Integrating AI Tools in your existing HR workflows
Would you want to save 75% of the time you put into initial screenings during recruitment?
Read MoreWomen have made significant strides in the tech industry in recent years, and they continue to propel change and innovation in the sector.
From creating a long-lasting impact in the AI field (like Dr. Fei-Fei Li – the co-founder of AI4ALL) to revolutionizing nanotechnology in healthcare (like Dr. Jennifer Doudna, who co-invented the CRISPR gene-editing technology), women directly influence the future of this field.
But females still face unique challenges in pursuing careers in technology, such as gender bias in hiring and pay inequalities.
To reduce the negative impact of gender bias and promote diversity, tech recruiters need to shift their focus to the technical and problem-solving skills female software developers bring to the table.
One way to do that is through coding skills tests.
Let’s take a closer look at the challenges women face in the tech industry and why coding tests like Codeaid can promote more diversity in the field. We will also discuss some of the benefits of skill-based assessments for both candidates and employers.
According to a report by The World Bank, women make up less than a third of the world’s workforce in technology-related fields.
Women working in tech often encounter forms of discrimination, such as a lack of recognition for their contributions or assumptions that they are less skilled or less committed to their work. The situation is worsened by the fact that women actually rate themselves as less skilled and experienced in the field than their male colleagues.
This lower self-assessment trend also leads to a gender pay gap – another significant issue in the field. The pay gap trend also tends to increase the more senior and experienced the specialists are. Currently, we observe a pay gap of:
The software development industry has one of the most significant gender bias trends.
The first touchpoint where gender discrimination starts is the recruiting process. Often technical recruiters rely on resumes to get a general overview of the candidates. Such resumes usually disclose the candidate’s socioeconomic, gender, and race background, which is inadvertently taken into account, resulting in unconscious gender bias.
Women in software development roles are often perceived as less competent or less qualified for coding positions, even if they have the same skills and qualifications as their male counterparts.
For example, a study by Github found that software coding changes made by women are approved more often than those made by men, but only when their gender is not identified.
To combat gender bias in hiring, HR professionals can:
Next, let’s cover what coding tests entail and how they can help you hire the best candidates.
Coding skills tests are designed to test the programming skills and knowledge of potential candidates. These assessments range from basic programming concepts to complex algorithms. The tests are timed or have a duration limit and can measure a person’s ability to write, debug or optimize code.
There are three main types of coding tests:
Coding skills tests can be beneficial in mitigating gender bias in several ways:
Women in tech are making significant contributions to the industry, advancing the field in new and exciting ways. As we strive for greater diversity and inclusivity, it’s essential to recognize and support the experiences, struggles, and successes of women in tech.
Coding tests are a great way to reduce gender bias in the hiring process as they provide an objective, skill-based assessment that focuses on the candidate’s technical abilities.
If you’re searching for a reliable code skills assessment platform to evaluate your software development candidates, look no further than Codeaid!
With the latest AI Interviewer Software and our existing comprehensive code-testing solution, we can assist you in selecting the strongest candidates in an unbiased and efficient way. Ready to start hiring with confidence?