Today I've been filling in job applications and writing cover letters. I've sent off the one for which the dealine is tomorrow, but I've still to finish writing the 'why you should give me this job' section of the other one. I was planning to do that tonight, but I can't make my brain do it. Clearly there's only so much blowing your own trumpet you can do in one day.
This is what it said on the top of the equal opportunities form:
"This university wishes to promote equal opportunities in all its employment practices. To do so, information is asked of candidates which will help us eliminate any practices which may be discriminatory"
But the questions asked me for my gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion and sexuality (this is new - I don't remember ticking a box for that before). I don't see how this will help eliminate discriminatory practices. They say this information is kept separate from your application, so it can't be used positively by selection panels (not that I agree with positive discrimination - it's still discrimination, whichever way it works) but it could, if the personnel department were not entirely honest, be used negatively. What boxes I tick at this stage in my application process can't be of any help in suggesting to them ways in which they are or are not discriminatory. It doesn't say 'In your opinion, are any of our advertising or selection practices discriminatory? Discuss.' What they actually have, with my gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion and sexuality, is a way to figure out statistics on applicants / employees. That is all they have. Why pretend it's anything else?
No comments:
Post a Comment