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I was able to catch myself before doing this, but sort of a cautionary tale how bias has sneaked into my thinking the last few months... Friend of mine has a g
by sharkweek 4y ago
I was able to catch myself before doing this, but sort of a cautionary tale how bias has sneaked into my thinking the last few months...
Friend of mine has a good job - however the company conducted layoffs and cut most of her team, with her being one of the exceptions so she has since been burdened with the weight of the roles of the laid off.
Given her morale quickly ended up in the shitter, she asked me to put out feelers to see if I knew of anyone hiring. I went to post on LinkedIn saying (without naming her of course) that I had a very talented friend looking for a new role. The weird part is that I almost made it a point to mention that she was still currently employed.
This is totally unfair thinking given current market trends. Lots of good people have been laid off because they were in the wrong barn at the wrong time. I know this, but I can't help but allow the question to float around in the back of my head, "well WHY was this person laid off, was it performance related at all or were they just unlucky?"
I'm sure I'll be laid off at some point in the future (again), and I probably wouldn't mark myself as OpenToWork. I'd be open about current employment status, but probably wouldn't broadcast it.
- shazzdeeds 4y agoI honestly don't think there's anything wrong with admitting we as humans have these kinds of pre-selection social biases baked into us as a survival trait. We just have to be conscious of it and try to fight it when we sense it working against our goals, especially in a hiring context. That said what you did for your friend was perfectly reasonable knowing full well many people have these biases and will not make the effort to fight them consciously.