Discrimination against long term unemployed

Wes Bucey

Quite Involved in Discussions
#1
So, today, I finally got around to reading a research paper published by the Boston Federal Reserve bank with the off-putting title "What Can We Learn by Disaggregating the Unemployment-Vacancy Relationship?" found at http://www.bostonfed.org/economic/ppb/2012/ppb123.pdf.

The essence of the paper is that for an unvoiced reason, employers are discriminating against the long-term (more than 6 months) unemployed by shuffling their applications automatically to either the bottom of the pile or discarding them entirely.

The authors speculate on some "plausible" reasonings, but the bottom line is this discrimination or prejudice appears to cross all industries and all job functions.

FIGHT BACK:
Now, as I see it, if a candidate falls in this category of 6 months plus unemployed, he has two choices:

  1. he can lay down and die
    OR
  2. he can fight back (with some legal flim flam on the resume and in the interview.)
On no account do I counsel anyone to lie on a resume or in an interview, but I do counsel folks to find "some" work to fill the gap using the skills they hope will be used in the employment they are seeking. This work may be volunteer or very low wage, but (since I already counsel NEVER to disclose your current wage) that shouldn't enter into the negotiation or conversation anyway.


Some examples may start your own creative juices flowing:

  1. Are you a computer whiz, super proficient in databases and spreadsheets? (Surely there is a religious or nonprofit group that needs that expertise to make it more efficient. Approach and offer your service. Then you can truthfully say, "Computer and network administrator for XYZ nonprofit and wax eloquent about all the good things you did for them which will bring value to the next employer.)
  2. Is there a facility which hires and trains otherwise unemployable people at a "starter wage" to give them a leg up? (I'm thinking particularly of a call center I heard about that hires only visually impaired folks to receive and make calls for a variety of employers. Surely they can use a quality guru to compile statistics which will help them market to more employers?)
  3. Unless you are a real consultant with clients which can be named and used as references, I wouldn't try to push "consultant" as a gap filler, but "contractor" (especially for a service like Manpower or the like) is a good gap filler. (Just be sure the work is in your field, not something like handing out leaflets door to door.)
As always, my sympathies are for the job candidates. The rampant arrogance toward job applicants by Human Resource departments extends across all industries and all size organizations. Worse, I hear conversations and see posts on HR forums where some of these cruel jerks brag about how their "processes" weed out large percentages of "worthless" candidates, justifying the deletion because of things like "didn't double space the resume with 1 inch border all around." One I saw last year was, "this schmo graduated college BEFORE I WAS BORN. Why would I hire anyone that old?"


Regardless of anything else, please reread the thread entitled
Tips to get past the "gatekeeper" when job hunting and avoid these arrogant sons of yellow dogs if at all possible.


Also consider rereading Contracting/Temping - Viable Alternates in Tough Times
 
Elsmar Forum Sponsor

Jen Kirley

Quality and Auditing Expert
Staff member
Admin
#2
There's documented evidence of such discrimination, even in quotes I've read from HR specialists. But fighting back would be tough against anyone's rules but theirs, I think. I want to add that volunteer work can be listed as job experience on a resume. If unpaid interns can do it, why not volunteers?

Second thing that many are doing is to start something on their own, maybe turning a hobby into more of a full time pursuit. The rough part is losing the cash flow, but if the belt can be tightened enough to not choke a household, the layoff might turn into the best opportunity for some people to escape the corporate hamster wheel.
:2cents:
 

Wes Bucey

Quite Involved in Discussions
#3
There's documented evidence of such discrimination, even in quotes I've read from HR specialists. But fighting back would be tough against anyone's rules but theirs, I think. I want to add that volunteer work can be listed as job experience on a resume. If unpaid interns can do it, why not volunteers?

Second thing that many are doing is to start something on their own, maybe turning a hobby into more of a full time pursuit. The rough part is losing the cash flow, but if the belt can be tightened enough to not choke a household, the layoff might turn into the best opportunity for some people to escape the corporate hamster wheel.
:2cents:
plenty of documented evidence, but lots more anecdotal evidence. The authors of the paper sent out thousands of nearly identical resumes, the only difference being length of time unemployed and documented the overwhelming statistic that the longer unemployed, the fewer of ANY response, even polite "sorry."

I don't mean to denigrate the idea of volunteerism, but HR people do NOT consider volunteers as employed. The candidate MUST make it appear as "employment," even to the extent of donating the dollar to be a "dollar a year" employee. The reference as an EMPLOYEE must be valid, hence my comment "legal flim flam on the resume and in the interview."
 
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
A Difference between Discrimination and Least Count IATF 16949 - Automotive Quality Systems Standard 2
R Age Discrimination by Chinese Authorities and supported by Automakers IATF 16949 - Automotive Quality Systems Standard 6
E How to perform Discrimination check for Dial Indicator? General Measurement Device and Calibration Topics 2
K Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policy Miscellaneous Environmental Standards and EMS Related Discussions 22
B Study Variation and Discrimination Ratio in Gage R&R ANOVA Gage R&R (GR&R) and MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis) 7
C Gage R&R 10:1 Tolerance to Gage Discrimination Rule Explanation Gage R&R (GR&R) and MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis) 9
C Can someone clarify "Resolution", "Discrimination" and "ndc"? General Measurement Device and Calibration Topics 4
P The difference between Gage Discrimination and Least Count Gage R&R (GR&R) and MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis) 3
A Calibration Discrimination - Acceptance criteria is not having the accuracy required? General Measurement Device and Calibration Topics 2
D Resolution, Discrimination, NDC and the Tower of Babel in Metrology General Measurement Device and Calibration Topics 5
C Discrimination - Use ndc to analyse the discrimination power? Gage R&R (GR&R) and MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis) 1
A Error in MSA Manual - Discrimination - Bias Linearity Worksheet Gage R&R (GR&R) and MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis) 7
B Operating Range & Measurement System Discrimination:How to select parts for R&R test? Gage R&R (GR&R) and MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis) 5
J Not enough discrimination? 4-digit Micrometer for .0015 Tol :burr ht of slit coils Statistical Analysis Tools, Techniques and SPC 5
V Setup for testing against ISO14708 clause 16 (protection of the patient from herms caused by heat) Other Medical Device Related Standards 0
G National Structural Steel Specification 7th Edition - Do I now have to be audited against ISO 3843-3 as well as ISO 9001? ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 1
Ed Panek CAPA against Notified Body? EU Medical Device Regulations 5
J ISO 13485 Audit Nonconformance written against 6.3 Infrastructure ISO 13485:2016 - Medical Device Quality Management Systems 25
Ashok sunder What are the criteria for setting a target KPI value against a quality objective? Benchmarking 7
W Minor Audit Nonconformance Against Determining the scope of QMS IATF 16949 - Automotive Quality Systems Standard 12
GStough Auditing Against Criteria Unfamiliar to Auditee - Yea or Nay? General Auditing Discussions 11
D Root Cause on Non-Conformity Against Quality Manual Problem Solving, Root Cause Fault and Failure Analysis 9
M CB and Internal auditors most common nonconformities against AS9100D AS9100, IAQG, NADCAP and Aerospace related Standards and Requirements 16
GStough Have You Had to Write a NC Against a Quality Manual in a Supplier Audit? General Auditing Discussions 12
R AS9102 - Are FAIs against a Customer Red-Lined Drawings Allowed? AS9100, IAQG, NADCAP and Aerospace related Standards and Requirements 1
T Parts Lists - Use of the word "off" against Quantity Coffee Break and Water Cooler Discussions 2
dubrizo Audit Findings: Writing against Internal an ISO Clause Internal Auditing 10
Wes Bucey A rant against gender bias wherever it appears Career and Occupation Discussions 4
A Personal names in docs - Goes against every documenation practice I know! Document Control Systems, Procedures, Forms and Templates 30
D Hard cut off date for certificates to be issued against ISO 9001:2008? ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 17
A IEC 60601-1 cl.15.4.2.1 - Tubular Heating Element (Protection against Overheating) IEC 60601 - Medical Electrical Equipment Safety Standards Series 5
T Testing bluetooth medical devices against Japan Radio Law requirements Japan Medical Device Regulations 2
R Determining the feasibility/scope for FDA IQ/OQ against a very simple application US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 2
A Comparing US/FDA Drug Regulations against US/FDA Device Regulations US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 3
T Do cables which are used with Medical Device need to be tested against UL? IEC 60601 - Medical Electrical Equipment Safety Standards Series 3
AnaMariaVR2 3 Ways To Deal With People Who Play Office Politics Against You Coffee Break and Water Cooler Discussions 7
R Auditors Auditing Against ISO 9001:2015 Draft ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 33
S Is entering a Date against Initials a requirement? Document Control Systems, Procedures, Forms and Templates 14
W Medical Device Single fault test-protection against fire IEC 60601 - Medical Electrical Equipment Safety Standards Series 2
R Comparing Laboratory Scope of Accreditation against internal equipment General Measurement Device and Calibration Topics 3
G Corrective Action against Customer Complaints ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 9
Manix Should a 3rd Party Auditor Audit against IATF rules and not just the ISO standard? General Auditing Discussions 4
F Is this situation against ISO 19011? Internal Auditing 2
D Auditing against a procedure you had input to Internal Auditing 19
AnaMariaVR2 FDA takes action against thousands of illegal Internet pharmacies US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 1
G Audit Finding against ISO/TS 16949 6.2.2 Competence, Training and Awareness IATF 16949 - Automotive Quality Systems Standard 3
AnaMariaVR2 Drugmakers fight against sport-enhancing ingredients US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 0
BradM Class action lawsuit against Apple - iPod Software updates - 2006 thru 2009 After Work and Weekend Discussion Topics 2
D ISO/TS 16949 Stage 2 Audit Nonconformance Against 7.6.3.1 Laboratory Scope IATF 16949 - Automotive Quality Systems Standard 8
D Auditor Requirement to 'Map' TS 16949 Requirements against our QMS IATF 16949 - Automotive Quality Systems Standard 27

Similar threads

Top Bottom