1. Gender
2. Race/ethnicity
3. Military experience
There is usually an opt-out check box that allows you to not answer those questions, allegedly without being penalized. It's a legal thing, I am sure. However, I always answer the questions.
I am a white male wit
h no military service. That probably disqualifies me from some jobs, regardless of whether the application or employer indicate that or not. The questions wouldn't be there if they didn't matter. I figure if gender and race are potentially deciding factors, I might as well answer the questions because eventually, somewhere in the hiring process someone will figure out that I am a white male.I have written a lot about age discrimination in the workplace. The unemployment stats seem to support my opinion. From my perspective, it's as blatant as any kind of discrimination can be. But to make matters worse, these questions of race, ethnicity and gender on job applications make me feel as though I am hopelessly trying to swim upstream at 52 years old.
I am not sure when it became such a liability to be an experienced, white male with with a good employment history, but I can certainly hear the waterfalls getting closer as my job search continues and bank account dwindles.
For anyone who reads this blog, you probably know that I support our country and employers giving fair opportunities to qualified/deserving people, regardless of gender, race, ethnic background, etc. In addition, I believe vets deserve certain considerations for serving our country. But there is something that just doesn't feel right about these questions being standard on most job applications. I feel as though I am out of the running before the race even begins.
As a former mid-level manager who did a lot of hiring, I can tell you that this kind of ethnicity, gender and military data wasn't collected for any nefarious purpose.
ReplyDeleteWe did this because we had to in order to satisfy some kind of legal requirement for some government agency.
I was never told to hire or not hire anyone because of their race, age or ethnicity. Not once. Ever.
Did I apply my own personal filters when interviewing candidates in person? I did my best not to, but you know how that goes.
On the flip side, I worked for a company (which I won't name) that gave "secret" bonuses to top managers who hired minorities. So, for some, those questions on job applications could act as an incentive to pursue certain candidates.
ReplyDeleteGood managers will always hire good people, regardless of race/age/gender, but unfortunately not everyone in a hiring position is as honorable as they should be.