2 answers
Henry
Student
Yemen
2
Questions
Asked
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Does race matter in hiring process?
Does race matter in the hiring process? Is it more likely to choose a person less competent in marginalize groups, than a competent person in the majority groups?
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2 answers
Faiza Mukhtar
Travel consultant or manager
2
Answers
Ibadan, Nigeria
Updated
Faiza’s Answer
That is indeed a profoundly insightful and significant query—one that continues to resonate globally.
In an ideal scenario, race should hold no sway in the hiring process. An individual’s skills, experience, and qualifications ought to be the paramount factors. Yet, in practice, biases—be they conscious or unconscious—can occasionally sway decisions.
Certain organizations might strive to enhance diversity by recruiting individuals from marginalized groups to bolster representation and equal opportunity. While this endeavor aims to foster fairness, it can sometimes ignite controversy when assumptions arise that diversity initiatives equate to hiring someone deemed “less competent.” In reality, most companies that cherish diversity still prioritize competence—they merely seek to dismantle barriers that have historically excluded qualified candidates from marginalized backgrounds.
Thus, although race ideally should not be a factor, it occasionally is, both due to bias and efforts to rectify past injustices. The ultimate aspiration is a harmonious equilibrium—where every individual, irrespective of their background, is assessed impartially based on their abilities and potential.
In an ideal scenario, race should hold no sway in the hiring process. An individual’s skills, experience, and qualifications ought to be the paramount factors. Yet, in practice, biases—be they conscious or unconscious—can occasionally sway decisions.
Certain organizations might strive to enhance diversity by recruiting individuals from marginalized groups to bolster representation and equal opportunity. While this endeavor aims to foster fairness, it can sometimes ignite controversy when assumptions arise that diversity initiatives equate to hiring someone deemed “less competent.” In reality, most companies that cherish diversity still prioritize competence—they merely seek to dismantle barriers that have historically excluded qualified candidates from marginalized backgrounds.
Thus, although race ideally should not be a factor, it occasionally is, both due to bias and efforts to rectify past injustices. The ultimate aspiration is a harmonious equilibrium—where every individual, irrespective of their background, is assessed impartially based on their abilities and potential.
Joe L.
Program Manager
120
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Joe’s Answer
I work for a Fortune 500 company for 27 years and have never seen an incident of racism or race preference in hiring process
I think any large company especially public cannot afford to use discrimination by race in hiring talent for several reasons
1) The world is a small place in 2025 and multi-nationals would be at a competitive disadvantage if they used race as a hiring criteria
2) Any company discriminating on race could be subject to lawsuits as in the US we have equal opportunity laws that would protect applicants
3) Significant loss of prestige for companies that want to cultivate a good corporate citizen image . In fact the company I work for has annual training on ethics that explicitly treats this topic
So in short for competitive, legal, and public image reasons, companies have strong incentives to avoid racism in their hiring process
Good luck
I think any large company especially public cannot afford to use discrimination by race in hiring talent for several reasons
1) The world is a small place in 2025 and multi-nationals would be at a competitive disadvantage if they used race as a hiring criteria
2) Any company discriminating on race could be subject to lawsuits as in the US we have equal opportunity laws that would protect applicants
3) Significant loss of prestige for companies that want to cultivate a good corporate citizen image . In fact the company I work for has annual training on ethics that explicitly treats this topic
So in short for competitive, legal, and public image reasons, companies have strong incentives to avoid racism in their hiring process
Good luck