job interview racism?
Colette is 24, highly educated, and living at home with her parents who migrated here from Asia three years ago.
"I've been selectively job hunting for a long time and I have no trouble winning interviews," says Colette, "but I have yet to be called in for a second interview for the jobs I want."
"Some of my friends suffer crushing blows to their self-esteem when they fail to get a job offer," says Colette, "but I am not particularly crushed because I expect rejection."
"This is a positive not a negative way of thinking," explains Colette, "because very few people are hired on the spot at the first interview. We must all be patient when we want a prized job."
"If it takes 10 resume rejections to score an interview, then I expect 10 interview rejections before I make it to the final interview," explains Colette," but so far I'm not having much luck and I'm beginning to wonder whether racism is involved."
"I'm Asian with a dark skin," explains Colette, "and while interviewers are always very nice to my face, I don't know what they're really thinking."
"All job hunters must adopt a positive and upbeat attitude and not allow the process to get them down," says Colette, "and to keep my self-esteem intact I don't bother requesting feedback after an interview rejection because they will invariably lie about their reasons."
Colette was once told in a roundabout way that she was not assertive enough for the position she applied for.
"Had the job advertisement indicated that being assertive was a requirement of the job," says Colette. "then I would have pushed my way through the interview - even danced on a table if that would have proved how assertive I can be - but it was really not that type of job."
"In that particular job interview I really felt that racism was involved," says Colette. "I saw no Asians at the company when I went for an interview, and they did show surprise when I turned up."
"You see," explains Colette, "my family had deliberately Anglicized our name to avoid racism - it gets me treated like everyone else on paper but it doesn't whiten my skin in person!"
"For someone who is continually experiencing trouble with interview rejection like I am," says Colette, "I feel it is subjective factors like racism rather than objective factors - education and experience - that are operating."
"Everyone goes to job interviews looking their best," says Colette, "so dress and grooming are not going to be as important as appearance."
"If you don't fit in with the company's specific expectations of what is 'perfect' then subtle discrimination must apply," explains Colette.
"These perfect expectations are never made known in the job advertisements," sighs Colette, "and it's something we all go through - whatever our skin color."
"It's normal I suppose in that we all do it to others when we meet a person for the first time."
"Like most everyone else there are flaws in my appearance over and above having a different skin color to the predominant race," says Colette, "and I often wonder whether I should decide to stay as sweet as I am on the basis that I wouldn't want to work for any employer who judged me on such shallow criteria - or take steps to improve my appearance."
"Being yourself at interviews is good advice, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with enhancing what you've got!" laughs Colette.
"I can't do anything about my skin color," says Colette, "but I am of short stature so I do practice walking tall, wearing shoes that elevate me and choosing clothes that do not give the appearance of 'cutting' me in half - such as a one-color outfit."
"I'm not overweight or cursed by facial blemishes," adds Colette,"but if I were I would definitely lose weight or seek professional guidance on make-up and chemical peels."
"Most of us are nervous at interviews and a good interviewer will take that into consideration," says Colette, "but I often wonder if my communication skills are seen as being less than perfect."
"I have heard that people with communication disorders, a language difficulty or are just too loud, quiet, pompous, boring or garrulous are rejected outright," says Colette.
"I speak English perfectly but I do tend to be a bit quiet - as befitting the culture I came from - and I may have a slight accent that upsets employers," adds Colette.
"Maybe a speech therapist or a good communications trainer will help me achieve the perfect tone, pitch and speed for my speech - or maybe I should join a public speaking club such as Toastmasters to help me gain confidence," muses Colette, "but if I went to such troubles and still got rejected it would all have been a terrible waste of time and money."
"Personality can - and often does - override any flaws in appearance and communication skills," says Colette, "so I do try to make an interviewer see that I am a friendly girl."
"I'm not a strong introvert going for a job that requires a great deal of human interaction," says Colette, "and I'm not a strong extrovert going for a job that requires spending a great deal of time on my own."
"I do take pains to apply for the right type of job for me - a job that wants a friendly person, neither too introverted nor too extroverted."
"An Interviewer knows the right type of personality needed for the job and it's always stated - in various ways - in the job advertisement," says Colette. "So I don't believe I was ever rejected on that score."
"Interviews are sometimes so stressful that all we can think of is ourselves - how we look and sound," says Colette, "yet I always try to make a good impression by stepping outside my insecurities and showing - without aggrandizing myself - that I relate very well to others and do good in the community."
"I also acknowledge the interviewer - exchanging pleasantries, maybe even asking him or her some personal questions such as 'How do you feel about interviewing people for this job?'," explains Colette, "and yet I am still rejected!
"I comfort myself with thoughts that I was rejected because other candidates were superior to me on appearance, communication skills, personality and empathy," says Colette.
"And I take heart in the fact that once these paragons of virtue get snapped up the better my chances of passing the next interview."
"Yet, after fourteen months of job hunting I cannot believe that there are so many paragons of virtue out there - so many people superior to me," sighs Colette. "I've been helping out with the family business while job hunting and I'll continue doing so until I get the job I want. I am a patient person. I will wait."
"I have excellent qualifications and references," says Colette, "and I am a positive, likeable person."
"The only thing I don't have is a white face and if that is my only failing then perhaps I should limit my job search to Asian companies?"
"I've been selectively job hunting for a long time and I have no trouble winning interviews," says Colette, "but I have yet to be called in for a second interview for the jobs I want."
"Some of my friends suffer crushing blows to their self-esteem when they fail to get a job offer," says Colette, "but I am not particularly crushed because I expect rejection."
"This is a positive not a negative way of thinking," explains Colette, "because very few people are hired on the spot at the first interview. We must all be patient when we want a prized job."
"If it takes 10 resume rejections to score an interview, then I expect 10 interview rejections before I make it to the final interview," explains Colette," but so far I'm not having much luck and I'm beginning to wonder whether racism is involved."
"I'm Asian with a dark skin," explains Colette, "and while interviewers are always very nice to my face, I don't know what they're really thinking."
"All job hunters must adopt a positive and upbeat attitude and not allow the process to get them down," says Colette, "and to keep my self-esteem intact I don't bother requesting feedback after an interview rejection because they will invariably lie about their reasons."
Colette was once told in a roundabout way that she was not assertive enough for the position she applied for.
"Had the job advertisement indicated that being assertive was a requirement of the job," says Colette. "then I would have pushed my way through the interview - even danced on a table if that would have proved how assertive I can be - but it was really not that type of job."
"In that particular job interview I really felt that racism was involved," says Colette. "I saw no Asians at the company when I went for an interview, and they did show surprise when I turned up."
"You see," explains Colette, "my family had deliberately Anglicized our name to avoid racism - it gets me treated like everyone else on paper but it doesn't whiten my skin in person!"
"For someone who is continually experiencing trouble with interview rejection like I am," says Colette, "I feel it is subjective factors like racism rather than objective factors - education and experience - that are operating."
"Everyone goes to job interviews looking their best," says Colette, "so dress and grooming are not going to be as important as appearance."
"If you don't fit in with the company's specific expectations of what is 'perfect' then subtle discrimination must apply," explains Colette.
"These perfect expectations are never made known in the job advertisements," sighs Colette, "and it's something we all go through - whatever our skin color."
"It's normal I suppose in that we all do it to others when we meet a person for the first time."
"Like most everyone else there are flaws in my appearance over and above having a different skin color to the predominant race," says Colette, "and I often wonder whether I should decide to stay as sweet as I am on the basis that I wouldn't want to work for any employer who judged me on such shallow criteria - or take steps to improve my appearance."
"Being yourself at interviews is good advice, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with enhancing what you've got!" laughs Colette.
"I can't do anything about my skin color," says Colette, "but I am of short stature so I do practice walking tall, wearing shoes that elevate me and choosing clothes that do not give the appearance of 'cutting' me in half - such as a one-color outfit."
"I'm not overweight or cursed by facial blemishes," adds Colette,"but if I were I would definitely lose weight or seek professional guidance on make-up and chemical peels."
"Most of us are nervous at interviews and a good interviewer will take that into consideration," says Colette, "but I often wonder if my communication skills are seen as being less than perfect."
"I have heard that people with communication disorders, a language difficulty or are just too loud, quiet, pompous, boring or garrulous are rejected outright," says Colette.
"I speak English perfectly but I do tend to be a bit quiet - as befitting the culture I came from - and I may have a slight accent that upsets employers," adds Colette.
"Maybe a speech therapist or a good communications trainer will help me achieve the perfect tone, pitch and speed for my speech - or maybe I should join a public speaking club such as Toastmasters to help me gain confidence," muses Colette, "but if I went to such troubles and still got rejected it would all have been a terrible waste of time and money."
"Personality can - and often does - override any flaws in appearance and communication skills," says Colette, "so I do try to make an interviewer see that I am a friendly girl."
"I'm not a strong introvert going for a job that requires a great deal of human interaction," says Colette, "and I'm not a strong extrovert going for a job that requires spending a great deal of time on my own."
"I do take pains to apply for the right type of job for me - a job that wants a friendly person, neither too introverted nor too extroverted."
"An Interviewer knows the right type of personality needed for the job and it's always stated - in various ways - in the job advertisement," says Colette. "So I don't believe I was ever rejected on that score."
"Interviews are sometimes so stressful that all we can think of is ourselves - how we look and sound," says Colette, "yet I always try to make a good impression by stepping outside my insecurities and showing - without aggrandizing myself - that I relate very well to others and do good in the community."
"I also acknowledge the interviewer - exchanging pleasantries, maybe even asking him or her some personal questions such as 'How do you feel about interviewing people for this job?'," explains Colette, "and yet I am still rejected!
"I comfort myself with thoughts that I was rejected because other candidates were superior to me on appearance, communication skills, personality and empathy," says Colette.
"And I take heart in the fact that once these paragons of virtue get snapped up the better my chances of passing the next interview."
"Yet, after fourteen months of job hunting I cannot believe that there are so many paragons of virtue out there - so many people superior to me," sighs Colette. "I've been helping out with the family business while job hunting and I'll continue doing so until I get the job I want. I am a patient person. I will wait."
"I have excellent qualifications and references," says Colette, "and I am a positive, likeable person."
"The only thing I don't have is a white face and if that is my only failing then perhaps I should limit my job search to Asian companies?"
Labels: asia, interracial, job interviews, migrant, racism
<< Home