Not getting the job

[Perfectlyadjusted]

So I didn't get a job. I went for a job at work that I have been doing for three years, along with my white colleague who has been doing the same.

My white no children colleague was eventually offered the job (it went to someone else whom I do not know first, but they turned it down). The thing is, after her interview my colleague called me and said she thinks it only went 'ok-ish' that she waffled, and on a few occasions the interviewers had to pull her back on track. My interview was strong, I felt it.

The feedback I got back was I did not mention a certain concept (white colleague told me she didn't either) and one other issue. White colleague said they mentioned a few issues to her. The interviewer said I was very appointable, but just not this time, do go for the next one to come up. My white colleague said she had feedback that her interview was strong which is not how she felt about it. But they said to her on that let down phonemail 'if this doesn't work out with no. 1 we'll come back to you'.

In the meantime, I am not happy but moving on with my life.
My Indian friend at work calls me and tells me that not for the first time, she had a meeting with the woman who interviewed me (and didn't give me the promotion) and that woman called her by my name, twice. She said it had happened before and she had always corrected the woman, but this time she couldn't be bothered. She was fuming though, needed to leave her wfh desk and go for a walk to shake it off.

I'm not saying my not getting the job was impacted by racial bias in any way. But I am saying it smells hella fishy and I'm sick of this shit. I cannot be sure it's nothing to do with me being black, or a mum (no one else on my team has kids), why the person who interviewed me and has worked on my team for 3 years cannot really differentiate between the two brown skinned women on the team (I mean, mistaking a very clearly INDIAN woman for a BLACK one with curly afro hair and think lips - grrrrrr and arrrggghhh). Is this also why I just didn't strike her as being no 2 out of 3 going for the job, but instead I'm no. 3?

You know?

I'm just over this shit, I really really am.

I started my own business last week when I didn't;t get the job, and I'm staying that course. I'll be resigning within 6 months.

F these people. That's why black people break out and go it alone. I['m done with white people managing me but looking right through me. I'm done.

@BlackandGreen

Kanaloa doesn'y seem to understand that it's potentially unlawful to refuse to employ someone because they have children.

Yes, it’s potentially unlawful. But I seriously doubt an employer will say ‘hi Jane just to let you know you’ve not got the job. We liked you and Maggie equally and you’d both fit the team well but she hasn’t got kids so we’ve hired her.’

They will just say that they found that person to be a better fit. And realistically you have no way to prove they’ve chosen that person over you because you’re a mother - they’re entitled to choose who they like. That’s one of the reasons so many jobs refuse to give interview feedback nowadays.

I'm sorry that this happened to you . It sounds nuts to give a job to a junior colleague who can only do the role in a job-share (?!).

Wishing you luck for your business!

Then you clearly don't understand the questionnaire procedures prior to employment tribunal.

@Kanaloa so you are saying that you ask if people have children when interviewing them? As in ha ha your are trolling/joking or seriously?

@Kanaloa my lmanager a few moons ago did this during a discussion on my mat leave. He intimated that he preferred my replacement as she didn't have children. I sued.

Of course I don’t ask people if they have kids - I don’t even interview people. I was just saying I think this is likely to be the reason as it’s a common reason not to hire someone.

And as you’ve said your manager intimated he preferred your replacement. The interviewer here hasn’t done that - they’ve simply hired someone else.

Sometimes, I'm just lost for words

@Kanaloa

Of course I don’t ask people if they have kids - I don’t even interview people. I was just saying I think this is likely to be the reason as it’s a common reason not to hire someone.

And as you’ve said your manager intimated he preferred your replacement. The interviewer here hasn’t done that - they’ve simply hired someone else.

You'd prefer to hire the woman who might take several mat leaves on your watch instead?

I'm not sure you've thought this through.

This makes so little sense to me I can't work it out, honestly.

I think, tbh, you'd just hire men. Young gay men. Who don't like babies.

It's ok that you wouldn't hire me, as I'm not sure I'd want to work with someone who thinks like that.

I'd send an email suggesting that all recruitment panels complete unconscious bias training. In our trust, we now have a EDI representative in every interview. They'll hopefully stop bullshit like this.
Ask for full written notes from the interview with points scored etc.

@OkNowTellMeWhatToDo

More likely to because you're a mum imho

Many interviews have bias, usually based on your ability to do the job, they are not supposed to know about your personal situation, one way or another they find out and a single mum may be eliminated, even before interview. Having got to interview it’s qualification first then personality, in a commercial setting it’s your ability to make money for the company in the broadest sense. Some organizations positive discriminate to get a balance of different origins which brings its own criticism. I always worked with a wide range of ethnicities, the NHS no discrimination, plenty of bitching though.

This happened to my friend at our work, she took them to court and they were found to be institutionally racist. Constantly going for promotions and was overlooked and jobs given to way less experienced people. The final wound was she was the asked to support her new boss in their role as they lacked experience

It’s worth the fight