Job applications screening for privilege.

I'm agreeing with you GSM, I think I remember one CEO saying something along the lines of being far more interested in a candidate who had worked shifts in say Sainsbury's ,than those who had gone off on expensive sponsored gap years. My son worked whilst at 6th form college and university in a now defunct clothing shop owned by an odious, high profiled individual who has a retail empire. After graduating and sending off numerous CVs. for entry level positions. It was a pretty difficult time for graduates back then, he did get his foot in the door with a well known publishing house for actual gainful employment rather than the reprehensible unpaid internship which so many candidates were expected to put up with as an entree into industry. Closing so many doors to those who didn't have the means of support. During his initial interview the head honcho was impressed by the fact that he had slogged away at an unrewarding retail job, apparently the only one who had, who was being interviewed for the position and something he possibly thinks got him that all important first step on his career ladder. He has now worked for several leading publishing houses and has often told me he is surrounded by people he considers quite "out of touch" due to privileged upbringing. He does say that some have gripes and superficial moans about what is to all intents and purposes a good working environment and has often said to me, it certainly focuses the mind when you work for an establishment who doesn't give a stuff about their staff.

Having taught in both further and higher education I often saw a difference in motivation between older and younger students. Similarly between UK based and international students.

The older UK ones had often "missed the boat" for various reasons - not always a poor background. However having been presented with an opportunity they were usually determined to make the most of it. This was in contrast with some bright kids from middle class backgrounds who had been more or less handed life on a plate.

Our son is privileged in that he has never been hungry, frightened or abused in any way.

He was educated by the Jesuits and brought up well by two loving parents.

He and his brother are kind, humble, non judgmental and have followed the school motto in adult life “Quant je puis” the best I can.

We both worked hard and made sacrifices for the our children’s education, they have always worked through university and school holidays.
One volunteered in India and Kyrgyzstan for 9 months and the other trained to care for a young person with a very severe handicap so he could give his parents a well earned break.

I would hate to think that our choice of education would be detrimental to their careers.

Elegran

If it is included in a job application form it looks like discrimination.

It certainly does.

I think some of these questions are totally unacceptable. Whatever the parents did during the applicant’s childhood should be of no consequence. This sounds far too like social engineering to me, and is not something I approve of in any way. Each applicant should be judged on his/her qualities and qualifications alone. Nothing else.

As other people have said - these aren’t interview questions or application questions. It’s data gathering and the replies will be anonymised so that the HR department can see if there are any demographics who aren’t applying and see if there’s a reason for that.

I assume that the people clutching their pearls over this haven’t applied for a job, especially one in a large company, in the past five years at least. This is completely normal and the two forms are usually entirely seperate.

Applied for a job in the public sector six months ago, if you mean an equality form with regard to age, sex, disability, etc then yes. Questions on parents education no.

Some are more in depth, especially if the company tends to be skewed to a particular class/demographic. So long as they actually take action on their findings, I’m all for it!

I suppose you could say that you just don't know your parent's education experience etc?

Affirmative action. Ensuring that a level playing field is created. Removing class, gender, sexuality, ethnic, ableist biases.

It's not accidental that white men end up on top ahead of every other category. The system is set up to benefit them.

AmberSpyglass

Some are more in depth, especially if the company tends to be skewed to a particular class/demographic. So long as they actually take action on their findings, I’m all for it!

Me too.

if looking for signs of 'privilege' I am surprised they don't ask about Private Education. Children who were privately educated during Covid had a MASSIVE advantage, and probably got much higher exam results.

Moulds

Oops wrong window 🤣🤣😁😁

The trouble is if you look at the countries which have the greatest gender equality for example its had little impact on the types of jobs dominated by men or women. My guess is the solution wont be found in this way for other characteristics either.

If you have to include your academic history the employer will know whether you attended a state school or were privately educated fleurpepper. The school you name is easily googled if the name is unfamiliar.

While it might be a way of increasing inclusivity it’s also a useful way of excluding those non U individuals. Cynic that I am ( but only sometimes).

In contrast to the OP's experience many companies, including banks, major law and accountancy firms, now have 'blind recruitment'.

Name, DOB, name of university, sex, dates, etc. are not included to prevent bias - so you are judged, and your application is taken further, based on qualifications, experience, track record, etc.

Well that's the stated aim.

He could always call and ask the HR team if it bothers him?

Just an idea.

I can only comment as regards law firms Riverwalk. Until you reach a sufficient level of seniority a cv with university details is required - and certainly for would-be trainees much importance is attached to the university attended, with a 2:1 from a top university trumping a first from one of the lesser ones. And amongst the top universities, Oxbridge isn’t necessarily given preference as students are often viewed as having been spoon fed through the tutorial system unlike, say, the LSE where it’s very much a matter of thinking for yourself, sinking or swimming. I know this from personal experience and from comments made by banking friends.

Not a good move NotSpaghetti.

Germanshepherdsmum

Positive discrimination, I would suggest. There are a lot of kids who don’t get the opportunities they are worthy of because they have no quiet space to do their homework. They tend to come from poor families with little in the way of academic qualifications. If you can work your way through that you’ll be a good bet as an employee.

This was reallymuch more so during Covid. No computer and internet no quiet space to work, no books around, as well as no regular teaching.

Kids from middle class background had it all, apart from 100% lessons via Zoom, etc- which only students in Private Schools did.

When our eldest child started school, parents were interviewed by the HeadMistress of the Infant School who asked these sort of questions. It was a State school.

Lexisgranny

When our eldest child started school, parents were interviewed by the HeadMistress of the Infant School who asked these sort of questions. It was a State school.

Our daughter was asked at primary school what her Father did.
She told staff he gave money to people that didn’t have any.
Staff were under the impression he worked for a charity.
He was a banker🤣

My son graduated with a first class degree in Jurisprudence from Oxford University. He applied to Harvard to do a post graduate degree and was offered a place, but it came without any funding/scholarship. His friend graduated the same course and university with a 2:1 degree and applied to Harvard and was offered a place to do a post graduate degree, with funding/scholarship. She joked to me to me that she was ‘the ethnic quota’ because although English with an English mother, her father was originally from Iran and the surname was clearly not English. She was also female.
Perhaps my son should have written that he was gay on his application and that might have ticked the necessary box! We, as teachers, having supported him, his brother, and his sister all through university, could not afford the twenty thousand pounds required for the one year of study at Harvard so he didn’t go.
He has done well though and is now a practicing barrister at a top set of chambers in London.