While we like to maintain a high opinion of our own open mindedness and freedom from bias, sometimes a reality check is in order.  And so, I offer the youtube link below.  The video shows a segment of the UK’s version of American Idol.  It features an unemployed, underdog candidate with a dream.  With her rare, long-shot pursuit of fame, Susan Boyle allows us to hold up a mirror for ourselves for just such a personal-bias reality check.

Susan was unemployed, without resume credentials, over 45 and not exactly dressed for the part. She didn’t exactly ace her her dream job interview either. Click on Susan to see, hear and experience her interview and subsequent dream job performance.

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Ignore the pop-up. Due to viral demand, Youtube has disabled their embedding feature for this clip.

Just click on the photo.

Watch the Susan Boyle segment.

Even though you kind of know what’s coming, don’t you still find it difficult to watch Susan being interviewed without at least a touch of skepticism about her ability?  Can you admit it?

While our assessment tea leaves are designed to provide an unbiased view of a candidate, I’m sorry to concede that early interview bias would too often prevent a candidate like Susan from ever progressing to the assessment stage of the recruitment process.