Advice needed - discrimination in job application?

marlot

hollydays wrote: »

If your friend has been out of work for nearly a year, surely she's had to register with job sites?..

I agree,

Even the Government has moved to 'digital by default'.

Time to join the 21st century!

browneyedbazzi

daytona0 wrote: »

Do you know what you should do, write back to that candidate and express those reasons to them... I guarantee you will be facing a discrimination case against your company if you did that.

Seriously? lol

Has 'red bull chugging' been added to the list of protected characteristics? Or do you think it somehow fits into the existing protected characteristics? I can't see how as drinking red bull isn't an activity exclusive to people who have a particular protected characteristic (I know young people, older people, men, women, gay people and people with disabilities who drink a red bull!).

Just because some who don't understand the law in relation to discrimination will shout 'discrimination' at anything doesn't mean the employer has anything to worry about. If the red bull chugger tried to bring a discrimination case they would not get very far at all.

hollydays

TBeckett100 wrote: »

we suspected it had alcohol in it. Her clothes and roots showing meant she probably wasn't the professional she painted her CV to be. When sifting candidates, the Internet is a great tool I'm afraid.

Her roots.. Give me strength.
Thank heavens I've been fortunate enough over the years to work with some very skilled managers who wouldn't rule someone out for random spurious reasons, and believe in developing people to get the best from them.
I dread to think of the environment in your office, unprofessional doesn't even begin to describe it .

Timalay

OP maybe your friend should consider doing an evening class in I.T. If they are signing on, they should be able to get reduced (or even free).

peachyprice

Oooi wrote: »

Some people here really are being less than helpful. If you don't have anything nice to say...

I don't see what the problem is in allowing someone to apply for a job using a CV? Why should they have to find a computer, visit a possibly insecure website and enter the EXACT SAME information again, just to please the bosses of a crappy retailer? She isn't applying to be a doctor or anything, it seem stupid and possibly illegal to make such a demand.

Illegal how so? Come on, do tell. My 72 yo mother and all her friends use a computer, so bang goes that theory. Can't see on what other grounds you and your friend could possibly imagine it would be illegal.

She's rather give all her personal details to a random individual to stuff in their pocket to do with as they wish than fill in an online form that will be regulated by data protection?

Your friend isn't going to find a job by being deliberately obstructive and paranoid, the company isn't crappy, your friends attitude to refuse live in the 21st centrury is.

[Deleted User]

I'm doing LearnDirect courses .., they include computer skills. I know how to use a pc front side and backwards, but don't have any certificates, so will be happy to do them. I'm a carer.., don't 'have' to do them, it causes problems (had a phone call during an exam yesterday to say my special needs son had collapsed in college) but I adapt, do what I can at home.

You have to do what you can if you want to get a job. If she is scared of new technology, it can be faced. And I'm afraid it HAS to be.

Many companies who insist on online applications do so because they want to have candidate information in an accepted format.., and they will often include on the form questions they want to ask i.e. 'demonstrate how you have x skills' because they will probably have hundreds of applicants and want to make sure the people they interview have the skills they are looking for. CVs arrive in a variety of formats, and often don't give the information a company is looking for.

I was referred by the JobCentre. Your friend can be too. And she will be smiling once she has some extra skills. It will improve things for her in so many ways.

LearnDirect are used to people with a lack of skills (most of the students are my age - past the first flush of youth) - its why they exist.

Discrimination laws exist to protect people against judgments for things they can't help/change like race/gender/disability. Having a lack of computer skills is not in any of these categories. Overcoming this lack CAN be viewed as a challenge.

shaun_from_Africa

JReacher1 wrote: »

of course it's unprofessional.

If I had to tell my finance director I had rejected a candidate with an outstanding cv because I had found a photo on the candidates Facebook of them drinking a red bull then I would be taken off recruitment instantly.

Companies don't have guidelines over people drinking red bull. The poster has decided that people who drink red bull are unprofessional so won't interview them.

How you can think that is professional behaviour baffles me!

Say that the company concerned received applications from 2 people.
Both had outstanding work records, both with suitable qualifications and both seemed ideal for the job in hand.

However, on looking at their facebook pages, one candidate's photo showed them sitting down with a cup of tea and the other was drinking a can of Redbull.
I know that Redbull is drunk by many different classes and ages of society but as it's also drunk by many people who go out partying at the weekend and this one harmless photograph might be enough to tip the balance.

It might be the same with the "roots showing" comment.
Maybe the company concerned were looking for someone who interacts with the public or other clients of theirs and given the choice between two people who were equally qualified and experienced, decided to go with the one who appeared to take slightly more care of their appearance.
as long as any discrimination wasn't because of age, race, disability etc, I can't see that they have done anything wrong.

When making decisions at a distance, who knows what some companies might consider relevant when it comes to picking a shortlist for jobs.

JReacher1

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Say that the company concerned received applications from 2 people.
Both had outstanding work records, both with suitable qualifications and both seemed ideal for the job in hand.

However, on looking at their facebook pages, one candidate's photo showed them sitting down with a cup of tea and the other was drinking a can of Redbull.
I know that Redbull is drunk by many different classes and ages of society but as it's also drunk by many people who go out partying at the weekend and this one harmless photograph might be enough to tip the balance.

It might be the same with the "roots showing" comment.
Maybe the company concerned were looking for someone who interacts with the public or other clients of theirs and given the choice between two people who were equally qualified and experienced, decided to go with the one who appeared to take slightly more care of their appearance.
as long as any discrimination wasn't because of age, race, disability etc, I can't see that they have done anything wrong.

When making decisions at a distance, who knows what some companies might consider relevant when it comes to picking a shortlist for jobs.

It's not a company, it's a person working for a company who has decided if you have a photo of you drinking red bull on your facebook profile then they won't grant you an interview.

I am surprised you defend that position.

Plus he doesn't only judge what you drink but apparently he uses google street view to look at the candidates home. You may believe this is a very professional attitude but as someone who recruits for reasonably senior positions, I can tell you I would never look at a candidates house before making a decision in whether to grant an interview!

meer53

TBeckett100 wrote: »

we suspected it had alcohol in it. Her clothes and roots showing meant she probably wasn't the professional she painted her CV to be. When sifting candidates, the Internet is a great tool I'm afraid.

Wow ! :eek:

You suspected it had alcohol in it ???

I don't know where you work but i'm pleased i don't work there. I'm actually shocked you have admitted to this method of checking job applications. Judgemental and shallow doesn't even begin to describe it.

tidus

I use anything and everything I can find on the internet in screening for candidates. I have a small business and regularly get 60-80 applicants for a job.

I have been known to turn somebody down for having a stupid email address. (littledirtymiss69 or something like that).

I have been known to turn somebody down for facebook photos showing the smoking of weed.

I have been known to turn somebody down for having a dump of a house as seen on Google street view.

You need to be aware of what is out there for employers to see and what they want to see - usually that you are a normal, respectable person and not an boozy or drug using party animal who can't be bothered to mow the lawn.