Discrimination in the Job Search

What to Watch For in Your Job Search

When screening resumes and conducting phone and in-person interviews, it is an employer’s responsibility to consider and communicate with candidates in an unbiased, equitable, and respectful manner. Unfortunately, bias and discrimination can often work themselves into the hiring decision, even unconsciously. The good news is that as a job seeker, you can proactively address the possibility of discrimination in your resume and your pre-employment interviews.

Under the Alberta Human Rights Act,* Albertans are protected from discrimination in employment practices, applications, and advertisements. After all, every candidate has transferrable skills that they can do anywhere, for any employer, regardless of the following protected grounds:

• Race

• Religious Beliefs

• Skin Colour

• Gender, Gender Identity, & Gender Expression

• Sexual Orientation

• Physical & Mental Disability

• Age

• Ancestry & Place of Origin

• Marital Status & Family Status

• Source of Income

Since your resume is likely your first point of contact with potential employers, the first step is to remove any information that allows your reader to infer details related to the protected grounds listed above. For example, if you have been working for 5–10 years or more, someone can easily guess your age if you include your high school graduation date, so go ahead and leave it off.

In an interview, the lines may be a little more blurred because some topics are often considered “small talk” or “breaking the ice.” The key is to phrase your response in a way that only provides information that is relevant to the job. For example, questions about:

• Plans to get married, whether you have children, or your prefix to your name (Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms.) can lead to marital status and family status discrimination. Instead, talk about your availability for work, including shift work, travel, etc.

• Where you were born, your citizenship, or your racial origin can lead to discrimination against race, colour, ancestry, or place of origin. Instead, let your interviewer know that you are legally permitted to work in Canada.

• Your height and weight can lead to physical discrimination. Instead, tell your interviewer that you are physically able to perform the job requirements safely.

Click here to contact me and find out how I can help you write your resume in a way that resists discrimination at the first step in the hiring process.

*https://albertahumanrights.ab.ca/publications/bulletins_sheets_booklets/sheets/history_and_info/Pages/protected_areas_grounds.aspx