I knew job discrimination existed and it is horrible, but this is just ridiculous. (employment, credit)

[pirate_lafitte]

I got an article from Yahoo!. Apparently, a prospective employer can seal your fate before you get to the office. Some people have tried such tricks as watching how you eat, seeing what your car looks like on the inside, seeing how you spend your time waiting for the interview. Apparently, just because you're qualified doesn't mean the employer will give you the job, and would even find stupid oddball reasons. Technically, this is illegal, but at the same time, many people get away with it.Hiring Tricks That Job Seekers Must Know

[annerk]

None of those reasons are illegal, and frankly they are all valid.

I used to work with a guy whose car literally ahd a family of mice living in it. he was a slob at his desk as well, there wasn't a flat spot that wasn't covered with crap. he didn't toss food wrappers away, left them to fester on his desk. At one point he had over 100 empty soda cans tossed under his desk. He sometimes didn't shower or wash his hair for 3-4 days in a row. He was gross, and his car was a good indication of his overall personal hygiene and organizational skills. it's too abd they didn't check it out before they hired him.

The points with the receptionist and the gossip are also very valid.

The table manners are also valid if you'll be meeting with customers at any time in your career. There is no excuse for poor table manners, and if you don't know which fork to use, I'd suggest meeting with an ettiquette consultant who can give you a one hour class in table manners. The guy I mentioned earlier--he could have used thsoe as well-disgusting, wed go out for Mexican as a team and he'd double dip in the salsa. It got so bad that I'd have the server bring him his own bowl and remind him like a two year old not to double dip.

[pirate_lafitte]

I still don't see the validity in that. It makes my blood boil when trivial things could make the difference between employment and unemployment. So a person's car has a few wrappers in it or he spends time on his iPhone while waiting to be called in for the interview? Big deal. I could understand a person doing that if he or she was getting bored.

[Family_Guy27]

Well I'd think the employers are doing these applicants a favor. If my beat up old car disqualifies me from getting a job, then I certainly wouldn't want to work there.

[Mugatu]

Originally Posted by annerk

None of those reasons are illegal, and frankly they are all valid.

No, they are not valid in any way. Why should a candidate that qualifies for a job in every other way be passed over because their car is messy or how they cut their meat? That's pure prejudice and discrimination. How do you know the candidate with the messy car wasn't busting his ass going on several interviews a day and finding a job was a bigger priority than cleaning out his car? Maybe he was eating a quick lunch in his car between interviews? Big deal.

Where would the discrimination end? I drive a Mustang. Would I be passed over for another candidate that drives a minivan because that vehicle is considered more "responsible"?

And this quote from the article ticks me off... "By observing an individual's eating style or food habits, you can quickly reveal their character or judgment capacity, among many other behavioral facets". Um...no you cannot. That's ludicrous. Food habits? What does that have to do with anything? If I order a fried meal instead of grilled does that mean I am more irrepsonsible because it is less healthy and will therefore be a horrible employee? Wow, this article makes my blood boil. The corporate world has gotten completely out of hand.

[annerk]

It's not the beat up old car that's the problem, it's having piles of crap in it. That shows a level of disorganization or general messiness.

Think from the employers perspective. You want to hire someone who is highly organized, interested in the company or at least the world in general, and will reflect well on the company in meetings with clients. What if you need to pick a client and drive them to dinner in that junk filled car and with the poor table manners? You want someone who can have a discussion about current events that don't have to do with the latest music downloads.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

No, they are not valid in any way. Why should a candidate that qualifies for a job in every other way be passed over because their car is messy or how they cut their meat? That's pure prejudice and discrimination. How do you know the candidate with the messy car wasn't busting his ass going on several interviews a day and finding a job was a bigger priority than cleaning out his car? Maybe he was eating a quick lunch in his car between interviews? Big deal.

Where would the discrimination end? I drive a Mustang. Would I be passed over for another candidate that drives a minivan because that vehicle is considered more "responsible"?

And this quote from the article ticks me off... "By observing an individual's eating style or food habits, you can quickly reveal their character or judgment capacity, among many other behavioral facets". Um...no you cannot. That's ludicrous. Food habits? What does that have to do with anything? If I order a fried meal instead of grilled does that mean I am more irrepsonsible because it is less healthy and will therefore be a horrible employee? Wow, this article makes my blood boil. The corporate world has gotten completely out of hand.

Bottom line, it's nothing that's protected by law, so they can, and do use that type of observation in making hiring decisions. It's just one more way that you can easily set yourself apart from other candidates.

When I applied for my current job I drove my four door sedan in for the interview. It's older but in good condition and clean. Why did I drive that instead of my sports car? Because it gave the impression that I was conservative and practical, and in the industry I'm currently employed in, those are valued traits.

[Mugatu]

Originally Posted by annerk

Bottom line, it's nothing that's protected by law, so they can, and do use that type of observation in making hiring decisions. It's just one more way that you can easily set yourself apart from other candidates.

When I applied for my current job I drove my four door sedan in for the interview. It's older but in good condition and clean. Why did I drive that instead of my sports car? Because it gave the impression that I was conservative and practical, and in the industry I'm currently employed in, those are valued traits.

And how many single people have the luxury of having a second car to drive to an interview? If the job requires you to shuttle clients around or would be used for business in some way, it would be understandable, but to simply judge someone interviewing for a desk job by the car they drive or how clean they keep it is just more unneeded and unfair discrimination.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

And how many single people have the luxury of having a second car to drive to an interview?

You'd be surprised. I'd say half of the singles I know have either a second car or a motorcycle.

If the job requires you to shuttle clients around or would be used for business in some way, it would be understandable, but to simply judge someone interviewing for a desk job by the car they drive or how clean they keep it is just more unneeded and unfair discrimination.

Your opinion, many employers obviously feel differently, and if you are interviewing for a job, it seems logical to try to present your best side in every way possible.

[danameless]

Originally Posted by annerk

None of those reasons are illegal, and frankly they are all valid.

I used to work with a guy whose car literally ahd a family of mice living in it. he was a slob at his desk as well, there wasn't a flat spot that wasn't covered with crap. he didn't toss food wrappers away, left them to fester on his desk. At one point he had over 100 empty soda cans tossed under his desk. He sometimes didn't shower or wash his hair for 3-4 days in a row. He was gross, and his car was a good indication of his overall personal hygiene and organizational skills. it's too abd they didn't check it out before they hired him.

The points with the receptionist and the gossip are also very valid.

The table manners are also valid if you'll be meeting with customers at any time in your career. There is no excuse for poor table manners, and if you don't know which fork to use, I'd suggest meeting with an ettiquette consultant who can give you a one hour class in table manners. The guy I mentioned earlier--he could have used thsoe as well-disgusting, wed go out for Mexican as a team and he'd double dip in the salsa. It got so bad that I'd have the server bring him his own bowl and remind him like a two year old not to double dip.

This is nonsense and I am somewhat surprised that you would think like this. The type of car a person drives or how he/she maintains it or does not maintain it should have no impact on how capable someone is at doing a particular job. What if the person doesn't have a car and borrowed someone else's? What if they don't have the money to maintain the car? Or perhaps having a nice car is not a priority for them? To judge someone based on a car without even meeting/talking to someone is pure crap. When I graduated college, I drove a 1996 Dodge Neon (complete crap). It had dents all over and rust marks, stained carpets cause the windows leaked and I didn't have the money to replace them, and had an oil leak, so the engine stunk. And your point? Does that mean I can't do a job better than you or the next person?

Now, while I can agree to an extent that table manners is important when dining with clients or executives - how someone cuts up their protein or knowing which fork to use is ridiculous. I have had corporate dinners with managing directors globally, and believe me, I can care less which is the salad form and which is the dinner fork. And believe me, none of them care neither. My cousin's husband has been credited with building Yahoo's ad sales business for the Western US, used to have dinner with the CEO of Yahoo on a regular basis, and I can tell you right now, he uses 1 fork for apps, main course, and dessert. For people to even think that one relates to the other is pure ignorance in my opinion.

I am not the most organized person in the world. My desk at home is a mess with piles of paper and receipts on top. I don't clean, so there is a probably a thin layer of dust on my TV and books. Does that make me a bad employer or unorganized?