Reasons job seekers don’t get a job (that no employer will admit to)
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Let’s face it – legal or not, discrimination is still alive and well in the job market. While most forms of discrimination are illegal, when there are many qualified applicants for a job, certain things may knock you out as a candidate even before you have a chance to prove yourself. Here are some of the types of discrimination job seekers face, and how you can combat them.
Family - To put it bluntly, married applicants with children are something of a liability. They take more time off work, expect to earn more, need more insurance, and often place their priority on family, rather than career. While there’s nothing wrong with that, if an employer is forced to choose between a married, and unmarried applicant, it’s an easy choice as far as money is concerned. Make sure that you keep all family information as private as possible in an interview. Employers can’t legally ask your marital status, so don’t volunteer anything you don’t have to. Force them to choose based on merit, rather than on convenience.
Gender - There is a lot of gender discrimination going on in the workplace, but not in the way many would assume. Sometimes an employer will bring their own preconceptions into an interview. For example, some employers prefer female employees because they’re viewed as more personable, dependable, and statistically, women are less likely to ask for raises. Some employers prefer male employees, because they think they will be more aggressive, and more willing to take charge of projects. If possible, show up to the interview early, and try to meet a few people in the office if anyone is accessible. Get a feel for the gender mix and the personality type of the employees that already work there, and do your best to project that personality in the interview.
Age - Young or old, there are a lot of hang-ups employers have in regard to age. Every employer wants someone who’s there to work long-term, because training a new employee is an expensive investment. If you’re very young, you may not have much experience, but what the interviewer will really be looking for is you potential anyway. They may not be keen on hearing that you intend to return to college, or that you are planning on getting married soon – these are all things that could make you leave. Never volunteer more information about your personal life than absolutely necessary. Also, if you are reaching social security age, make it clear that this *is* your retirement, and that you have no plans to stop working any time soon.
Education - Often, a college degree means absolutely nothing in terms of how prepared you are for a job, but it does show that you are educated, not to mention able to make it through four years of disciplined study. Those without a degree will have to work twice as hard to seem more educated than their degreed peers, and that means going the extra mile. If you don’t have a degree, make sure your resume includes plenty of relevant educational experience, like managerial training, classes you’ve taken, and specific work training courses. It may also help to work with a public speaking coach for a few sessions, in order to help you articulate yourself well, and maybe even quash a strong dialect, if you have one. Dress is also important. Having an off-the-rack suit tailored for you is a cheap and good way to look well put together. If you look affluent and successful, it will help remove the stigma that those without a college degree are doomed to be stuck in blue collar jobs.
Regardless of the job you’re looking for, do your research. Get a feel for the company, and try to look at as many current employees as you can. Try to find any common threads between them, and use that to your advantage. If nothing else, the more you look like you already belong in the office, the easier it will be for the employer to imagine you as part of the team.
Written by Erin Kennedy, CPRW, CMRW - Visit the website to hire executive resume writer Erin Kennedy, CERW, CPRW
Erin is an internationally renowned certified resume writer specializing in professional and executive level resumes and career services.
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Erin Kennedy, CPRW, CERW owns Professional Resume Services, where she and her talented staff of writers specialize in professional & executive resumes. Erin is internationally recognized by her peers as one of the best of the best, she is a perennial award-nominated certified resume writer.
Good article Erin! Discrimination is very real and job seekers should take these issues into consideration before they begin their search. This way they will are prepared with strategies to maneuver around sticky issues.
Kris
Unfortunately I’d also add “your name” to this list, which means people can tell your country of origin. There is a lot of stereotyping that goes on based on where people come from, in Australia at least. Overseas university students educated in Australia, even for four years or so, often have a much harder time finding a role than their Australian born counterparts, as their experience on their resume can be read through an entirely different lens. Someone who has worked in a club as a bar person while they’ve been studying, who was born in Australia, is viewed as someone who is self sufficient. Whereas if they are born overseas and educated in Australia, it’s assumed they have this same job because their English is not good enough.
.-= Karalyn Brown´s last blog ..What the hell is an outcome? =-.
Keralyn,
That’s very true!
Thanks.
Erin
Exactly!
Thanks, Kris!
Erin
This is very true and I think most of the discrimination takes place long before the interview even takes place. When the hiring manager tells HR what the perfect candidate would be, they typically say all the un-PC metrics that you don’t see on the job specification. It’s a tacit understanding and some people can interview all they like but will never even come close to an offer sadly.
.-= Jorgen Sundberg´s last blog ..Personal Branding: the UK Experience =-.
I know. Sad, but true.
I agree with you that dicrimination still out there no matter what. I don’t think it will be buried since there is no change in the way of people think and they keep on following the bad side of their ancestors. We are modern now and such stuffs should be left behind in order to make the world better.
I recently found out that resumes are scanned for key words and names may be thats why the typical resume never gets read just thrown away but you have to take in to acoount that good jobs hand out referals to theier employees to find friends and family and if they dont work out so you get fired . but I think more hiring is done within the company so you’ll have to know someone
I believe it when you say resumes are scanned for key words, but that does cost a lot of money. You have to figure that top companies are on the leading edge of applying technology to every aspect of the company, including scanning every resume. It’s all about what company you are applying for. I have found that if you personalize each resume for the company that you are applying for that it tends to have a positive effect.
Well it’s a shame that someone would get a hardtime getting a job because he has a family. I mean, if you have a family to support you will take a good care of your work and be more responsible, that’s the way I see it.
@Karalyn Brown
“your name” – this is true.
I read an article on local newspaper few months ago. A job seeker in Australia had to changed his last name when looking for a job. He claimed that he was not able to get calls from employer because of his last name. He told the reporter that he had received more calls from employers after changing his last name. He had secured a job after several interviews.
.-= Eelynn´s last blog ..First Impressions Count- Great Style for Great Interviews =-.