I was a victim of prejudice in the selection process, what should I do?

Have you suffered prejudice during the selection process, but don't know what to do or where to turn? Read the text and find out!

According to data from Infojobs, 491,000 professionals have already suffered prejudice and discrimination in the selection process. 

We know that an interview is not easy for anyone, tension, anxiety and nervousness can distress any candidate.

However, when a person is part of a minority, who has already suffered from prejudice throughout their life, this stage can be more complicated, delicate and stressful.

Prejudice and ignorance still marginalize many candidates and, unfortunately, there are reserved seats in the selection processes.

In this text, we will address a little about this extensive subject and you will also discover what to do if you suffer. bias in selection and recruitment of a company.

Don't miss it! See below the topics covered in this post:

• What is prejudice in the selection process?
• What situations can be considered prejudiced and discriminatory in a selection process?
• How can I identify that I am suffering prejudice during an interview?
• How to prepare for a selection process as a minority?
• What to do when faced with prejudiced action during the recruitment and selection process?
• Conclusion.

What is prejudice in the selection process?

Prejudice is a preconceived opinion about someone, or even a feeling formed about a person, or group, without objective data, foundations or relevant facts to prove it.

This type of action is common in selection processes. Many people suffer discrimination due to prejudice.

They are judged inferior and incapable of working in the company for various unfounded and unproven reasons.

Your experiences, skills, knowledge and potential are not considered.

In many cases, these attitudes come disguised as jokes, so you feel coerced and have difficulty identifying or questioning them.

However, if the joke hurt you, made you feel inferior in some way, especially because of some characteristic of yours, you may be facing a case of prejudice in the selection process.

To further clarify your ideas, in the next topic you will find situations considered discriminatory in interviews.

What situations can be considered prejudiced and discriminatory in a selection process?

Discrimination is an attitude based on prejudice or racism. Its main characteristic is that an individual receives different or inferior treatment simply because they belong to a different group.

Normally, it occurs due to the differences and personal characteristics that the person has, for example:

• Race;
• Color;
• Sex;
• Ethnic origin;
• Sexual orientation;
• Gender identity;
• Social class;
• Religion;
• Political opinions.

The main prejudices in recruitment come from racism, sexism and disability.

How can I identify that I am suffering prejudice during an interview?

In a selection process, it is common for recruiters to ask many questions to get to know the candidate and find out if he or she is the professional the company is looking for.

However, during this stage, there may be certain questions that are not related to the execution of the work offered.

Furthermore, they can configure inferiority, incapacity and exclude candidates based on criteria that have nothing to do with the vacancy or their functions.

This prejudice can arise from many aspects of the candidate's life, for example, marriage, children, pregnancy, sexual orientation and appearance.

In certain events, some situations of prejudice can be generated even unconsciously, which can characterize a structural prejudice.

This type of discrimination can affect the vast majority: women, black people and people with disabilities.

In fact, it is not always necessary for the interviewer to ask questions for you to notice prejudice: it is linked to appearance and can be perceived just by looking at them.

However, you need to know how to assess whether the questions are really related to the job, as in some cases, the questions may be considered relevant to filling the vacancy and developing the activities.

If you noticed that you were excluded from the selection process due to your physical appearance or that the chosen candidate had a professional resume inferior to yours, as long as you can prove it, these can be classified as prejudiced and discriminatory actions.

In this case, they may even be subject to judicial redress.

How to prepare for a process as part of the minority?

If you are part of a minority, you know that you need to dress up 10 times to go to a job interview, prepare more and follow all the rules to the letter. tips for doing well in a selection process.

Furthermore, even if you have a great resume and all the necessary skills to fill the position, you know that you may not be the chosen one.

You will certainly return home with many doubts: why wasn't I chosen, if I was the only candidate and had everything they asked for?

Did the selected candidates have a better professional resume than mine?

In fact, we will never know the whys unless the prejudice in the selection process be explicit.

The recruiter may be polite, attentive and give you great service, but in the end, he or she will not choose you because of hidden prejudice. How will he or she know?

Therefore, it is very important to prepare yourself emotionally to participate in this selection. The first step is to get it into your head that there is nothing wrong with you and that you are not inferior to anyone.

The “yes” may not come for a variety of reasons and that is not under your control. Do your part and be prepared for a positive or negative answer, but go in with confidence and your head held high.

In fact, leave anyway.

Now, if during selection and recruitment you went through some disconcerting situation, where you felt inferior, discriminated against and violated, you need to take action.

See below what to do!

What to do when faced with prejudiced action in the recruitment and selection process?

If you notice that the recruiter is adopting a prejudiced attitude when asking embarrassing questions or inquiries, try to record the action.

You can do this with the help of your cell phone, using a video or audio, for example. In addition, it is possible to record the situation through witnesses who are in the environment.

The candidate who felt victimized prejudice in the selection process and, if you have evidence of the practice, you can file a lawsuit for compensation for moral damages.

In addition, you should notify the company about what happened. It is important that the recruiters' superiors know that they are not offering a dignified, humane, fair and respectful selection process to candidates.

Conclusion

It is very important that companies that preach so much about diversity and inclusion in the workplace are aware of the practices adopted during the selection processes.

Unconscious biases are present in these selections and need to be identified and combated.

Furthermore, it is essential that internal and social prejudices are broken. In fact, recruiters need to recognize that physical and biological aspects are not particularities that define professional capacity.

Just as being a prejudiced person is a problem of character, not professional ability.

However, when you represent a company, you need to leave certain attitudes aside and use impartiality, ethics, equity and justice.

Not to mention, you could be committing a criminal act.

Have you ever suffered? prejudice in selection process of a companyHow did you react?

Nara Sampaio

SEO writer, digital content creator, and virtual assistant. An introvert who found in writing a way to express herself and share knowledge!

May 18, 2022