Is it beneficial being 'creative' on diversity questionnaire
Discussion
Something I'm genuinely curious about.
I've been searching for a job recently, a lot of company website applications have these questionnaires at the end of them, typically they ask you your gender, sexual preference, ethnic background, whether you have a disability, etc etc. Now obviously, lying on a job application is never a bright idea, but can it be potentially beneficial to tick boxes you wouldn't naturally consider yourself to be in order to distinguish yourself.
For instance, I often see the question 'Do you consider yourself to have a disability?' to which I tend to answer no, as I don't consider myself to be disabled, however I do have a condition listed on the Equalities Act, in the ethnic section I tick white-British (I'm white, was born in the UK) although my families background could very much fall into the white-other, neither of these things would be lying at all, and if questioned further I could happily talk about it to fill out my background, however I am typically a private person when it comes to these kinds of things & rather keep them to myself unless otherwise required. Is this wise, or are you more likely to get your foot in the door nowadays if you don't fit the 'normal' boxes?
I've been searching for a job recently, a lot of company website applications have these questionnaires at the end of them, typically they ask you your gender, sexual preference, ethnic background, whether you have a disability, etc etc. Now obviously, lying on a job application is never a bright idea, but can it be potentially beneficial to tick boxes you wouldn't naturally consider yourself to be in order to distinguish yourself.
For instance, I often see the question 'Do you consider yourself to have a disability?' to which I tend to answer no, as I don't consider myself to be disabled, however I do have a condition listed on the Equalities Act, in the ethnic section I tick white-British (I'm white, was born in the UK) although my families background could very much fall into the white-other, neither of these things would be lying at all, and if questioned further I could happily talk about it to fill out my background, however I am typically a private person when it comes to these kinds of things & rather keep them to myself unless otherwise required. Is this wise, or are you more likely to get your foot in the door nowadays if you don't fit the 'normal' boxes?
Depends on the business. Where I work they're desperately trying to fill and tick as many diversity boxes as possible, and it gets quite condescending after a while.
Last survey we had (these are weekly!) I ticked the 'other' box for gender and typed Robot in the free text box (options were; M, F, Trans, non-binary or Other... WTF!!??).
Last survey we had (these are weekly!) I ticked the 'other' box for gender and typed Robot in the free text box (options were; M, F, Trans, non-binary or Other... WTF!!??).
You're over thinking it.
All of those questions are merely for compliance reporting. In many cases, they probably wouldn't even be looked at until the second interview or even at the point at which an offer is made. None have any influence over whether you are selected for an interview or offered a job. For example, disability declaration is self selecting in that you wouldn't apply for a job that would be difficult or impossible for you to do - i.e.: if you are blind, you wouldn't apply for a job as a taxi driver.
There are some employers that may be influenced but this would generally be in the negative sense and you wouldn't want to work for such people anyway.
My advice would be to not worry about these sort of questions. Focus energy on promoting your skills, experience and personality.
All of those questions are merely for compliance reporting. In many cases, they probably wouldn't even be looked at until the second interview or even at the point at which an offer is made. None have any influence over whether you are selected for an interview or offered a job. For example, disability declaration is self selecting in that you wouldn't apply for a job that would be difficult or impossible for you to do - i.e.: if you are blind, you wouldn't apply for a job as a taxi driver.
There are some employers that may be influenced but this would generally be in the negative sense and you wouldn't want to work for such people anyway.
My advice would be to not worry about these sort of questions. Focus energy on promoting your skills, experience and personality.
No, as none of those answers ever travel with the application, they are syphoned off into a big anonymous data bucket and analysed, they are anonymised as well so what's likely to hit the data set are the answers to the questions directly and your location, usually to no greater level than Country / Region, ie UK-EMEA , Australia-APAC etc ....
I have worked for multiple global brands in recruitment and we often collect this data and I can testify to the fact that those data points are invisible to the recruiter / hiring manager.
I have worked for multiple global brands in recruitment and we often collect this data and I can testify to the fact that those data points are invisible to the recruiter / hiring manager.
caelite said:
Something I'm genuinely curious about.
I've been searching for a job recently, a lot of company website applications have these questionnaires at the end of them, typically they ask you your gender, sexual preference, ethnic background, whether you have a disability, etc etc. Now obviously, lying on a job application is never a bright idea, but can it be potentially beneficial to tick boxes you wouldn't naturally consider yourself to be in order to distinguish yourself.
For instance, I often see the question 'Do you consider yourself to have a disability?' to which I tend to answer no, as I don't consider myself to be disabled, however I do have a condition listed on the Equalities Act, in the ethnic section I tick white-British (I'm white, was born in the UK) although my families background could very much fall into the white-other, neither of these things would be lying at all, and if questioned further I could happily talk about it to fill out my background, however I am typically a private person when it comes to these kinds of things & rather keep them to myself unless otherwise required. Is this wise, or are you more likely to get your foot in the door nowadays if you don't fit the 'normal' boxes?
I know some Public Sector organisations have a “If you’re disabled and yu meet the Essential Criteria you will be guaranteed an interview”. I've been searching for a job recently, a lot of company website applications have these questionnaires at the end of them, typically they ask you your gender, sexual preference, ethnic background, whether you have a disability, etc etc. Now obviously, lying on a job application is never a bright idea, but can it be potentially beneficial to tick boxes you wouldn't naturally consider yourself to be in order to distinguish yourself.
For instance, I often see the question 'Do you consider yourself to have a disability?' to which I tend to answer no, as I don't consider myself to be disabled, however I do have a condition listed on the Equalities Act, in the ethnic section I tick white-British (I'm white, was born in the UK) although my families background could very much fall into the white-other, neither of these things would be lying at all, and if questioned further I could happily talk about it to fill out my background, however I am typically a private person when it comes to these kinds of things & rather keep them to myself unless otherwise required. Is this wise, or are you more likely to get your foot in the door nowadays if you don't fit the 'normal' boxes?
Personally I’d hate to work for an organisation where I’d been selected primarily on the grounds of what box I had ticked.
Countdown said:
I know some Public Sector organisations have a “If you’re disabled and yu meet the Essential Criteria you will be guaranteed an interview”.
Personally I’d hate to work for an organisation where I’d been selected primarily on the grounds of what box I had ticked.
Oof, put my CV in for a job for my local city council, it's an SNP/Labour council. Bit of fluff might have got my foot in the door. Ah well, live and learn. Personally I’d hate to work for an organisation where I’d been selected primarily on the grounds of what box I had ticked.
I'm a recent grad, really just looking for a few years experience with the right job title, don't particularly care who for.Good to know that for the most part it doesn't matter.
I've been a hiring manager in the public sector in the UK recently and even thought candidates would have seen questions like this (as I have also applied for another role in the public sector in the UK recently!) we weren't shown any of that information as the interview panel.
We didn't know whether we were meeting men, women, gay, straight, old, young, black, white, or other until they walked in the door - none of their personal info in this respect was shared.
My private sector memories are sketchier but I think it was similar.
We didn't know whether we were meeting men, women, gay, straight, old, young, black, white, or other until they walked in the door - none of their personal info in this respect was shared.
My private sector memories are sketchier but I think it was similar.
caelite said:
I've been searching for a job recently, a lot of company website applications have these questionnaires at the end of them, typically they ask you your gender, sexual preference, ethnic background, whether you have a disability, etc etc.
I was under the impression that it was no longer legal to ask these sort of questions, due to the fact the answers could later affect a discrimination issue. This opinion comes from talking with someone CIPD trained in this kind of thing.Some public sector (well where I am at least) the recruiting line managers do blind sifting.
Applicants apply online which is quite a lengthy process and the system puts all the relevant info into a pdf summary for each applicant. During the sifting stage though, the system redacts all info that could indicate a person's gender, age, location etc. Basically tries to keep everyone anonymous. All we're left with is previous employer's name and description of past jobs (but no dates), qualifications (but no dates), the answers to capability questions on the advert and the yes/no if applying under the GIP.
Once sifted and shortlisted some for interview, you get to see the full details on the form (but not the equality monitoring stuff mentioned by the OP).
Applicants apply online which is quite a lengthy process and the system puts all the relevant info into a pdf summary for each applicant. During the sifting stage though, the system redacts all info that could indicate a person's gender, age, location etc. Basically tries to keep everyone anonymous. All we're left with is previous employer's name and description of past jobs (but no dates), qualifications (but no dates), the answers to capability questions on the advert and the yes/no if applying under the GIP.
Once sifted and shortlisted some for interview, you get to see the full details on the form (but not the equality monitoring stuff mentioned by the OP).
Edited by xx99xx on Friday 6th September 08:15
generationx said:
I was under the impression that it was no longer legal to ask these sort of questions, due to the fact the answers could later affect a discrimination issue. This opinion comes from talking with someone CIPD trained in this kind of thing.
It's actually a legal requirment; the government demands data like this from large employers on a regular basis - my last place we had to submit information on a 6 month basis. The hiring manager/recruiters never see individual responses, it's all meta-data so no way of connecting one thing to another, and just like GDPR there is usually a controlling officer at the company who is the only one who can access the reports. And because it's high-level data it can also inform policy decision, i.e. if the company wants to do more to attract certain demographics.Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff