It's no secret that "fit" can be used to advance bias, unconscious or otherwise. Over the last decade or so, companies looking to hire top talent have used culture fit as a selling point for their own brands, as well as a way to ensure retention. But in white-collar industries in particular, underrepresented people of all backgrounds have shared how not being a "fit" can be used against them , even when their skills are sound. If a workplace is predominantly male, you might be deemed a bad fit for not having the same interests. If all the top experts in an industry tend to be from one race, you may assume a person of a different ethnicity is less skilled.