Tools for evaluating applicants
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Interview questions focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
Guidelines for a “Quality Answer”
Samples of DEI-focused questions and guidelines of a “quality” answer
Last updated: October 29, 2024
In November of 1998, Washington voters passed Initiative 200 (I-200), which reads, “the state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting” .
While I-200 is a state mandate and must be observed, efforts to recruit a diverse workforce through outreach, networking and marketing are encouraged and are necessary to ensure a well-rounded pool of qualified applicants.
As a federal contractor, the University of Washington is not exempt from federal law as it relates to Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. Affirmative action and I-200 are not in opposition to each other, but rather can support diverse hiring goals. Affirmative action does not mean, and has never meant, quotas and preferences. As defined by Executive Order 10925 (signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961), Affirmative Action requires that federal contractors “take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin” (Source: UW Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity).
Interview questions focused on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
To build a truly diverse and inclusive workforce, hiring managers should ask questions that help them gain insight into a candidate’s values, experiences and approach to working with people from diverse backgrounds. In addition, asking diversity-focused questions reinforces the University of Washington’s commitment to inclusion and belonging and to creating a fair and equitable workplace.
Requiring a personal diversity statement as a part of the application materials is no longer recommended as it may reveal the identity of underrepresented populations in your applicant pool and, consequently, may introduce bias into the process. As an equal opportunity employer, we have to ensure we are evaluating all applicants inclusively and equitably.
Principles to follow
The purpose of DEI-related interview questions is not to assess the applicant’s personal identity, but to assess the applicant’s skills and knowledge on the value and importance of DEI. The overall goal is to create an environment of inclusion and hire people who are aligned with the values of the University. Below is a list of principles to consider when including diversity questions in your interview process:
- Explain why valuing diversity is important in the role or department at all stages of the process.
- When applicable, consider using scenario or technical questions vs broad open-ended questions.
- Make sure the question is relevant to the position and team culture.
- Assess for the candidate’s skills and knowledge of the value of DEI, not the candidate’s personal identity or proximity to diverse populations.
- Develop guidelines for a “quality answer” with hiring team prior to screening candidates.
- Look for actionable answers vs ideals and theories
- Make sure the question is appropriate for the level of position (entry level, student-facing, administrative, leadership, staff, etc.).
Guidelines for a “Quality Answer”
If you choose to require a personal diversity statement as a part of application materials or include DEI-focused questions in the interview process, defining the guidelines of a “quality answer” is essential to ensuring a consistent and equitable assessment. Ideally, this step should be completed with all members of the hiring team prior to the first stage of screening, and should identify what skills and knowledge you want to assess.
As a best practice, look for complete responses to questions. Consider using the S.O.A.R. technique: Situation, obstacle, actions (they took), result to examine the completeness of the response. In addition, think of specific competencies and criteria that support and provide evidence of the candidate’s commitment to DEI.
Criteria to consider
- Relevance: Did candidates address specific diversity challenges and opportunities to overcome them?
- Impact: How did the candidate specifically contribute toward fostering diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within the organization?
- Alignment: Does the statement align with your department and the UW’s overall mission, vision and strategic priorities with respect to diversity and inclusion?
- Reflective practice: Was the candidate able to acknowledge places they need to learn and grow in this space?
Samples of DEI-focused questions and guidelines of a “quality” answer
1. “How have you committed yourself to understanding and aiding in the pursuit of equity and inclusion in your professional and or personal life?
Guidelines of a “quality” answer:
- Actionable: articulates specific actions or steps taken (Proactive and/or Reactions)
- Clearly articulates or explain their “why” or “motivation”
- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the terms (equity and inclusion)
- Able to articulate and explain connection between equity/inclusion and their personal and/or professional opportunities
- Acknowledges the challenges and difficulties of this work
- Demonstrates specific classes, tools, resources, trainings used to gained more understanding
2. “What steps have you taken to mitigate your biases in the workplace?”
Guidelines of a “quality” answer:
- Clearly demonstrates knowledge of bias in general and different types of bias
- Able to articulate and explain self-awareness of their own biases
- Clearly defines their measure of success or failure
- Acknowledges challenges around recognizing and minimizing biases in the workplace
- Speaks to knowledge of personal impact of biases as well the impact on others
- Identifies specific steps taken and additional growth and resources desired
3. Scenario: You are in a departmental meeting/training where a co-worker communicates that they feel targeted by the facilitator’s micro-aggressions. They express that they feel they need to communicate this to the facilitator after everyone else has left. They seem uneasy and very much affected. What is your response?
Guidelines of a “quality” answer:
- Actionable: What specific actions would they take? Did they use “I” statements?
- Clearly demonstrates importance of acknowledging and validating their co-workers feelings and concerns
- Acknowledges personal challenges or difficulties of the scenario
- Did they act as an ally or advocate?
- Articulates and explain how they would support and follow-up with their co-worker
Additional DEI-focused, competency-based interview questions
Competency: Diversity
- How do you define diversity in the workplace? Can you share an experience that demonstrates why diversity is important at work?
- Give an example of how you have integrated diversity and inclusion concepts into your work?
- Can you share an example of how you contributed to – or benefited from – one of the benefits you described?
Competency: Diversity & Inclusion
- Please describe a work, school or a volunteer environment that seemed inclusive to you. Follow-ups: How did you contribute to inclusivity? What could the team have improved?
Competencies: Strategy, Diversity & Inclusion
- What strategies have you employed in the past to ensure that everyone feels respected and valued in the workplace? Follow up: How specifically have you worked to create a sense of belonging for others?
- How do you incorporate DEIB into your strategic plans and priorities in a way that aligns with your values and shares the work across your department?
Competencies: Conflict Resolution, Diversity
- Can you talk a little bit about a specific challenge you have faced in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and how you overcame it?
Competencies: Diversity & Leadership
- What advice would you give leaders who are struggling to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace?
Competencies: Collaboration, Diversity
- How have you approached collaboration with your colleagues from different backgrounds to ensure that a diverse range of perspectives is considered?
Competencies: Diversity & Initiative
- How do you stay informed about and sensitive to cultural differences when working with a diverse team?
- Can you discuss a time when you actively sought out diverse perspectives to enhance decision making? What was the result?
Competencies: Diversity, Innovation, Problem-Solving
- In what ways do believe diversity positively impacts innovation and problem solving on teams? Follow-up: Can you share an example of when a project you were involved in benefited from diverse perspectives?