There have been several events that have had me thinking recently.
The racial attack on our three lions, interview feedback on a candidate who made a discriminatory comment during the interview, applications for a reception role we recently filled and the lack of diversity in the candidate pool, a client leading from the front with a “Blind CV’s” policy, the request to know at what school a candidate was educated at.
Assumptions, discrimination, generalisation.
There are many times in my role I ask myself why?
There have been huge changes to the recruitment marketplace during the 18 (gulp) years I have been within it.
There have been a lot of times I have questioned myself, my clients and my candidates and times that I have kept my opinions to myself.
As a service provider and during my early career there were times, I would have been scared to call someone out, the client pays the bill, so you get them what they want.
I remember my first week; the comment on a candidate “Lovely Beaulieu girl, we’ll get her a nice little job”- sorry what?
Or the client who wants “a young pretty girl to sit on reception, she doesn’t need much upstairs” – did you really just say that?
Missed promotions due to pregnancy
The role that comes up again and again because no one takes on the bully
Generalisations of a personality trait that’s assigned to everyone born from a certain country. Everyone has similar experiences. And we know by allowing the behaviour and staying silent we accept it. With age and experience comes more confidence to reject that and more confidence to “do you”.
There is also so much to be delighted by in recent months.
Historically I saw many fantastic policies but a lack of actual action on them.
But now, so many clients making a change. Really living the values. Learning new ways to do things.
• Blind CV’s - Brilliant - No more opportunities to generalise, assume, let unconscious bias play.
• More openness to reduced/flexible/part time working – AT LAST – open your candidate pool, encourage a more diverse range.
• Increased direct feedback following interview – Fantastic - “your response doesn’t align with our values”. Give candidate the constructive feedback to reflect and learn.
• The increased home working opportunities – bring it on – give the trust to employees.
We are moving forward.
It is so important to keep questioning our own behaviour and comments and the impact they have, as someone who is direct this can be tough for me to manage at times, but I keep trying, keep reading, keep learning.
Again. We move forward.