Succeeding as a minority female
I go to a target and I'm doing on-campus recruiting for different roles (IB, AM, corporate finance, public accounting, risk). All of my interviewers so far have been tall, good-looking WASPY men in their 30s. As an average Asian female, I feel like I don't stand a chance.
Do you think there is a bias against Asian women or is it in my head? For instance, if I was the interviewer and I had to choose between two similar candidates (but one was Caucasian and the other was a minority), I'd be more inclined to choose the white candidate. Also I'm shyer around white people which is a big issue.
IDK about you, but amongst the women I worked with at my firm, there were several asians at the junior levels but scarcely any at the upper levels. I don't think there's a bias againt Asian women, but if your shyness becomes apparent during interviews then that will only hurt your chances.
I think this is in part because the professional world was a very different place when all the upper level people started their careers. At this point in time I think most firms are conscious of diversity, both racial and gender.
I was going to make a joke about how you are probably only 70% socially awkward enough to get the job but I don't think you would get 30% of the punchline.
Instead, please consider this; few banks have diversity programs for people with disabilities.
The overwhelming number of banks have diversity programs for women, or LGBT, or minorities etc...
Is that good, bad, or neither?
Succeeding at anything in life is difficult if you are ambitious and aiming high enough.
I'm a tall, stocky Black man. I think I stand out just as much as you do. Please don't let this ruin your chances of getting these jobs. Make sure you gun for everything. 70% of my coworkers this summer were Asian females. I think that you'll be alright. Best of luck!
Asian women constitute about 2.5% of the US population. Anecdotally, their representation in IB analyst/associate programs is a healthy multiple of that number. Not saying that the world is totally color blind, but the idea that you "don't stand a chance" is hyperbolic.
True success is only achieved through a VEGAN lifestyle. Search within and find yourself!
Be confident and you will find a place you fit into well. Don't worry about the rest.
First of all, you go to a target, so you're already better off than most people. Secondly, you can go through the myriad diversity/women programs available in most large firms and have a better chance than the white males you're afraid of.
As long as you're confident and know your stuff inside out during interviews and superdays, you'll be fine.
Tall waspy white guys have a thing for Asian chicks. You're at an advantage young lady.
The white guys who talk to me either have yellow fever or want to hook up with me. Maybe I'm not whitewashed or attractive enough! I moved to the U.S. when I was young but my parents indoctrinated a lot of Asian values in me.
Okay, so they want to hook up with you. That's an advantage. Use that, but not in an illegal way.
This was pretty much going to be my exact comment.
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Whatever this is, it is blocked and I can't see it.
I am going to assume you suggested some variation of: if she can't sit at a desk she could always kneel under it or bend over it.
Yeah I guess that is an option.
just marry a white dude and problem solved. you can be part of the happy liberal white family.
no but in all serious think about it. my dentist is korean and her husband is white American. but then again she was raised here to begin with. So maybe she doesn't feel "asian" at all.
having said that Asians are the least hated of all minorities.
maybe there is a discrimination once in a while but if your hirers are serious people merit prevails.
I saw white people lose out to Spanish speaking people from South America in roles where Spanish may have helped.
Sure you never know why you didn't get picked but I don't think anyone is THAT racist at the workplace.
Was your dentist born in America?
I grew up in the U.S. so I don't have any language or cultural barriers. I probably just don't have enough confidence in myself. It just feels weird to be in college and have almost all Asian friends, especially when I grew up around white people. Now I feel a little intimidated when white people interview me.
You go to a target school, which means that it must be a pretty white place. If you've spent your entire college career only hanging out with Asians, to the point where you are shy or uncomfortable around white people, that is on you.
There are Asian women at BBs, EBs, MBB, you name it. Asian are hardly a minority in finance.
You're right. I think I feel more relaxed around non-white people. I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood so I'm used to being around white people. Definitely felt like an outsider sometimes because most of my classmates cared about sports/drugs and shunned school. I was considered a nerd (also didn't help that I used to be shy). Then I came to college and realized how much easier it was to make friends because we had more in common. In the past, I had to work hard to make friends but in college, many people (mostly Asian) reach out to me a lot. I no longer feel out of place for focusing on academics.
My college is still predominantly white, but there's a 20% Asian population (which is enormous because my high school was 95% White and 2% Asian). I went from having all white friends in HS to having fewer having a handful of white friends in college. So these past 4 years, I haven't interacted as much with white people.
I guess it's most important to have confidence! Thanks guys.
While it's true that white males tend to dominate the upper levels of finance, there are plenty of Asian women in finance, especially at the analyst/associate levels In fact, the proportion of Asian women in finance is larger than the proportion of Asian women in the US as a whole. Like the above poster said, if you spent your entire college career only hanging out with Asians and now feel uncomfortable around white people and/or anyone different from yourself, that's no one's fault but your own.
As for your strategy, you actually have a few things going for you. 1) You go to a target school. Use that to your advantage and know you're already better off than 80% of the people applying. 2) You're a woman. Use the fact that you're a woman to your advantage - attend "diversity" seminars etc. Last, since you're uncomfortable around white people, start by simply talking to someone different from yourself in a one-on-one setting or small group and gradually build up your comfort level.
Oh god... I have a news for you : Not everyone gets a job in this industry, that includes asian females.
But somehow whenever a "minority" doesn't get accepted it's because there is some random bias. God forbid if you dare to even think that it might be because you need to work on your fucking basics and interviewing skills like everyone else.
I am genuinly tired of this shit. And for the record, i am from a minority, and i never applied through minority programs.
Respect.
Female minority (Originally Posted: 02/03/2015)
Even though no one reads the cover letter apparently, would it be bad/weird if I kind of mentioned that I am a minority woman in it? My name makes me sound like a guy so it's always hard to get people past that. I'd like to take any advantage I can get in the job hunt.
Being a minority won't necessarily help you. Depends very much on who received your resume. If it is HR they care about that stuff, but if it is the person in the team recruiting they won't care in the best case. Again, depending on where your interview, if they have orher women in the group or if it is a boy club. I've discussed resumes when I was in a IB in a BB with my team and sometimes we wondered whether some of the candidates where girls or guys, usually we could have a hint within interests/hobbies (like say if you are in a sorority or any girly thing).
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