Gender-neutral language avoids assigning or implying gender when it is irrelevant. In hiring, it supports inclusion and helps reduce unconscious bias by using neutral terms for candidates, roles, descriptions, and feedback. section 7.1.2
Use gender-neutral wording throughout the hiring process:
- Refer to a person as “they” or “them” rather than guessing their gender. section 7.1.2
- Use generic terms such as “candidate,” “person,” and “individual.” section 7.1.2
- Apply the same approach to job advertisements, job descriptions, and interview feedback. section 7.1.2 section 7.4
- Use a candidate’s initials instead of guessing which gendered pronoun to use. section 7.1.2
A feedback-checking script
A script can scan completed interview feedback in the hiring tool and suggest wording changes that make the language more gender-neutral. This turns an inclusion guideline into a repeatable review step. section 7.1.2
