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To think being prejudiced against the privately educated is OK

936 replies

EastLondonObserver · 02/11/2022 13:39

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?

OP posts:
Lopilo · 02/11/2022 15:01

How far do you take this crusade? Do you hire anyone who might have had an easier life than you?

minipie · 02/11/2022 15:02

Goodness. Either you’re a troll or so incredibly bitter I feel rather sorry for you.

Your later post tries to justify your stance by saying the private school people are less aware of what would appeal to the customer - but your first post makes it clear you’ll take the state school candidate even if the private school person will “clearly do a better job”. So it’s bitterness, pure and simple.

Maybe reflect on the opportunities you’ve had in life that others didn’t. Were you born with a decent brain? Good health? Supportive family? There are plenty who don’t have these. Maybe you should have been rejected by employers in favour of candidates who didn’t have these advantages?

MegGriffinshat · 02/11/2022 15:03

You are like the Robin Hood of the recruitment world.

silverbubbles · 02/11/2022 15:03

You sound like you have a massive chip on your shoulder.

Fancy abusing using your position to be such a twat to others.

Chewbecca · 02/11/2022 15:04

I admire your position actually OP.

My workplace is full of the people you reject, he who shouts loudest and hob nobs with the execs, wins. Work experience opportunities are not blind, further enhancing CVS and making the position worse. Some positive discrimination wouldn’t go amiss. A state school educated kid who has slightly lower grades and went to a slightly less prestigious Uni is worth a chance.

It’s not that different to positive discrimination for example, all women shortlists where females are under represented or Unis offering lower grade requirements to kids meeting certain criteria.

LadyApplejack · 02/11/2022 15:05

YABU but whatever, I'm sure they'll find other jobs. I more dislike the fact you're so proud of it you've started a thread to tell strangers online.

NotLactoseFree · 02/11/2022 15:07

@purpleboy I never once said that private school meant an easy life.

You're defensive. I get it. Your children go to private school. You see that this doesn't automatically mean that their lives are perfect. But that's not what I'm talking about here.

Timezoned · 02/11/2022 15:09

Appalling attitude from the OP
Hiring should be on merit to the best applicant suited to the role that would be considered a good fit to the current team
My best friend came from a poor background but was bright , won a full scholarship to a very good school and top red brick university, so you are discriminating against her and the huge number just like her

Applex · 02/11/2022 15:09

I think you have done your bit for social mobility. I admire your resolve.

Howeverdoyouneedme · 02/11/2022 15:09

I love that you’re doing this. Jesus, private school kids already have a great start in life, good for you on balancing it all out. Agree loads of people will say YABU because mumsnet is weirdly pro private schools, well don’t worry, plenty of other places to try.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 02/11/2022 15:09

I mean, I know you don’t care about being unprofessional - which is good, given that you are - but anyone who operates like this also sounds a bit shit at their job as well. You probably don’t mind about being that either - also a good thing.

Howeverdoyouneedme · 02/11/2022 15:10

Also, the percentage of people at private schools on full scholarships is tiny.

EastLondonObserver · 02/11/2022 15:10

minipie · 02/11/2022 15:02

Goodness. Either you’re a troll or so incredibly bitter I feel rather sorry for you.

Your later post tries to justify your stance by saying the private school people are less aware of what would appeal to the customer - but your first post makes it clear you’ll take the state school candidate even if the private school person will “clearly do a better job”. So it’s bitterness, pure and simple.

Maybe reflect on the opportunities you’ve had in life that others didn’t. Were you born with a decent brain? Good health? Supportive family? There are plenty who don’t have these. Maybe you should have been rejected by employers in favour of candidates who didn’t have these advantages?

I'm not bitter at all. I made it to the top tier of a very competitive industry. It gave me a very good salary and plenty of other benefits. I have nothing to be bitter about.

I find it rather shallow to describe my motivation as "bitterness". As I stated, it was principally to re-distribute opportunity given the high degree of preference my colleagues show towards privately educated candidates.

OP posts:
FortheBeautyoftheEarth · 02/11/2022 15:11

Playing God with a few bits of paper is a very blunt instrument to address inequality...

HavfrueDenizKisi · 02/11/2022 15:12

Well you are obviously inordinately pleased with yourself so big pat on your back.

Whether it is morally right is something you have to grapple with yourself.

In the City pretty much all hiring/CVS etc have all this info removed exactly so there is no bias and/or discrimination (which is really what you are doing BTW). Therefore it really is the best candidates invited for interview.

Won't take that long until that becomes the normal procedure everywhere.

EastLondonObserver · 02/11/2022 15:13

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 02/11/2022 15:09

I mean, I know you don’t care about being unprofessional - which is good, given that you are - but anyone who operates like this also sounds a bit shit at their job as well. You probably don’t mind about being that either - also a good thing.

I've actually been very successful in my job, thanks, over many years. Hiring is only one part of it.

OP posts:
lightand · 02/11/2022 15:14

yabvu. You just did the whole thing the other way around.

SheepDance · 02/11/2022 15:14

OldReliable · 02/11/2022 14:40

If you have two otherwise equal candidates, use whatever tie break you like, but if one is clearly superior to the other, then it's wrong to pass them over just because their parents have money

Why isn't that an acceptable tie break? There are plenty of recruiters who would take the privately educated candidate over the state educated. Why isn't it ok the other way?

IF they are equal, then use whatever tie break you like, like I said. I don't care if they choose to hire the state or the private school person.
IF the private school person is demonstrably the better candidate, then it's wrong to apply any further criteria apart from "This person is a better candidate for the job"

Dentistlakes · 02/11/2022 15:14

Prejudice in any way is wrong. The best candidates should be selected.

Dassams · 02/11/2022 15:14

when I was hiring I did the same. Oxbridge CVs went straight in the bin.

That's great for those companies who DO want to hire them!

wibblewobbleboard · 02/11/2022 15:16

Dentistlakes · 02/11/2022 15:14

Prejudice in any way is wrong. The best candidates should be selected.

This.

MichaelFabricantWig · 02/11/2022 15:16

Hmm on one level I can see it’s not very nice but on the other private school kids get enough privilege, so I can see why you would do it.

purpleboy · 02/11/2022 15:16

Howeverdoyouneedme · 02/11/2022 15:09

I love that you’re doing this. Jesus, private school kids already have a great start in life, good for you on balancing it all out. Agree loads of people will say YABU because mumsnet is weirdly pro private schools, well don’t worry, plenty of other places to try.

All I can say is, if you really believe this you're ignorant as fuck!

Gr33ngr33ngr4ss · 02/11/2022 15:16

I got a scholarship to a private school - my parents were both manual workers. Do you hate me too? Or am I the right kind of private school kid? (Who had no say in the matter in any case).

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 02/11/2022 15:17

EastLondonObserver · 02/11/2022 15:13

I've actually been very successful in my job, thanks, over many years. Hiring is only one part of it.

Well, as long as there are lots of parts to it, it’s probably OK to be shit at one of them so don’t worry.