Race and recruitment

As America burns in response to the murder of George Floyd, I hear from some that “we don’t have racism here”. I wish it were true but that’s not my family’s experience. Given LinkedIn is a business platform, I wanted to share something that I hope will get business leaders and HR professionals reflecting on their recruitment practices, as it’s all part of the bigger problem. Of course, many companies will be doing a great job, but too many still aren’t.

 For context, I have been with my husband since I was 17, that’s 31 years and counting! We have three mixed race kids, two who are now adults. Back when we first starting dating, mixed race couples were unusual and not commonplace as they are now.

I’m sharing the experience of my eldest and her experiences when securing work in Manchester.

For further context, she travels, a lot and has been for 4 years. When she runs out of money, she comes back to Manchester, secures work, saves up, then off she goes again. She’s currently “stranded” in New Zealand and I’m so happy for her, I can’t think of a better place to be stranded right now!

Anyway, sharing two distinct recruitment experiences, first with owner managers of small businesses, then with “Times Top 100” large employers.

Owner Managers of Small Businesses

Around 2/3 years ago, she came back for the first time, skint having spent all her money and in need of a job. She set about applying for something in Didsbury where we live, the happy ending to the story is she secured a job offer within 72 hours of her return.  A recruitment company that saw past her dreadlocks and skin colour.  But two other local businesses, ones that I know and use (well used!), loved her CV and offered an interview but dismissed her the minute she walked through the door, disengaged short interviews usually the tell tail sign. And trust me, it’s not her, she is a straight A student with life skills and due to our family dinners around the dinner table every night since she arrived on this earth, she can hold an animated, engaging and meaningful conversation and would be an asset to any company. In fact, the firm she secured her job with, a recruitment agency, promoted her 3 times in the 9 months she was there, faster than any other employee, and were sorry to see her go when she was ready to recommence her travels.

Roll on 18 months, she’s skint again and comes home. This time she wants to try working for a large corporate to experience a different type of environment, all part of knowing the sort of company she wants to work for when she eventually settles down (although she’s coming to the conclusion she wants to start her own thing and probably will).  I suggested she gets a list of the “Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work for” and look at which are based in Manchester and start there. This is what she does and as her education and CV is really strong, she secures 3 interviews almost immediately with the great and good companies of Manchester, all companies I know the CEO’s of, but I did not interfere in the process one jot. It’s important to her she gets where she gets on her own merit.

Large Corporates

One was based on lots of computer screening, until you get to the final part, she smashed everything with flying colours until that point.  She was unsure whether that decision was a race issue or just a “type” issue and that she and many others, white and black, wouldn’t have fitted their narrow “type”. I was disappointed, I know she would have excelled there.

The second was my biggest disappointment when she came home and told me the story, quite simply the guy interviewing her switched off the moment she walked through the door and before she had opened her mouth, he was blunt to the point of being rude. I actually know the CEO pretty well and wanted to pick up the phone and fume, but I didn’t (it could have looked like sour grapes) but my eldest knows racism when she sees it and she felt it was how she “looked” (and yes she dresses the part and looked smart). She was in there no more than a few minutes. On refection, as its now history and clear I’m not looking to secure my daughter a job, I will let the CEO know of the experience and if they can be bothered, they may take a long hard look at the training they give to those employees they delegate recruitment to, I certainly hope so.  I’d imagine the CEO would be mortified, I doubt what is going on reflects their own views, but it is still happening on their watch.

Finally and to end on a happy note, her 3rd interview and she was offered, at AJ Bell, a high-ranking “Times Top 100” company. At her time there she won a customer service award and excelled as she always does.  

But why is getting through the door extra difficult for people of colour. And in your company, can you hand of heart say the same isn’t happening?  It is worth reflecting, or better still, doing some secret shopping and testing it for yourself?

A few other things popping into my mind while I’m on the subject:

While working at her recruitment company she came face to face with racism on more than one occasion, one client when discussing the brief with her said, “I’m looking for a Steve, not a Mohammed”, another recruiter, a colleague of my daughters, commenting when asked what she thought of the candidate simply stated “she was black” the candidate wasn’t shortlisted and the comment went unchallenged.  Given DD herself is black and hearing this first-hand, in her first proper job, this stuff chips away at your soul.

As a family, we talk about this stuff a lot around the same dinner table I referred to earlier. We give each other the strength to call these things out as we see them, it’s becoming our new normal, we are becoming more “militant” for want of a better word. Even our 9-year-old, who is around the dinner table with us as we talk about the day’s events and current affairs, is aware and sees it for herself in her own interactions with her peers.  To confront things as they happen takes courage and we know it is the right thing to do and usually do, but sometimes, you are simply so shocked in the moment and the chance feels like it passes. In those circumstances, you are the one then feeling bad that you didn’t do more.

And there’s more…

When you ask “where are you from and my kids and husband say Manchester” don’t say, “you know what I mean, where are you really from”. (They will repeat Manchester).  Why should we make you feel comfortable with your ignorant question. If you mean, where do you family descend from, or tell me about your family’s roots, then fine, we’ll proudly tell you all about it, but me and my family are all proud Mancs!

And by the way, stop touching my kids hair!

And when we go to fancy places because we can, no my husband didn’t used to be a footballer or other sports person, successful black men can make a living in other ways you know!

The list could literally go on and on.

Anyway, I hope there may be some reflective takeaways in the above. If you keep recruiting in your own image, you are missing out on the benefits diversity brings, not just in race but in all types of diversity. I could be generous and call it an unconscious bias and for some maybe it is, but I’m sorry to say in our direct experience as a family, racism exists in some companies I know and thought really highly of until it came time to interact with them on an anonymous basis.