The Job Interview Bias You Can Beat

The Job Interview Bias You Can Beat

Do you sound more appealing on paper? People are more likely to rate a native-speaking candidate higher in a job interview than someone with an accent, says a new study from the University of Pennsylvania.

But it’s not because of a communication barrier. An accent unintentionally implies that you’re less able to influence others, explains study author Laura Huang, Ph.D. Even if you can speak well, managers implicitly assume your foreign tongue means you have weak political skills, or lack the traits you need to persuade people.

Unfortunately, you can’t change your accent. So how do you overcome it? You’ve already got a leg up on the interviewer, since hiring managers aren’t actually aware of the bias. Use the info to your advantage: In the interview, make your accent moot by repeatedly emphasizing specific times you successfully used persuasion in your past jobs, Huang suggests.

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