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| ISSUE NO. 669 |
| YOU'VE GOT ONE JOB . . . Well, if you're like us, you might have three or four. Or you might have zero, but want one very badly, and that's why you're reading this newsletter (more on that below). But for today, November 7, Election Day in our home country of the United States, your one job is to go and vote, if you haven't already. With that important business out of the way, we can focus on the topic of equity in the workplace...something that has meant so much to us, for so long, that we started a business around it. Back then, we thought of it as something more like 'workplace satisfaction'. Which is just one example of how this business has allowed us to keep learning every step of the way. One thing we've learned is that we've made plenty of mistakes. But also that those mistakes don't mean we have to fold or slink away - in fact, the hardest part of equity work is continuing to show up even when you have erred, or when you are otherwise uncomfortable. In 2021, we created a visual resource called How to Write a More Equitable Job Post. It focused on every section of a job description that we could think of, including the How to Apply instructions. Since then, we have added layers to this resource via instagram, looking more closely at all kinds of job requirements with the help of employers who are leading the way in providing examples of better practices. And this week, we are starting a discussion that focuses more specifically on How to Apply, an area of the job description that leaps off the page and into person-to-person, real-life interactions. How to Apply is the step between wanting a job and working the job. In that sense, it's a fulcrum on which so much depends. In last week's 40th Birthday Story, Tay outlined some ways that taking action helps sustain her personal work toward equity and freedom. We're starting with one of those today, as we delve into the topic of how the application process can be more equitable, and that is: DECENTERING MYSELF // Inspired by a post from Laura Danger, who said, "Every single day we have a choice to act. We will not individually end oppression and it won't end in our lifetime - but every single day we build in liberatory practices." Why is this important to the application process? Because even if we have all been in the position of applying to a job at some point in the past...the person who writes the application instructions is on the opposite end of the spectrum: they're doing the hiring. And it can be very hard to get out of the head space of how much you need a great employee to fill all the holes in your submarine walls yesterday...and consider what the experience of applying will be like for the person on the other side. Before you get antsy, know that we have talked with folks in the past - and in this newsletter - about how both employees and employers feel power and powerlessness in the hiring process. While we will cover areas for improvement on both ends of the spectrum, we will also strive to resist the binary of us vs. them. Our greatest success will come when we're all working toward the same goals - support, liberation, and progress for everyone. (In other words, we're less interested in fighting over the biggest piece of the pie than baking more pies together.) Today, we're focusing on how decentering oneself can build empathy and open up the possibility for new ideas, new methods, new processes...all of which benefits everyone in the long run. Here are four ways to get started: 1 // DON'T ASK ILLEGAL (OR DEHUMANIZING) QUESTIONS It might seem basic, but...there are some simple issues of what you can legally require from an applicant that we still see folks missing. For example, it is illegal to ask someone for a photograph of themselves, at any time in the application process. It is also illegal to require that applicants be free of mental illness - a designation we're pretty sure 0% of humans could meet, anyway, so aside from leaving the employer collecting dust as they wait for someone to respond, it's also a violation of human rights. We recommend that if you're in the position of hiring, you set a calendar alert each year, or set aside time before you begin the hiring process, to refresh your knowledge of this and other legalities. 2 // CONSIDER ANONYMIZING RESUMES Although there are pros and cons to anonymizing resumes, it's worth considering whether removing names, addresses, and educational institutions before you review applicants might result in a more diverse team at your specific workplace. 3 // BE REASONABLE IN WHAT YOU REQUIRE Length of time in applying is one of the biggest drains on an applicant, and the reality is, it will take time on the employer's side to review all of that information, as well. Just as we recommend stripping down your list of requirements, you can do the same with application instructions. Ask yourself: Would your application instructions take someone more than an hour to follow, and follow through on? If it isn't absolutely necessary, can it be left out? This is also a place where we've seen exploitation in the form of asking applicants to do labor above and beyond applying - for example, 'test' activities, sample work, etc. Similar to positions where a person might shadow for a day or more, this gets into the territory of needing to compensate the applicant for their time, on top of ensuring their creative protection, if they are meant to be generating ideas for a position they ultimately don't get hired for. 4 // RE-IMAGINE 'THE APPLICATION PROCESS' Finally, there is always the option to throw out the need for a resume and cover letter entirely. We can get so used to 'the way things are supposed to be' that we forget to reimagine a better way to do things. 'The application process' is not set in stone, and can be an opportunity to hone the process to better serve your team members. We'll delve into alternatives in future newsletters, so if that possibility strikes you as intriguing, stay tuned... // WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR STORIES // If you're reading this and feel inspired to share a story of how you've done it differently, seen it done differently, or think it needs to be done differently...please reply to this email and chime in. We can make this process better together, Dor + Tay
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tidbits...resources on anti-racism, environmentalism and food culture AKA stuff we're reading / listening to / watching / noticing / thinking about / captivated by this Tuesday . . . If you click one link this newsletter, let it be this ode to self-care in these times from Toi Smith. It is a north star for how we move forward. |
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