Acts of Discrimination

[kaypain]

OK, first I'm not making assumptions but the following short story, based on true events, has been keeping me wondering why I'm still unemployed and why I'm struggling so much just to get through a 2 year College. It starts off with a simple day filling out applications, since most businesses have become lazy and no long go the paper route, I spend about 3 hours a day filling out apps online. I really hate online applications, there is no guarantee they even find the time of the day to look them up on the computers. I have a better chance handing the app personally into the manager's hand. But that's besides the point. Let me tell you the story. I fill out an application for Dick's Sporting Goods, and I'm just skimming through clicking, and clicking. Once again they ask for my ethnicity, as usual I be honest and click African American. Submit application! Now it's is time to bug the hell out of him. They keep the application's on file for 30 days, so let try to get their attention within 30 days. After 30 days for calling and getting the same answer and a bunch of let downs, I decided to give up

. But then something came to me. I wanted to try something, something was fishy to me. So I did another application with the same information, only this time I choose not to refer my ethnicity, 30 days later same result. OK so let's try one more time, same information, this time I choose WHITE/CAUCASIAN, I say within 15 days I received a phone call for an interview. By then I thinking wow, what a surprise. So I go to this interview, and the moment the manager saw me walk through was the moment he looked baffled and I knew this was epic failuure. I shook his hand. There was quite the puzzled look on his face and then here was quite a moment of silence until he finally asked me to have a seat. So I sit like the Black Slave that I am (JOKING

), but I sit, the interview starts. It was the most awkward interview I ever had. Lots of tension, long period of awkward silence. I could already tell this interview was epic failure. I answered his stupid situation questions to the best of my abilities, shook his hand, and that was that. His exact words were "I have more people to interview, but if you are the one we feel best suits us, we will definitely call you" which translates into "YOU DIDN"T GET THE JOB!"

I didn't get the job, this happened in March, I'm still current unemployed, is this acts of discrimination or racism, I don't know! I just want to know why in the hell I can't get a job for **** while friends around are literally smacking their paychecks in my face!!!!!

 

[Schlosser85]

Definitely sounds fishy to me, especially if he looked/acted as surprised/confused/awkward/uncomfortable as you made him out when you finally met someone in person.

Can't prove anything of course, but I don't think you're being paranoid.

 

[Marlboro Man]

I've got an idea. Maybe, since the economy sucks and you have such minimal education requirements, the guy chose not to take a risk with you. Also, perhaps lying on your application wasn't a good idea.

 

[Bathead]

I've got an idea. Maybe, since the economy sucks and you have such minimal education requirements, the guy chose not to take a risk with you. Also, perhaps lying on your application wasn't a good idea.

This is possible, however I have to ask, are they even legally allowed to ask your ethnicity at all?

 

[Marlboro Man]

They always do. Therefore, I assume it is legal.

 

[Addendum]

The ethnicity part of an application (if it's there) is optional

 

[VampElvis]

Ethnicity is optional always on applications (they usually say as much). But here's another twist to consider. Perhaps there is a diversity quota system in place and the manager has to pull an employee from a certain demographic to keep the ratios according to company policy. I've known people who weren't interviewed for such reasons.

 

[chaseter]

I hate ethnicity questions on school applications because I know they discriminate and try to meet racial quotas. That is just wrong to me. The medical schools here are notorious for it.

 

[kaypain]

Well, of course correlation doesn't imply causation, and based on a test like that there's no definitive evidence that it was a discriminatory act, especially when you consider that I got the same result when I didn't enter my ethnicity. That said, frankly I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was an element of institutionalised racism preventing me from getting work. This sort of thing represents discimination in what may be its most cowardly, insidious form. The same sort of people who may openly abhor such acts publically manifest them negatively, in a context free from reprisal. It doesn't help that the anti-discrimination laws and regulations in place to prevent such acts are essentially farcical by their very nature; as long as the rights of employers to hire to they see fit free from any sort of regulatory body are valued more highly than those of the individuals looking for work, these kind of incidents are bound to perpetuate themselves.

 

[Marlboro Man]

Or maybe you're not qualified for the jobs you're applying to.

 

[kaypain]

That still defeats the purpose. It makes no sense if I put down the same exact information except my ethnicity and when I put down White I magically get called in.

 

[Marlboro Man]

Was it the exact same company? At the exact same time? With the exact same HR people overlooking the application process?

 

[kaypain]

uh....

At the exact same time?

They can't be at the exact same time seeing you have to wait 30 days to apply again (with the same information)

Was it the exact same company?

Why would it be a different company
It's a sports Retail store

With the exact same HR people overlooking the application process?

I wouldn't know seeing that I didn't meet the hiring manager until he called me in.

 

[dnno1]

OK, first I'm not making assumptions but the following short story, based on true events, has been keeping me wondering why I'm still unemployed and why I'm struggling so much just to get through a 2 year College. It starts off with a simple day filling out applications, since most businesses have become lazy and no long go the paper route, I spend about 3 hours a day filling out apps online. I really hate online applications, there is no guarantee they even find the time of the day to look them up on the computers. I have a better chance handing the app personally into the manager's hand. But that's besides the point. Let me tell you the story. I fill out an application for Dick's Sporting Goods, and I'm just skimming through clicking, and clicking. Once again they ask for my ethnicity, as usual I be honest and click African American. Submit application! Now it's is time to bug the hell out of him. They keep the application's on file for 30 days, so let try to get their attention within 30 days. After 30 days for calling and getting the same answer and a bunch of let downs, I decided to give up

. But then something came to me. I wanted to try something, something was fishy to me. So I did another application with the same information, only this time I choose not to refer my ethnicity, 30 days later same result. OK so let's try one more time, same information, this time I choose WHITE/CAUCASIAN, I say within 15 days I received a phone call for an interview. By then I thinking wow, what a surprise. So I go to this interview, and the moment the manager saw me walk through was the moment he looked baffled and I knew this was epic failuure. I shook his hand. There was quite the puzzled look on his face and then here was quite a moment of silence until he finally asked me to have a seat. So I sit like the Black Slave that I am (JOKING

), but I sit, the interview starts. It was the most awkward interview I ever had. Lots of tension, long period of awkward silence. I could already tell this interview was epic failure. I answered his stupid situation questions to the best of my abilities, shook his hand, and that was that. His exact words were "I have more people to interview, but if you are the one we feel best suits us, we will definitely call you" which translates into "YOU DIDN"T GET THE JOB!"

I didn't get the job, this happened in March, I'm still current unemployed, is this acts of discrimination or racism, I don't know! I just want to know why in the hell I can't get a job for **** while friends around are literally smacking their paychecks in my face!!!!!

What was the job position for? Another thing I would suggest is to try and get somebody you know on the inside of a company to reference you. That seems to have worked more times than none for me.

 

[Marlboro Man]

uh....


They can't be at the exact same time seeing you have to wait 30 days to apply again (with the same information)


Why would it be a different company
It's a sports Retail store


I wouldn't know seeing that I didn't meet the hiring manager until he called me in.

Here's your problem then:

You can't know if they are discriminating against you. You can make that assumption, but you can't know for sure.

You applied. You weren't accepted. Then you applied 30 days later...

Did you ever think that the company didn't need you when you originally applied? They probably didn't have a position available.

The only way you'd be able to know for sure is if you or someone else had filed another application at the exact same time... one where it said you were white, another where it said you were black... with the same information on it pertaining to your employment history, age, etc.... and if the application that said you were black on it didn't receive a callback, but the one where it said you were white did, then you might have something on a discriminatory process.

I don't know what your job qualifications are either. Do you have relevant retail experience?

Also, think about the fact that you lied to your manager on your application. About something as stupid as ethnicity. That doesn't make you a trustworthy individual, does it?

 

[kaypain]

:facepalm

You can't know if they are discriminating against you. You can make that assumption, but you can't know for sure.

You applied.

Did you not read the first sentence in my original post?

Did you ever think that the company didn't need you when you originally applied? They probably didn't have a position available.

If they didn't have a position available, then they wouldn't have posted the freaking sign saying now hiring cashiers.

The only way you'd be able to know for sure is if you or someone else had filed another application at the exact same time... one where it said you were white, another where it said you were black... with the same information on it pertaining to your employment history, age, etc.... and if the application that said you were black on it didn't receive a callback, but the one where it said you were white did, then you might have something on a discriminatory process.

It doesn't have to be at the same time, don't give me that mind-twisting logic, won't work on me.

I don't know what your job qualifications are either. Do you have relevant retail experience?

First of all, yes I worked at Walmart for 13 months as a cashier. Second of all, why should it matter, I put down the same information.

Also, think about the fact that you lied to your manager on your application. About something as stupid as ethnicity. That doesn't make you a trustworthy individual, does it?

It's whatever, it was more of an experiment anyway. I gave up after the second attempt.

I said I'm not making assumptions, I'm merely questioning these actions.

 

[ObakeTora]

Here's your problem then:

You can't know if they are discriminating against you. You can make that assumption, but you can't know for sure.

when he got a call back 15 days later after he chose the Caucasian option says somethings funky in Funkytown to me. But no one will ever really understand what we go through regarding little instances of prejudice unless they experience it for themselves.

http://www.tbotech.com/pen-camera.htm?gclid=CICY-riHwpwCFR5HagodwQLYnw

We all should own these

 

[Marlboro Man]

I'm sorry, but I come from Ground Zero as far as racism in America goes. Don't tell me I don't "understand" what you go through regarding instances of prejudice.

That story sounds like some kid who expected to get a job, is ignoring all possible outlets for why he didn't get it, and is now playing the race card.

 

[kaypain]

I didn't expect to get anything special. I'm not playing the race card. You just keep making blind assumptions.

I didn't even expect to get the job after I got interviewed. I know I lied. But it's fishy I get called in all of the sudden, after 3 whole tries, when I put down I'm white. Don't call me a kid. I'm a grown ass man.

 

[ObakeTora]

Race card?!! If you came from ground zero like you said, you wouldn't even think of using that ****ing word. This country was founded on racism and we should just pretend that it doesn't exist because a certain few are tired of hearing us complain about it? I'd love to rant about all the racist **** Ive been through. If he feels it was racist than maybe it was, how would you know anyway? Where you there to witness it? Or maybe you were the one conducting the interview. Anyway he said the only thing he changed on his app was his ethnicity. It makes you a bigger fool thinking you have a monopoly on racist experiences because you came from ground zero.

 

[Marlboro Man]

Some of us shouldn't pretend that racism exists in a situation when there are plenty of other rational explanations for what happened.

When someone calls him a ****** during a job interview, then he'll have a legitimate complaint.

And yeah, I use "race card." Because a lot of folks, especially in the north, like to cry 'racism' every chance they get, when most of them don't even know what real discrimination or racism is.

 

[Malice]

Anyone who thinks racism does not exists, is fooling themselves.

As time goes on...it will mutate...and change...as the world becomes smaller and smaller.
Currently...I think white/black racism is dropping but US/Middle-eastern racism is on the rise. (hence my mutation statement)

This will be interesting to see over my lifetime...

 

[Malice]

Frankly...in this instance...it looks that way...but I don't know....
I wasn't there.

 

[kaypain]

yeah and plus, I can't stand online apps. There's nothing tangible about them

 

[Hobodeluxe]

Or maybe you're not qualified for the jobs you're applying to.

it's Dick's sporting goods. Not a brain surgeon. he was obviously qualified for an interview.


I'd say it probably was racist. Did you notice to see if there were any minorities working there at all?

If I were curious as you seem to be I'd go back and see if there were some minorities there and if there wasn't I'd probably ask one of the clerks if they'd ever known of them hiring any. If there are minorities working there then you'll know it wasn't. I find it a little odd that he didn't call you out on the race answer. I'd have asked you if it was a mistake or intended. and then I would have told you that because of that I couldn't hire you for falsifying info on the application. but something made him avoid discussing it.