Facing Discrimination in the Job Search

You apply to a role that you’re really excited about. 

You get to the interview round, and although you’re nervous, you’re excited to talk with the hiring manager about the position.

You’ve prepared solutions to potential problems, have clear examples of your work, and know your elevator pitch like the back of your hand.

Toward the end of the call, the hiring manager says to you, “Our team is relatively young, how do you anticipate fitting in?”

“You speak so eloquently.”

“Your hair and clothing are so put together.”

“I didn’t expect that from someone like you.”

You think to yourself, “That was weird. I feel like my interviewer was evaluating other aspects of me instead of my qualifications for the role.”

And then it starts to settle in – you’ve faced discrimination in the job search process.

Discrimination in the job search process can happen from the time you start searching and stumble onto an application to when you receive your offer letter and full compensation package. 

It can be subtle. 

It can be blatant. 

It can be direct. 

It can be indirect.

Job search discrimination can look like racism, ageism, sexual attitudes or advances, ableism, gender discrimination, religious discrimination, and more. While job search and employment discrimination are illegal, as outlined by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, instances of discrimination permeate job search, hiring, and employment processes across job functions and industries. 

If you find yourself facing discrimination in the job search, there are a few things you can do to support yourself and stay safe.

1. Tell someone you trust – If you’re able to, talk with someone you trust about your experience. Let them know what you’ve been through, and take time to process the situation before forging a path ahead. Having support from someone you trust makes a discouraging, traumatic experience a little bit easier to navigate.

2. Make a plan for moving forward – Whether that ‘plan’ involves taking legal action, informing others of your experience, or evaluating your own next steps in the job search process, prioritizing yourself and your journey ahead helps keep you grounded, secure, and well-positioned to advocate for your needs and to identify a discriminatory situation.

3. Research organizations and prepare questions for your interviews – You can learn a lot about an organization from its website, its online presence, and its employees. A mission statement, company values, and vision for the years ahead can help you identify an organization’s ethics and positionality. By doing your research, you can enter the application and interview process with well-informed questions to ask your interviewer about resources for employees, commitments to IDEAB, and progress toward workplace equity. 

Facing discrimination in the job search process is an unfortunate reality that many job seekers, particularly applicants from historically underrepresented groups, encounter throughout their careers. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, let someone you trust know what’s happened; work with them or another support system, like us at the CCD, to make a plan moving forward; and research organizations you’re thinking of applying to. Through advocacy, research, and collaborative efforts, the job search process can become a more just, equitable experience for all of us.