Saying I'm gay when I'm not

[FoxtrotOscar20]

I am actively seeking a new job, and not getting an interview. More than one person has suggested I say I am gay on the form to get a guaranteed interview. Is this a thing? Really?
I would rather not lie to get a job, but people obviously do do this
AIBU to just be myself, or is it everyman for himself out there, and I should do it to get a foot in the door?

I'm genuinely interested in opinions

I used to work in the NHS and the forms definitely ask for orientation amongst several other demographic data questions. I can assure you as a recruiter, I never saw the answer to these questions only the qualifications and the personal statement bit. I would be shocked to see it on a CV. For job hunting help try the website askamanager.org for useful information.

I am actively seeking a new job, and not getting an interview. More than one person has suggested I say I am gay on the form to get a guaranteed interview. Is this a thing? Really?

Not a thing. Having a victim/paranoia complex such that you think minorities are taking over the world IS a thing though.

I'm ase so can tick the super special 'Other' box (if there is one) but it certainly didn't help me get any interviews.

I have considered identifying as non binary to become spheshul...

With so many employers apparently conscious of the need to improve diversity, these things must have an impact somewhere, so I'm surprised so many people have asserted that they don't. You can't lie about it though, apart from being all kinds of wrong, you'd have to continue to "tick that box" once employed.

Oh, there was a post on here only very recently saying that someone submitted two applications to the same company (which had ramped up its “diversity” drive).

The application in which the applicant was straight/white etc was not taken further, the second application in which the same applicant happened to mention in the cover letter (not the equal opportunities survey form) that they were non-binary resulted in an interview + job.

I would try it OP. We all need jobs, not just those who fall under “diverse”. Good luck! And some sympathy on here wouldn’t go amiss. Wait till it’s your turn to apply for a job... the world’s a-changing.

I’ve also heard this said about jobs in public sector.
Diversity targets are a big thing, so upweighting the number of diverse candidates being called to interview improves the chances of recruiting a candidate who will positively affect the stats.
They won’t get the job if they’re crap though.

Surely the obvious option is to identify as bisexual (but with a stronger preference for men!)

I have done recruitment in NHS. There is nothing on the line manager side that tells us we have to shortlist someone because they are gay... We wouldn't be able to see that info, only the written application. I was told by HR that if someone meets all of the essential criteria (categories are essential and desired), and they have a disability then they are guaranteed an interview. We wouldn't be able to see details of the disability, only after giving out points for the application stage I think something shows up to prompt us to invite for interview if relevant criteria is met.

The monitoring firm doesn't get looked at unless you are recruited it's for monitoring. The only thing that can get you an interview is disability. In fact if being gay/female/black etc increased your chance of interview over an equally suitable candidate it is illegal (unless I'm special circumstances) recruitment is meant to be blind to these things. Work on your cv, but the job market is terrible, I've been looking since March

@FinnyStory

With so many employers apparently conscious of the need to improve diversity, these things must have an impact somewhere, so I'm surprised so many people have asserted that they don't. You can't lie about it though, apart from being all kinds of wrong, you'd have to continue to "tick that box" once employed.

But why would someone have to continue to tick that box once employed? What if they genuinely change their mind/preferences? Plenty of my DS1’s friends identified as gay, then bi in their teens, but have settled into heterosexual relationships in their twenties. Would they have to lose their jobs if they’d ticked the gay/bisexual box?

This is why the whole gender id thing is such a mess. Apart from anything else, what relevance does who you sleep with have to to most jobs or places of work?

The vast majority of recruitment systems lock this information down so the person viewing your application won't see it.

It is more about tracking applicants vs interview vs hire to monitor where bias may be occurring in the process

It is illegal to positively discriminate, however it is fine to actively target more applications from a diverse background.

Asking for this data helps make things fairer but it amazes me how many people decide they're being discriminated against for being straight or white etc... privilege at its finest!

Equality screening, if you choose to fill out, should be viewed separately from the application so it should make no difference if you say you're gay or not, I think your friend is confusing disability which is different.

I work in the public sector and we ask for this type of information. As a recruiter I never see this information when I select people for interview so it doesn't impact your chances of interview. We use to understand how we can better advertise roles to attract a more diverse range of candidates. I have never seen this info in a cover letter or CV and I would be a little surprised. Some employers might remove info, as some remove information such as dob / school and uni names.

With so many employers apparently conscious of the need to improve diversity, these things must have an impact somewhere, so I'm surprised so many people have asserted that they don't.

With the employers I've worked for equality monitoring is for just that, monitoring, not selection. It's important to know who is applying for your jobs, and who is getting them, the action is in how you advertise the role and recruit in future to encourage diversity, not whether an individual will get preferential treatment.

I shortlist applications for NHS roles, and sit on interview panels. This information is stripped off before the form gets to me - I never see it. So not only does it make no difference, there's no way it could make a difference.

Wise up. The only thing saying you’re gay might lead to is discrimination against you.
The forms are for monitoring, no-one making a shortlist for candidates sees them. FFS.

There’s a difference, legally, between Positive Action and Positive Discrimination, the first being allowed, the second not.

If a company feels it lacks diversity of a particular group then trying the actively recruit in that area is permitted, which could include targeted recruitment. Choosing between two equally qualified candidates on the basis of a protected characteristic is illegal.

elliswhittam.com/blog/positive-discrimination-positive-action/

But as we all know these things are difficult to untangle. Candidates are never exactly equal and companies always find a way around things.

Somewhat different, but, my academic husband has for a number of years been feeling increasingly hopeless about any prospect for promotion, because there is so much overt support being offered to women he has been hearing the message that white males need not apply. Added to his line manager forever saying just one more thing needed (though we thought that was where he was at years ago when he started the job).

Anyway, he's recently been moved to a different line manager. Who at review has not only said they would support his application for promotion, but identified that he ticks not one but two of their diversity boxes (overseas born and first in family to attend university). Fingers crossed!

(just to add, I don't disagree that women need encouraging in academia; just that it can't come at the expense of other sufficiently good candidates)

I've had to fill this in before but it was on a separate page on the application form along with ethnicity and disabilities including hidden disabilities such as asthma and epilepsy.
As I understood it, this page was separated out for collecting statistics on applicants and presumably then also for employees if you were to get the job.

Someone saying "pretend you are gay" to have a better chance of getting a job would really get my back up. This implies that there is positive discrimination towards gay people and that it is "unfair" to "white, heterosexual males". I've heard a few people make similar statements and they were all homophobic in other ways too.

I work in recruitment and all I can say is.... Wtf?!?

Is the job for a lgtb columnist? If no then I would say be yourself. If yes. Then I think you might need to be honest 😝

With so many employers apparently conscious of the need to improve diversity, these things must have an impact somewhere, so I'm surprised so many people have asserted that they don't

They do not impact on the level of the individual offer (the people recruiting for that role do not necessarily have that information).

But the aggregated data will be used for things such as establishing if they are getting enough applications from under-represented demographics, and to look at how and where posts are advertised, and to update published information about the organisation, and (if a very large organisation) consider outreach or targeted schemes (you'd be in very shaky ground to have a targeted scheme without the evidence to show why it was needed).

You would also want to examine if there was a higher rejection rate in certain groups, and consider things like (possibly unconscious/inadvertent) procedural bias and the training standards of those doing the recruitment.

The only way to get guaranteed interview is through the Disability Confident Scheme that most employers have where if you are disabled and meet the minimum requirements for the role, you are given a interview.

Sexual orientation, race, sex etc is nothing to do with getting a interview.