We’ve all heard the stat: Resumes get 6 seconds of attention.

And in those 6 seconds, what’s the first thing a recruiter sees?

• Your name

• Your school

• Your last company

In other words, everything except your actual ability to do the job.

That’s not just inefficient. That’s bias baked into the process. Studies have shown that identical resumes get treated differently based solely on the name at the top. Ivy League grads get callbacks regardless of skill fit. Candidates from “lesser” companies get skipped over even if they’re more qualified.

This isn’t just unconscious bias. It’s structural bias. Résumés are designed to front-load irrelevant information and leave skills in the fine print.

The fix? Strip the process down to the work.

• Give candidates the same problem to solve.

• Make it relevant to what they'll do on the job

• Review their output blind, without names, schools, or work history.

• Rank based on execution, not on prestige.

When companies adopt skill-based assessments, the playing field levels & the candidate pool gets stronger overnight.

Because talent is everywhere. You just need to make sure you have the right systems in place to find it. Resumes screens aren't the system.