Breakdown:

• Intro (“The hiring decisions are not A1 size fits all…”):
  The speaker sets the stage: Hiring should be fair, but often bias creeps in. So, instead of just hoping for fairness, you need to proactively protect yourself.

The 7 Steps:

1. Shorten Your Name:
   • 2024 study shows ethnic-sounding names get fewer callbacks.
   • Example: Instead of “Jamayl Washington,” you might list “J. Washington.”
2. Remove Pronouns:
   • No he/him, she/her, etc.
   • Keep it neutral to avoid gender bias at first glance.
3. Remove Your Zip Code:
   • Only list City, State (e.g., “Atlanta, GA”).
   • Certain zip codes trigger class, race, or socio-economic bias.
4. Remove High School Graduation Dates:
   • Ageism is real.
   • Older candidates can be screened out unconsciously if dates hint at their age.
5. Remove Extracurricular Activities & Associations:
   • Clubs/organizations can signal political, religious, or social affiliations.
   • Hiring managers’ personal biases toward these can hurt your chances.
6. No Photos:
   • Photos invite visual bias — race, age, appearance, even perceived weight.
   • Stick to a clean, text-only resume.
7. Address Resume Gaps Carefully:
   • Prepare to say you were “upskilling,” “volunteering,” or “independent consulting”.
   • This frames the gap positively without going into sensitive personal details.

• Big Picture:
  This approach is about controlling the first impression — making sure you are judged on your skills, not your background.
• Why it matters in 2024:
  Bias hasn’t gone away — if anything, subconscious bias has evolved. With AI resume screenings and rushed human reviews, first impressions happen even faster and harsher.
• The real strategy:
  You’re not lying — you’re choosing what you reveal first to maximize the chance that they see your skills and experience first.