Interviewing for a promotion, I was told that despite being the top performer among candidates interviewed I was not selected due to "diversity" considerations.
They told me to my face that junior staff looking at senior staff need to feel they have a chance to succeed, implying I do not meet this criteria. I am Jewish. Was it implied that this does not meet the criteria for preferred ethnic "diversity"? What recourse do I have? What would you do in my shoes?
Sincerely, a shocked, sad, and very hurt finance guy.
I dont have any advice, just wanted to offer my sympathy. Sorry to hear that dude. It's fucked up. I am considered diverse, but if I found out I beat a candidate with more merit than me just because I am brown, I'd feel like shit. Maybe your workplace shouldn't benefit from you working there anymore.
You have no recourse and Jews are not considered part of diversity initiatives. Promotions can be based on merit or something else. Diversity would not be the only reason someone misses out on a promotion. Some people get might get promotions because their of their connections and there is really nothing you can do about it. Not getting merit based promotions has not prevented Jews from succeeding in the United States. Keep working diligently and perhaps you will get a promotion in the future.
Correct I should have also mentioned it's likely this was not the sole reason. But it was a reason. I was stunned how casually they told me this. What's the world coming to?
It is kind of dumb for a company to mention diversity initiatives as a reason not to get a promotion.
Correct I should have also mentioned it's likely this was not the sole reason. But it was a reason. I was stunned how casually they told me this. What's the world coming to?
Suck it up whitey and don't be a racist /s
The only way this new generation of junior employees can be inspired is if they see someone roughly the same skin tone as them in senior roles. Isn't it fun when predictions come true?
When Supreme Court finally rules against AA in higher ed, I suspect that'll unleash a raft of new cases about discrimination in the workplace (because somehow in modern America it's your fault if you're white or Asian and you must pay reparations to black people in the form of kowtowing and losing opportunity -- even if you or none of your ancestors had literally anything to do with oppression & slavery in the 19th century)
Won't fix the issue entirely, but the field is so messed up right now where i know kids who took 12 AP classes, 1500+ SATs, presidents of multiple clubs and they still didn't get into any T25 schools...just because they're Asian. How is that fair?
I know another guy just recently where at the mid-cap company he works at, the DEI team deliberately told bosses with black employees to give them higher ratings (and thus higher bonuses), even if it wasn't earned. You're really telling me that's ok?
I'm not deluded that legislation will 100% shift the tide. If things even normalize back by 50% from where they are now due to fear of legal retribution by woke colleges and employers, that's a big win
While those anecdotes are interesting and I certainly agree that people of Asian backgrounds typically face much higher hurdles when it comes to getting accepted at top institutions and competitive positions, I would also point to the fact that it’s important to look at both sides of the coin.
Anecdotally and historically, there are numerous data points that show that minorities face discrimination based on their names, their figure of speech, their visible minority status, and their socio economic backgrounds, their zip codes, their extra curricular activities, and etc. Not saying that one ethnic group should suffer while others get reparations and affirmative actions, but I do think ignoring the other side of the very real equation doesn’t get us any closer to solving the problem and finding an equitable solution that works for everyone.
Just to add some nuance, were you told you did not get the promotion because you are Jewish? That's textbook discrimination and I would talk to a lawyer.
Were you told you did not receive the promotion because it was given to a qualified candidate that created more diversity in management? Nothing you can do here and I don't think its necessarily a bad decision. Plenty of research has shown that more diverse workplaces are a net positive as they create more viewpoints that can result in more innovation.
There is also an issue of whether you are right for the promotion, you could be doing great at your current role but maybe you aren't viewed as potential management for some other reason. Use this to perhaps ask for a raise using the angle of if the company won't promote me despite being the best performer, why should I stay or continue to perform well, blah blah blah...
You think all people of the same race have the same viewpoints?
Believe me as a Jew I know exactly where this line of thinking leads. This is the same philosophy that guided the Nazis. We need as many people as possible to stand against this thinking. Together we can overcome leftist authoritarian racism. Please don't be silent where you see this. We need to return to meritocracy and protect the sovereignty of the individual.
Ummm, I never said that. But leftist authoritarian racism? You really are a sad soul, I hope you get help.
You were told by someone who had the power to make this decision that they didn't promote you because you were Jewish?
I'm sorry, I don't buy this for a second. Even if all you were told was "we're promoting a diversity candidate over you on the basis of your ethnic background" I still don't believe it. While I believe it might be the truth, no one in their right mind is ever going to say that out loud. I strongly suspect you are inferring something here, rather than being explicitly told.
The fact that you also acknowledge that you don't actually deserve the promotion for work-relevant reasons tends to underline that.
To be fair, he did not claim the employer denied his promotion because he is Jewish. I think he probably means that he was denied because he is not a definitional minority for diversity purposes.
Fair enough. But the underlying point stands - no one is going to say "we're promoting someone else because of their ethnic background."
I mean, the whole thing is absurd anyway, since OP made it clear he didn't deserve the promotion on the merits anyway, so I'm not sure why he's even bringing the diversity part of it up in the first place. "I didn't deserve a promotion, but someone else got it because of their ethnicity and that's not fair" isn't the argument he thinks it is
Hmmm
Sed earum fuga delectus. Eos exercitationem quis quasi qui animi pariatur. Quisquam aliquid veritatis nihil in est illum qui.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...