Politics in Finding Work 

Inspired from a conversation about favouritism/prejudice through experiences looking for work, here are some of my experiences with dealing with such politics: 

– In group gatherings, other better looking white male is introduced to a job opening as I’m sitting there too (though not necessarily a racial motive). Locally here Asian males are (usually) deemed less attractive than whites, though often it’s more of a personal preference notice rather than racial. Needless to say I kept my ears open and jotted down the company name, to give them a call later during that day. 

– HR or Crew placement lady puts more attractive white person to work first- sometimes even an inexperienced one over an experienced. Needless to say met another non-white experienced worker sitting waiting to go to work. My response was to quit and work somewhere else. 

– How apparently because I look like an immigrant then I can’t drive. Then proceeded to look at my ‘nice’ car after having a conversation about local real estate. So in one case, put another driver to work. The guy must also had been an ‘angry renter’. Retaliated by looking for another job. Never affected my overall job prospects. 

– Kept asking if I didn’t know any English, then was forced to work with someone else. Was an entry level job anyhow so wasn’t of too much concern. 

– Growing up, all the other ‘attractive whites’ got job referrals for the better jobs first. Usually again amongst more attractive but otherwise dumb girls who look at attractiveness as social status. Just found jobs myself in that case- did not require their assistance. 

– Because such person is a family friend or related to another person and I was an outsider, he/she is hired and not I. In one case, i was told I was hired, but moments later they changed their mind to put the boss’s nephew to work instead.