Who Got The Job And Why?

[JustAnotherGen]

This is posted in the African American Group at DU

When you've beaten another job candidate for a slot in a work environment -

Have you ever even considered the race of the other candidates?
Do you know that you were qualified based upon the description?
Do you know that you came to the table with the right background, level of education and depth/quality of experience?


Let's discuss!


Me:
In my life experience - I've never considered the race of the other applicants. I've also never considered the race/gender of other applicants when I didn't get a job. Call it the cynicism of Generation X or whatever you will - but well - I AM cynical and a realist. Maybe a bit of an optimist in that I've just assumed the other person was the better person for the job regardless of race, creed, religion, gender etc. etc.

It could also be my age - I'm 40 so I dodged the darkest days in America. I was able to benefit from a system of laws that allowed older black Americans and women to even apply for jobs and be considered as strong candidates. Those men and women (in the case of black Americans) and women of all races performed at a level that changed the workplace and enabled me to enter it without barriers and prove myself on merit.

That's how I've experienced things.

What has been your experience. I want to hear from everyone - because I wonder if some of our older group members can share what things were like entering the work force in the early 80's and prior to that.

[upaloopa]

1. People who select an applicant for a job do so

for any number of reasons. You generally are not to be blamed for being selected or not selected if the one doing the hiring was not fair or within legal bounds.

[1StrongBlackMan]

2. I have never given a moment's thought ...

to the race of other candidates for any job that I have competed for.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. Me either

It's never come into play for me.

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. I wouldn't go that far ...

but having worked in HR for 20+ years, I have come to realize ... employers tend to hire the first, minimally qualified candidate that they come across that they like. And those employers that base that "like" on racial factors, either for good or evil, are not employers for whom I would want to work.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Ahhh

And those employers that base that "like" on racial factors, either for good or evil, are not employers for whom I would want to work.

Me either. I would consider it a blessing to not be hired by that organization. You have the HR perspective however - where you also have a solid understanding of what is allowed and what is not allowed. It's got to make one raise eyebrows when they encounter it - knowing the liability it would put a company at risk for.

[Number23]

6. + a million. I have lost track of the number of times someone qualified didn't get a job at a place

that I've worked and I've asked the (vast majority white) people doing the hiring why so and so didn't get the job.

Every time I heard the "we're just not sure he would be a good FIT here" crap I know that's code for "this black/Indian/Hispanic person made us too damn nervous." It's one thing to say his/her qualifications were bad, they had bad references whatever. But when I hear the "not a good fit" shit which is 95% of the time has been directed at people of color or women, I know they're speaking in code.

[1StrongBlackMan]

7. LOL ...

to be fair ... sometimes the "not a good fit" reply is directed to that applicant with 27 piercings, tattooed neck and arms, and that pink spiked Mohawk! But it's all the same.

[jaysunb]

8. I LOVE me some Gen Xers !

Their ability to see through bullshit and persevere is something us boomer's should all appreciate. Many of us "affirmative action" babies permitted mental roadblocks like, "they think I was only hired as a quota" or the often used crutch: it's because I'm Black, to cripple our efforts. While both were true and pervasive, it was also a self imposed limitation.
It's good to see and hear our children and grandchildren (as well as those in position to decide) are using a different measuring stick to determine ones level of self confidence which, sometimes is the difference between getting that job/promotion .

Soldier on people.