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?

The HR department exists to protect the company, hence above board standards and policies. I’m not sure where a story re unethical hiring would land the company.

There’s some good comments upthread about how to sniff out the de facto privileged who are state schooled. I endorse them. Answer to your question - yes!

Which is the 'best' world?

That in which employers can choose the best qualified candidates, regardless of heritage or background. Companies are in business to make money so they will choose those applicants with the relevant skills - increasingly from a global talent pool (many of which speak several languages)!

Yes, that's world (i) in my post. I agree with you completely. But it's not happening.

Given that, what's next best?

I don’t “believe” you because rigorously collected data indicates the opposite of what you are claiming.

‘So the company is performing less well than it would otherwise. I would not be happy if I found out, as her manager or CEO.’

oh shush. An interview really doesn’t get you the ‘best’ candidate all the time anyway. Someone can look marvellous on paper but be awful with a team, or do a great interview then struggle in the role, it’s all a bit finger in the air.
particularly with entry level positions.
willingless to learn, listen, make mistakes and resilience are what really matters and I would argue that someone from a less privileged background would have those skills in spades … not to mention having an employee who actually NEEDS to work over someone who’s more interested in power and influence and impressing others with a job title than the actual salary is probably what’s best for the company.

And in an industry like advertising the only way to create content that appeals to a diverse audience is to hire a diverse range of people who’s background and up timing greatly influence their view of the world.

Exactly, so no need for the social warrior vainglory.

OP would you mind clarifying - your original post was about binning the applications from private school pupils, but in this post you are saying that you also try to "sniff out" the background of state school pupils, presumably so you can bin the applications of the ones you deem to be middle class? What information are you using from an application form and CV to decide who to bin?

… not to mention having an employee who actually NEEDS to work over someone who’s more interested in power and influence and impressing others with a job title than the actual salary

Oh, of course the latter is all that applicants from independent schools aspire to

You can't possibly employ them!!

That’s fine. Don’t then.

I’m dubious about someone senior who doesn’t think HR policies are there to protect the company and wouldn’t mind it becoming a news story.

Although after I did say if you are upset about a hire I have every sympathy, it’s tough, I wouldn’t be harsh to someone in that position.

@EastLondonObserver - have you addressed the point that, when you discriminate against privately educated applicants, you are punishing people for their parents’ decision?

And in an industry like advertising the only way to create content that appeals to a diverse audience is to hire a diverse range of people who’s background and up timing greatly influence their view of the world.
I agree, which is why a company recruitment strategy and procedures should be written with this in mind. That way people are on the same page and everything is above board.

One person doing what they like based on whatever story they've invented after seeing the school someone's parents chose isn't the answer.

To be fair, I don't think this applies to all, or even a majority of, those applicants from privately educated backgrounds. But there is a cohort in my world that is definitely in the game mainly for power, influence and status and who enjoy crapping on others for shits and giggles. And they are all from the same (generally minor) public school kind of background.

There was obviously a change because someone brought out the issue into the open and decided that they had to make a stand. Even in a small team of 20. To draw a parallel, I don't believe that binning men's CVs in secret like what Op does would have been the best way to help women.

-and employers who only recruit privileged people are 'punishing' (your word) people from ordinary backgrounds for what their parents did. but you don't seem to give a monkeys about that, even though there is far more of it about.

To be fair, I don't think this applies to all, or even a majority of, those applicants from privately educated backgrounds.

So better not bin ALL applications automatically from those that went to an independent school!

Yes @Jamimas and "...willingless to learn, listen, make mistakes and resilience..." are characteristics of all state school kids and only them.

So applicants from independent schools don't have a "...willingless to learn, listen, make mistakes and resilience..."?

Great comment - thanks.

I have worried about getting found out over the years TBH. But, the grads I’ve employed have generally turned into highly valued employees. Which goes to show the favour traditionally shown towards the public schooled in these roles should be dismantled.

Where have I said it is acceptable to ‘punish’ applicants from state schools, @thedancingbear?

I am on a thread about discriminating against privately educated applicants, hence my comment was about privately educated children. It’s you that has made the massive leap and assumed you know my feelings on state school pupils.

Actually, if you had read all my posts on the thread, before being so unpleasant, you would have seen that, yesterday I said:

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

I have three sons, all state school educated. My sister and I were also state school educated, and she went to Oxford. Why would I support punishing state school pupils for their parents’ choices/circumstances?

The you have the data you need to push real cultural change.

Exactly - in advertising public school representation is several hundred per cent higher vs share of population. Higher in other industries. Yet many commenters are outraged by me making a tiny (in the overall scheme of things) tweak in the opposite direction. Britain is screwed.

But I wouldn’t have got it without my affirmative action policy. Which convinces me I did the right thing.

No - because redistributive policies don’t need to be evaluated on that emotive/pseudo-moral criteria. We have them in several areas of life already. And in other European societies prove they produce better outcomes for that society as a whole than we have in Britain today.