Is There Still Racism in IT Hiring Practices?

noahz asks: "Today [now three days ago] in the United States marks Martin Luther King Day, remembering the birthday - and legacy - of the great civil rights leader. It's been over 40 years since his march on Washington, back when IT was still in its infancy and was exclusively a white, male field. But, how much progress has been made in the IT world? I recently had a recruiter tell me that I would have no problem finding a job in the current economy - not because I am enthusastic, well-educated and have good experience - but because I am caucasian - 'white'. This particular recruiter insisted that his years experience has led him to this conclusion - but I wonder: what the collective experience of the Slashdot readership has found?"

Comments

Re:MOD parent up!i

[sdedeo]

I am not saying that -- on rare occasion -- a qualified white applicant loses to a qualified minority applicant.

What all of these "screw you I know it happens" posters, including you, feel somehow driven to forget about is that reverse situations, in which minority workers are discriminated against and penalised on account of their race, happen all the time. Hell, just google "racism in the workplace" or something similar, and you'll pull up all the newspaper accounts you could dream of.

Meanwhile, I'm sure you would not recognize the hiring of a white applicant over a black one as racism, even when it was. You would explain it as the white guy having connections, being a friend of the boss, having an in with the interviewer because they grew up in the same town or went to the same college. You are incorrect to do so.

You should try talking to black people sometime. Yeah, I know it's tense to talk about race, but the next time you're with a black friend having a beer, ask him what he thinks about the level of racism in American society, and the level he personally experiences as a white collar worker. And tell him what you think. See how he reacts. My guess is that he won't be surprised -- hell, there's an entire wing of the Republican party constructed to catch voters like you -- but he will disagree.

Re:Back Of The Bus With You

[mtrupe]

Yeah? How many black guys were in your computer science classes? In my experience, minorities are the first hired and last laid off. I'm not being a racist or anything here, it's just what I have experienced.