Applying for a job? Here's why you didn't even get an interview......

With the pandemic and many people out of work, there's an influx of applications.

Now companies like to say they are diverse and fair. They encourage women, vets and minorities to apply. But here's what you don't know and they just been caught!

I'll be stirring up some backlash for sure, but it's time to bring to head companies REAL practices that are in place today.

And when I say currently in place. I mean like literally today.

During my social media cleanse and break, I decided to run some tests of my own. I wanted to make sure that these companies, who were hiring, were actually fair and diverse like they say.

Guess what I found out. They aren't!

I purposefully applied for jobs and positions I was easily qualified for. But I applied as normal. Then applied to same role with the exact same skills but changed up by race, my education, etc.

Guess what I found out?

They are all lying to you.

Let's start with education.

90% of these companies want a higher learning and at least a bachelor's degree. Even though they say "Or experience", the OR is NEVER in contention.

Applying as normal with my background and skills. I don't have a college education but clearly have the experience. So I applied.

Funny how when the prerequisite questions are "Do you have a Bachelor's degree?", a few days later I would get the "Fuck You email". You know the one, "Thank you for taking the time to apply for this position and as your skills are impressive, we decided to move forward with other candidates at this time."

Funny how those emails automatically come in at midnight too. .

So the truth is, no one is looking at the applications. The truth is, I didn't even make it past the initial education algorithm. And I tried for positions that also included experience factor. Same thing.

So I changed it up.

Applied for same position. Same company. Nothing changed (not even my name) just my YES on education.

Guess who got emails asking to set up a first phone interview as I was the PERFECT fit for this position???

Of course, I did not set up the phone interviews. Why would I? Knowing the real practices of these companies............and the sad truth is, I tested a lot of companies. Not just 10. After all, you need lots of data to decipher common denominators.

(It's what I do. When we evaluate companies' sales & marketing processes/best practices. The data always wins to decipher, is what you're doing bullshit? Or working? Or you aren't seeing?)

Back to the application process.

I tested more companies out on this to get the same thing.

I then changed things up. Same info. Changed my race. Changed my gender. Disability. Vet status.

Amazing how these algorithms, "diversely" select you based on certain statuses. And how some will get you the call.

The funny things is, some kicked me out as a white male. But when Dan Marx the latino female applied, got the call. Yes, I literally did not change one thing except the "diverse" questions. Some companies I applied, got the FU email until I got the right formula.

Just to prove a point.

Companies aren't diverse in their hiring practices because they need to go through as many applications as possible. The only way to do that, is to place an algorithm for the perfect person to fill a quota or what they want internally.

Not based on the RIGHT PERSON for the job. And companies wonder why they need to keep filling positions or have turnover..........

Companies today are afraid to hire someone without a degree. With a felony. With a disability. Because they are worried something might happen and they end up getting sued. So they protect their asses by putting in these preview algorithms and asking the "diverse" questions:

• Gender

• Disability

• Vet Status

• Race

It's CYA insurance the companies use (Cover Your Ass) and you, the applicant, are being punished.

So next time you apply, remember it's the algorithm that is seeing you first. They don't look at the person. They don't see you. You have to be perfect on paper.

So until these companies change up their 1950s diverse hiring practices, nothing will change. They want the perfect look and fit.

I worked for a company that the hiring manager literally said "We don't hire felons and the only way you will get in here is if you know someone." (Because an applicant had a felony that did not even pertain to the job being applied for and was over 15yrs old).

If companies were smart, they would have these HR people do their jobs and actually look at the person applying. I mean, hire a felon, you get a tax credit for crying out loud!

So how can these companies hire the right people? Take off these prerequisites. Quit CYA. BE human. After all, you are called Human Resources not Judgmental Arrogant Rulers of the Company dangling carrots.

And it's not the HR people's fault. They are just CYA themselves for their jobs. It's the company's fault for having these policies.

And I'm not saying if someone was convicted of embezzlement that you hire them for a CFO position. That's the obvious. I'm talking about not even giving them a chance because of a strike.

And I'll go toe to toe with anyone who has a Marketing Degree any day and run circles around them. Just saying..........

Dan Marx is the CEO of ReShift and author of this blog. He has over 20yrs of Sales, Marketing & Supply Chain experience. Interested in having Dan be a contributor to your website, publication, guest or speaker, email dmarx@r3shift.com