I have been a recruiter in one form or another since 1991, 33 years. I started in 1991 as an Admissions Counselor at Kansas City Art Institute about a month or so after I graduated. So that 33 years is new.
So until about 1998 or 1999 I traveled the US talking to high school students, looking at their portfolios and talked to them about a fine art education. Then I decided, or had this idea that if I can talk to kids and parents about going to a private liberal arts college, I should be able to talk to managers and people about jobs. So I branched out.
Started in the right place. A creative staffing agency placing designers in companies and agencies all over Portland. Made some life long friends(family) there. Then a small advertising agency, a footwear company, education & training, staffing again, finance, Animation, a shipyard, healthcare and now technology.
This isn’t something I sought out. I fell into it. Not the career I ever thought I’d have. I have been reading and looking at resumes for 25 years, give or take. It’s been encouraging, enlightening, discouraging, boring, sad, hilarious and absolutely completely exhausting.
I’ve been reading resumes and talking to people to determine qualifications 5 days a week for 25 years. I started a very long time ago, going straight to the content I don’t look at or I move quickly past the name. That means nothing. What I am looking for is, have they done what I am looking for or something close to it. Is it the same industry. I look at education later. Then I talk to them. How do they talk about what they have done. Can they talk about what they’ve done?
Most of the companies that I have worked for have goals for diversity, equity and inclusion goals. Why? Because they realize what they have been missing. And remarkably, if they didn’t do that, it wouldn’t be done to the degree it is or should. We have been hiring skill, quality and experience by the person who looks like us. And for the most part, that’s a white guy. Sorry white guy, not sorry. Also a white woman.
So, if I see someone say this person or that person being a “DEI Hire” and I see it I will have to comment. And if I don’t see it, I’ll say it here, you are being racist and taking the easy road by not just using the n-word. So just say it. Or maybe dig a little deeper before you do say it.
I heard the other day from a black woman who teaches and speaks about anti-racism who asked, have you ever called a white person a white supremacy hire? Or a white privilege hire? Do you refer to disabled people, disability hires? Can you tell me about the extensive research you did into their professional and education background that allows you to use a racist dog whistle to challenge their qualifications? –Ashani Mfuko
I’ve said this before. It’s not always understood for some reason. But. I have scrutinized and drilled into the skills, experience and qualification of a footwear designer far more than some of you have considered in your choice for President of the United States. What am I saying? There are more requirements to make your shoes than to run your country.
What if the qualifications for President were:
X number of years in the house or Senate
X number of years in pubic service, government, city or state
X number of years managing multiple agencies or divisions
X number of years managing budget, finance, P&L
X number of years of foreign and domestic experience (OF ANY KIND)
Degree in Political Science, Finance, Foreign Policy, (something like this) plus ten (10) years of professional experience. Advanced degree preferred.
Then like most hires who will work for many companies a background and credit check. How about a drug screen?
And imagine if you knew who you were in competition with for the job you were interviewing for and you had to speak about them in public as part of the interview process and they got to speak about you. Fun, right? Both parties do this and it is pointless, useless and offers nothing except perpetuate the ridiculous nonsense it is giving lies weight and value.