person is and start looking at what they can do, you often find "hidden gems"—talented people who might have been overlooked in a traditional search.

  3. It Builds a Diverse Team: It creates a level playing field from the very first step of the hiring process.

Is it perfect?

Not quite. While it helps at the start, once the candidate shows up for an interview, their identity is no longer a secret. Therefore, blind screening is just the first step in making a fair workplace. It needs to be paired with other smart habits, like using the same set of interview questions for everyone.

The Bottom Line

As someone who studies both Human Resources and academic research, I believe that the less we "know" about a person’s background initially, the more we can learn about their true potential.

A Quick Tip for Recruiters:

If you want to try this but don't have fancy software, you can start small. Have a colleague "black out" names and headers on five resumes and see if your top choices change. You might be surprised by the results!

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