Would you go to a diversity job fair?

Some employers seem to like having a "diverse" workforce.
A diversity job fair is a place where they find "diverse employees".

Would you go to a diversity job fair?
Would they expect you to explain why you are "diverse"?
Would you explain?

The other side of the coin is needing a job and not mind sucking up to reverse discrimination.

I dunno.

It might be interesting.

Quote from: Renate on April 24, 2010, 08:41:45 PM
Would you go to a diversity job fair?

Some employers seem to like having a "diverse" workforce.
A diversity job fair is a place where they find "diverse employees".

Would you go to a diversity job fair?
Would they expect you to explain why you are "diverse"?
Would you explain?

The other side of the coin is needing a job and not mind sucking up to reverse discrimination.

I dunno.

I'd definitely go.  I would kill to work in an environment with just one other trans person.  I don't think many people understand just how difficult it is to work in an environment totally of "straight" people and keeping yourself hidden.  You're constantly on your toes, dodging and evading, it gets old after a while.

Would I explain my diversity?  It depends on the situation, I guess.  I've never disclosed myself to anyone.

I do pretty much anything to get a job I wanted, including underbid other people if I wanted it enough, this sounds easy enough.

What is a diversity job fair?

Dumb Aussie Chick

Cindy

Quote from: CindyJames on April 25, 2010, 03:26:37 AM
What is a diversity job fair?

Dumb Aussie Chick

Cindy

It's a jobfair specifically aimed at recruiting those who have difficulty getting a job because they encounter discrimination for some reason or other. The employers there are all by definition "Equal Opportunities" employers and are therefore likely to be the cream of the crop to work for.

If I needed a job sure I'd go, and sure I'd explain if asked, but that's part of the point of the fair. You shouldn't actually get asked, because that's part of the concept of non discrimination.

I'd go because the companies who were there would all be organisations that I could respect and would therefore actively want to work for. (Although to be honest having never really faced any discrimination in the workplace I would probably feel like I was being a bit cheeky.)

Aren't there anti-discriminatory laws in place already

Quote from: CindyJames on April 25, 2010, 04:22:32 AM
Aren't there anti-discriminatory laws in place already

There are - but you just try proving that you were dicriminated against. It's impossible and only a fool tries because there are always way around the issue. You may think you didn't get the job because you were trans, the reality may be that the person who interviewed you genuinely didn't like you and thought you wouldn't fit in to his or her team well.

The beauty of these guys is that they came there voluntarily so they are going to do thing right.

Personally I don't believe I have ever been discriminated against and as I've never been unemployed it would seem to be true. But discrimination does exist and voluntary schemes like this are often a better way to crack it than legislation which people resent and often then deliberately missapply to cause problems and bring the law into disrepute.

Ps - now I'm off to work again - 70,000 words so far. Going to over-run by about a week - but the end is in sight.

Right now in my life I just need a job (although I refuse to flip burgers ), so why not .

Almost all employers discriminate to some degree, it's just an issue of what basis they are using to do it.  And, then later, what defense/reason they use to justify it. 

Lot's of places won't hire long-haired hippie freaks.  On the other hand, I pretty much won't hire anyone who is not.  I guess there is some sort of balance there, though I'm not sure what it is, other than the fact that straight, normal people are not near crazy enough to do this job in the first place, nor will they ever love it, and loving it is pretty much the single personality (as opposed to skill sets) trait that I'll judge by. 

I always try to ask myself, what is it that this person really wants.  And if all they want is a job, then I don't need them.

If you just 'want a  job' then I ain't got one for you.  And, pretty much if all you want is 'just a job' then I doubt that you're going to be the person I'll need for a week like last week, where we did five shows in a row, for a total of 96 hours on the clock in those five days.  We ate there, drank there, slept there and showered there.  I am told there are people who like to go home once in a while.

And all that is a form of discrimination.  Just like the pretty solid 'no in-recovery' people requirements that are not written, but pretty much understood.

And no matter what laws are in place, there is aways a way - particularly in the hiring phase, particularly in an economy like the current one - to not select the people you don't want around. You're always going to be able to find someone with 'better' credentials, who thus is a 'better fit.'  Or, and I've swung this way too - finding someone with 'less' credentials, who might also be a better fit.  That I was needing/wanting someone who could be trained to do it our way, and who I would not have to re-train out of all the bad habits they had already learned.  Either way, I could have made the case to any administrative judge or jury that my choices were only guided by what I felt was best for the company and not by my (considerable) personal prejudices.

Depends on what they mean by that term being used. Do they have a transgender/transsexual plus other gender recruiting also.

"Diversity" is a nebulous term.
It can mean race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical handicap, mental handicap...
In short, anything

I would definitely go.

If they expected me to explain why I am diverse I can say I'm Agnostic, an MTF Transsexual, and a gamer.

In this economy if I needed a job I would go to just about any job fair available. No time to be picky. This one may be a little easier to find a more excepting work environment. 
Myles

Yes, I would go.  Although I think transgendered workers are a very small slice of the diversity pie. 

I would probably go ... They would take one look at me and say... "Yup, your diverse, no need to explain"... LOL

I will be participating in diversity job fairs as part of the reach out to the LGBT community.  We will be working with local LGBT groups that are having job fairs in the community.

No one is turned away, but they are usually held in LGBT community centers or at specific LGBT job fairs.

And at least from our point of view, you don't have to explain anything other than your qualifications for the job posting.  You aren't judged to see if you hit the "gay" quota or if you are trans enough for the job.

The corporate philosophy is that a diverse workforce produces diverse points of view and so enriches our abilities.

We regularly participate in other centric job fairs as well, such as black, Asian, Hispanic, disabled, and others.

-Sandy

Wow ! Sandy... That's great