What is “blind” CV screening?

Blind CV screening is exactly what it sounds like – assessing a candidate’s application without seeing the personal details that could influence judgement. That means stripping out names, photos, addresses, gender, date of birth, and sometimes even education dates.

The aim is simple: to ensure that the first time someone reviews an application, they are looking purely at skills, qualifications and experience. Not at markers that could trigger unconscious bias.

This interviewing inclusively tip is closely related to AI screening for inclusive recruiting. In fact, the two can work together. AI tools can be configured to automatically remove identifying details before ranking or scoring candidates. Or, if you are working manually, an HR coordinator can prepare anonymised versions of CVs before they reach a hiring manager’s desk.

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Why blind CV screening matters

Bias often starts earlier than people think. It can happen before the candidate’s skills are even considered.

A name that is unfamiliar. A suburb that feels far away. A school that is seen as prestigious – or not prestigious enough. These details have nothing to do with whether the person can perform in the role, yet they can influence decisions in seconds.

For candidates from minority, migrant or non-traditional backgrounds, these snap judgements can be a major barrier. Removing identifying information takes that temptation away. It forces the focus back onto what actually matters for the role.

How it links to AI screening

In the previous tip, we looked at AI screening for inclusive interviews and the need for bias safeguards. Blind CV screening is one of those safeguards.

When set up correctly, AI systems can automatically redact names, addresses, graduation dates and other identifiers before any scoring takes place. This means the ranking the AI produces is based purely on the match between the role’s criteria and the candidate’s skills and experience.

If AI is not part of your process, the principle is the same. A human can remove these details manually before shortlisting begins. The key is to do it consistently and to ensure the reviewers only see what is relevant to the job description.

Putting blind CV screening into practice

The process starts with deciding what to remove. Names are obvious, but also think about addresses, email domains, phone numbers, gender, dates of birth, photographs, and even certain hobbies that might indicate background or beliefs.

Next, standardise the way applications are presented. Some organisations convert all CVs into a template that shows only role-relevant information. Others provide reviewers with a competency matrix, listing skills and qualifications without any personal history attached.

If you are using AI, work with your provider or internal tech team to configure the system to mask or strip out identity-related fields before scoring. Test the output to make sure nothing slips through.

Know the limitations

Blind CV screening is effective in the early stages, but it is not the whole solution. Once you move to interviews, the identity of the candidate will be known. That means the same bias-aware principles need to carry into the next stage – structured interviews, diverse panels, consistent scoring.

It is also worth noting that in small industries or specialised roles, experience history might make it possible to guess the candidate’s identity. Blind screening reduces bias triggers, but it cannot eliminate every clue.

Measuring its impact

If you want to know whether blind CV screening is working, track the diversity of candidates reaching the shortlist compared with before the change. Look for shifts in gender balance, cultural representation, disability representation, or other key diversity markers.

You can also ask hiring managers whether the range of candidates they are seeing has changed. If the diversity is improving, the process is doing its job. If not, the issue may lie earlier in the recruitment funnel, such as job ad wording or sourcing channels.

From CV to interview

Blind CV screening is a practical, low-cost way to remove bias triggers in the early stages of recruitment. On its own, it will not make your process perfectly inclusive – but it is a strong first filter.

When combined with AI screening that is configured with bias safeguards, it becomes even more powerful. Together, they help ensure that the people reaching your interview stage are there because of what they can do, not because of who they are or what assumptions someone made at first glance.

For organisations serious about inclusion, that is the kind of change worth making.

Register for our online Inclusive Recruitment course.

Or contact us for tailored support.