A good colleague, Mike Lally, forwarded me the link to the WSJ article "Only the Employed Need Apply" to get my goat. What this article points out is that employers (in general terms) all have bias's. It is the filter they use to select the right candidate. Here are just some bias's that you should be aware of and have a solid strategy for overcoming or dismissing.
- Unemployed
- New college graduate
- Long-term employment by one employer
- Over 50 years old
- Male
- Female
- Owned your own business
- Over qualified
- Under qualified
- Over educated
Dan Erwin wrote a post/commentary about it too.
It is unfortunate, but so often true.
But please, don't get mad. Don't be angry. Realize what you can and cannot change and move forward.
Hi. Thanks for the shout out!
I find that overcoming the "you're not a female" bias is the hardest for me. :) I'm just too broad shouldered.
Seriously...I think the easiest way to get around ANY bias or at least to minimize/neutralize it - is to USE YOUR NETWORK! Your network has PRE-SELECTED YOU!
Don't get me wrong - I could have a social anxiety disorder that is triggered by the color red. I could be hiring rocket scientists and Albert Einstein walks in the door. Wearing a red tie. See ya, Al. Next!
That's how it works. USE YOUR NETWORK. Have a killer marketing plan. Make yourself too good to pass up for something TRIVIAL.
The flip side of this is do you want to work for someone that has so little emotional intelligence?
Posted by: mike lally | July 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM