I've been applying to various jobs lately, both in tech (my primary field) and in retail out of sheer necessity. During this process, I've observed a few things:
Optional yet Mandatory: These “optional” questions regarding gender, disability, and race seem to be unavoidable. If I don't want to declare my race, gender, or disability status, I'm forced to select the “not ” option. This makes me wonder why they're termed “optional” in the first place.
Race & Ethnicity Categories: When it comes to racial categorization, there seems to be an oddly specific emphasis on distinguishing whether someone is Hispanic or Latino. For instance, I've seen options like “White (Not Hispanic or Latino)”. Why is there such a specific distinction?
Fast Apply Paradox: Some platforms offer a “fast apply” feature, but they still force you to answer these so-called optional questions. It somewhat defeats the purpose if these questions are truly optional.
Disability Inquiries: I'm puzzled by the upfront questions about disabilities. If employers aren't allowed to discriminate, why ask this information beforehand? It feels like this could be misused to filter out applicants with disabilities, even if they won't admit it overtly. Wouldn't that be more appropriate to ask these questions AFTER being hired to provide accommodation or relevant history ?
Data Privacy Concerns: This is my biggest worry. How much of my personal information, shared in desperation, winds up in the hands of data mining companies? While job-hunting, especially on platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter, I don't have the time to scrutinize every “terms & conditions” pop-up. So I wonder, in my rush to get a job, how often am I inadvertently agreeing to share or even sell my data to third parties?
I'm genuinely curious: How is this practice legal? Why is there such an emphasis on race, especially the Hispanic or Latino distinction? Are these questions truly beneficial for the hiring process, or do they end up causing more harm than good?