[John K.]

There are really two or three different problems that you mention. You try to tie them all to overt racist…which is more than likely not the case.

First, the initial telephone interview. Been there, done that! Let me share with you my experience. I went to college for 5 years and got two degrees, chemical engineering and chemistry. Pretty high GPA, higher in-major averages, the works. The only thing that I did not have was prior work experience in the field…and that made me hard to market. These days, college education is not enough, you usually have to gain experience in your field while in school to get an edge. I have two highly specialized degrees, and yet it took me two years to get a job, and to be honest, it is only marginally related to my field. Need I mention how many of the initial telephone interviews ended badly, once they realized I had no experience?

Your second issue is a little more tricky, and involves networking. Networking can easily counter a lack of experience. Ever notice how friends will put in a good word for each other at work, to help with a job hunt? That’s networking. If you have the right connections, things can be easy. Family connections are the best kind, but getting out to job fairs and things like that can help you meet the right people.

There are obvious problems with networking. If you are not part of the network, you are out of the loop and have to work harder to get in the door. Again, been there, done that. Can this seem racist? Yes, it can. But it affects just as many whites, if not more.

It is very possible that you might be hitting a racial barrier, obviously they still exist. But there are some basic barriers to all potential employees that should be addressed before assuming that race is the sole factor.

One last thing about the mortgage companies. Please recognize that there are two sides to job placement: experience and education. A lot of upper level jobs require minimum degree requirements. Sure, the preparers might have lots of experience, but do they have an MBA? Or degrees in business management? Without the education, it is hard for anyone to break through. Consider that before assuming that it is racism at work.

User Detail :  

Name : John K., Gender : M, Age : 27, City : Cranford, State : NJ, Country : United States, Occupation : Chemical Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,