To wonder about blatant discrimination at interviews?

[Calyrical]

Have you ever had it? Another thread made me wonder how common it was.

My experience was applying for a job in a nursery and was knocked back because "we prefer to employ mums."

I've had a few where I'm sure I wasn't male enough

Had it ever happened to you?

I went for a job at a pregnancy magazine where both the editor and deputy editor who interviewed me were pregnant, and they said they weren't sure if I'd fit in as I "probably didn't have children" with very sour and dubious faces.

I didn't, and I looked much younger than I was.

But I was more than qualified for the job, you know, what with my decent CV and all....

These experiences always work both ways though, I left knowing I wouldn't want to work there. Just bizarre.

I was told that I didn't get a job because I didn't talk about my own children enough during the interview and the other applicant had! Think it was an internal appointment and they were clutching at straws with my feedback because they were never intending to appoint anyone but the person who already worked for them. I did point out that it was discriminatory to rule someone out of a job based on their reproductive history!

I was once on a panel where one of the other interviewers said we should give the job to the only male candidate (who had performed fairly poorly) because she was sure that X would prefer working with a man.

After we picked our jaws up off the floor and reassured the HR rep that the rest of us knew how inappropriate her remarks had been, we gave the job to the best qualified candidate.

(Apart from the blatant discrimination, I worked with X very closely and knew that he had no particular preferences re: the sex of his co-workers).

Mums are generally discriminated against so positive discrimination is a refreshing change

It's happened to me once before.

There was just me and one other candidate at the interview, and the Deputy Head who was giving us a tour of the school, kept saying to me that my journey would be very long and that I live far away. She then kept telling me that the other candidate is originally from the same area as the school, and is only a 10 minute drive away.

I was disgusted that this happened, and not shocked that I didn't get the teaching position there. I was relieved though, as on arriving there, 2 teenage boys wolf whistled and yelled at me that I was 'fit as fuck' from their classroom window.

The Headteacher was a smarmy bellend too, so I was better off to have not got the job there.

Mums are generally discriminated against so positive discrimination is a refreshing change

It isn't a refreshing change, it is another equally pernicious form of sexism.

Happens to me all the time in our out of a job. Usually I'm not white enough

I've had the classic 'and what do you plan to do about childcare". Not recently though, about 10 yrs ago. Wonder how much it has changed.

The funny thing, i was already working in that dept, (being interviewed for a snr position), so the obvious answer was - whatever I am doing now.

wtf? How are employers so clueless they would give such obviously sexist feedback? Don't they know this could land them in court?

I had one where I was pretty sure I was too deaf for them. They suddenly started emphasising the somewhat noisy environment and the importance of making out what people were saying, going from offering me the job to acquiring a previous candidate.

I've had a couple of blatant ones that would, sadly, also be completely outing!

One job I went for had a standard question along the lines of of "this job might require overnight stays at short notice, is that something you'd be able to do". Not sure if that counts as discrimination or not - it was a genuine requirement of the role, and they asked everyone, but obviously it would have had more impact on primary carers of young children.

I was once told they'd prefer to hire a man as a man would be able to deal with certain situations better and that they don't know why the agency sent me

Yes Boomcack this is still a massive issue in 2017 which is ridiculous. The only difference now is that it's less open, and less open just makes it harder to solve because people just don't talk about it and when they do they're "precious" or "pulling the race card"

I don't think I ever have been.

I've gotten every job I've ever applied for.

Went for a job interview for a role in a very male dominated industry which I have always worked within. All 3 panel members very laddish which was fine because I find myself able to fit in with that environment when necessary anyway. However, at one point, one brought up an on the job experience which was more of an 'in' joke and it side tracked the interview whilst they all tried to get over their laughter. I smiled through it but felt I did well. I then got a call a couple of days later saying they'd hired a young man who was a straight fit into their team but they had wanted to hire me as their second choice. They had briefly made a remark about how tricky it could be for me to get there across London (although I explained I had multiple options) and the person they employed was having to move from The Midlands!?

I was mid-20's but female. I was newly engaged at the time and my engagement ring stuck out like sore thumb, I wondered if that contributed at all. A family member once admitted they wouldn't hire a young woman for a job (office based) as she was likely to get married and have children. The fact said relative is female makes it worse

At school, in order to take a particular GCSE option, girls had to write an essay on why it would be a good choice for them and the teacher decided whether to have them in his class or not. Boys did not have to write an essay. This was at a supposedly progressive school in the 80s.

I was asked in interviews for engineering roles if I minded swearing and banter (none of the men I know have ever been asked something like that and some of them interviewed for the same jobs). And I've been asked about my plans for having a family. As a consultant I was frequently bypassed while the client talked to my junior, male colleague until I made it clear what the situation was. Sometimes clients continued to treat my colleague as senior even after being told.

I once applied for a job on a well known tv show about archaeology but as production crew instead of archaeologist (had experience & quals in both) The woman who dealt with hiring told me she'd prefer men as they could do heavy lifting of technical gear and so wouldn't be considering me. Pointing out I'd just spent 6 years doing the very same jobs and training for such jobs made no difference. Women weren't being offered the opportunity to lift heavy things and that was that.

I was also once questioned on my ability to cope with male banter in a computing office as if I couldn't deal with the rampant sexism, discrimination and vulgar language I wouldn't be offered the job. Having come from building sites (as archaeologist) I was well used to "lads" banter so got the job but I wasn't used to the blatant disrespect and sexual harassment I received in that office. Building sites were far more respectful of my existence.

My sister was a physiotherapist. She also used a wheelchair.

As she was applying for NHS jobs they always came with the 'we will interview suitably qualified disabled applicants' clause. She found it fairly frustrating to get to interview and to realise after the first sentence that they had no intention of even considering her for the job. And this happened rather a lot.

But she found it even more frustrating to get a job, go for her occupational health check, and have the doctor explain to her that in his view she shouldn't have got the job, and although he had to clear her, he thought she should be looking for 'more appropriate' employment at the job centre.

I dont think i have ever experienced this. Its quite sad really to think that this kind of stuff goes on.

However i dont think being asked if you can do overnights when required is discrimination.

My sister worked in a company that was sued for discrimination. An Asian man with an English sounding name had applied for a job, he was called for interview but when he turned up the interview lasted 10 minutes at most and he didn't get the job. When they met their lawyers, the person who carried out the interview was asked why this one was so short and he said he just didn't think the individual would fit in; when pressed for his explanation he said that it was because of the suit the candidate was wearing. The lawyers advised the company to settle the claim as quickly as possible.

I've always worked in traditionally male industries. I've only ever suffered discrimination from one manager.
He complained that he couldn't talk to me like shit (his default communication method) because ladies are sensitive and I'd probably cry.

My husband is in a similar boat. He's just gone for a promotion and was told that his presentation was the best of the day however he wasn't given the role. The only woman who interviewed got it, apparently she wasn't the best of the day. (One of the interviewers knows him from working with him previously and told him what happened)
The lady deciding who got the job is also currently in charge of an empowering women programme in the company. This lady was always going to get given the job. It was pointless him applying and putting in all the hard work he did.

Discrimination is wrong, doesn't matter who you are discriminating against.

I applied for a job, that had been vacant for months, with a defence contractor.
The guy who interviewed me was very offhand and dismissive of me, and I just sat there thinking that I knew why the job had been vacant for so long was because no one wanted to work for this arse hole . Then he announced really loudly "I don't know why they bothered giving you an interview, you're a woman and you can't go on submarines". Why bother getting me to travel across the country for a pointless interview then?

When I was at university I was looking for a summer job in my home town and I passed a textile factory with a sign outside saying they had vacancies for packers. I'd been a packer before and would have known what I was doing. I put my head round the door and asked about the vacancies. The person I spoke to was a Sikh wearing a turban. He said they weren't looking for anybody any more. Every single person I could see in there appeared to be a Sikh (men in turbans, women in Punjabi suits). He didn't remove the sign from the door when he showed me out. I can't prove it was discrimination - maybe he was just the tea boy and felt out of his depth dealing with my enquiry - but I have my suspicions.

My sister was a physiotherapist. She also used a wheelchair.

As she was applying for NHS jobs they always came with the 'we will interview suitably qualified disabled applicants' clause. She found it fairly frustrating to get to interview and to realise after the first sentence that they had no intention of even considering her for the job. And this happened rather a lot.

But they then get to put a tick in their "inclusion" box when it comes to complying with equality legislation. MrsLH had this frequently years ago.

One of the reasons why I oppose such details being available before interview ...