To think being prejudiced against the privately educated is OK

[EastLondonObserver]

I have spent 25 years working in the advertising industry at some of the most highly regarded agencies in the world. Most of these have been dominated (in certain roles, at least) by the privately educated who gained their entry to the industry through having personal/family contacts in it, were subbed by rich parents while working in low-paid or free internships to gain experience and had that empty confidence private schools instil.

Perfectly capable graduates educated comprehensive schools didn't get much of a look in. However a few managed to break through, including myself.

Consequently, throughout my career I have actively rejected almost all privately educated graduates applying for entry level positions. This runs into hundreds of applicants. I have managed to do this without being called out. Sometimes I have rejected them even when they clearly would have done a better job than a comprehensive school educated alternative. These were corporate companies - it made no meaningful difference to me if they were mildly less successful as a consequence. The only exception was one graduate educated at Harrow and Bristol. I gave him the job as an experiment. He was average at best.

I did this in the name of social justice: re-distributing opportunities away from those with unearned privilege.

Have I been unreasonable? Has anyone else done the same?

Giving a job to someone who is not the best candidate is not in their best interests. Positive, helpful feedback would be far more beneficial and enable them to apply for and secure a job where they are the best and most deserving candidate, thus giving them max opportunity to fulfil their potential.

My experience is they've done just fine after joining.

I'd probably interview a disabled privately educated candidate.

My experience is they've done just fine after joining.

But you said earlier: "Sometimes I have rejected them even when they clearly would have done a better job than a comprehensive school educated alternative."

I don't think the Op cares about state school candidates or who is deserving. All the Op cares about is cutting down tall poppies.

Yes I did.

You don't have to be a genius to work in advertising. An intelligent comp-educated grad can generally get the job done to the satisfaction of all concerned. It's OK to pass on a few private school educated grads who at interview seem like they might be able to do the job a little bit better. The industry is so packed with them they will get a job somewhere.

evidence?

How would you know?

It's OK to pass on a few private school educated grads who at interview seem like they might be able to do the job a little bit better. The industry is so packed with them they will get a job somewhere.

But your job is to hire the best candidates for YOUR company! Why let the good candidates get jobs elsewhere?!

You are paid to find the best candidates!!!

If I understood the comment correctly, the question was phrased as to suggest this information would be made available on application.

If that wasn't the case, then I guess that I might be in danger of excluding disabled privately educated candidates, but I never said my approach was perfect.

The OP has an enormous ego.

If her bosses read this and realise it's her, I'm sure she will be taken down a peg or two and if she is as vocal in the workplace as on here re her beliefs, the smile might be wiped off her smug face

@EastLondonObserver

...fire has to be fought with fire..

Really?

While you are paid to do another job entirely?

You are happily taking your paycheque for a job you're not actually doing. You are indulging a huge sense of grandiosity and entitlement.

Why not do the honest thing - resign from the role you are not fulfilling, and put your name forward for election? If the fight is worth fighting, it is worth being open and honest about it.

Yes, I'm not doing my job very well in that respect, but I'm not bothered.

Yes, I'm not doing my job very well in that respect

But you're not if you're turning down candidates who would actually do a better job!!

If you are involved in recruitment you will know that any declared disability should never be disclosed to the person recruiting. Due to possible discrimination. You would also know that it’s not mandatory to declare a disability. How would you not know these basics of recruitment?

And no, saying ‘hmmm I probably discount disabled people’ isn’t just ‘not perfect’.

If you were about social justice, you would be hugely concerned that about your approach.

what I'm doing is effective. it's akin to being a fifth column lol.

politics isn't my skillset.

I was brought up by old fashioned socialists, who believed passionately in the state school system, so I can understand why you believe in what you are doing, @EastLondonObserver. My one concern is that, by discriminating against privately educated people, you are punishing people for decisions made by their parents.

I also note that a previous poster said they bin all applications from Oxbridge candidates, which does risk discriminating against kids who have worked their socks off at state school, and got into Oxford or Cambridge - people like my sister, who was state school educated, start to finish, but who got into Oxford on merit and hard work. Why is someone like her getting an automatic No?

All in favour of positive discrimination towards state school kids, despite my DD being at private school. That and other things give her a huge unfair advantage. If she has some disadvantages that counterbalance that then boo-hoo.... quite right.

I put her in private school because I wanted her to enjoy her childhood and get a great education. Not to win an unfair advantage or to help her compete or get ahead of anybody else. The whole leg up/ networking/ social capital part of it makes me sick.

I agree, @BraveGoldie - I meant to say that positive discrimination towards state school educated applicants seems fine to me.

Re European societies no private schools, son (GB in NL) had classical education, 6 languages (including Latin and Greek), now at uni. The most academic stream but open to all those with academic aptitude. Just a stream like the less academic ones. The comments on this thread may be a reason the UK is in such a mess. Keep going OP.

How ridiculous.

OP - You might think you're being clever and feel smug about it, but you're really being rather stupid aren't you?

Nearly all top independent schools have worked hard in recent years to widen participation and provide fully funded bursary places for less privileged students. For many it's considered a requirement to justify any charitable status. In our DC's school 30% of students get some sort of bursary support and between 10-15% every year are fully funded. Many of these are bright kids from low-income families, single parent homes and occasionally refugee families (two Ukranians currently...).

Your blanket 'ban' effectively rejects all these students, OP. How clever you are...

Yes, a great state school system, like many in Europe, miles above UK state schools. In what way is it relevant to OP's class war?

Have you interviewed any disabled private school applicants before? Or do you think that you've only had applications from the 82% that are not disabled? in which case, surely your inability to attract applications from anybody with disabilities is the problem you should really be addressing?

Whippet - I agree with you. My children's well known schools gave a massive amount back to the community and to other schools in the borough. OP really doesn't doesn't have enough knowledge about private education to be spouting off like this in a laughable 'know it all' manner