Gravity Payments, Six Flags and Wunderman Thompson are just some of the big names that are taking a stand against racial inequity in the workplace
New York City, Nov 19, 2020 (Issuewire.com) - With the unemployment rate at an all-time high, job seekers may want to take note of a new job board, aptly titled, "Black Lives Matter Jobs". Since its launch in September, the site has boasted job openings from the top, global companies, and smaller local companies alike. What's more, all the job openings on the site are from employers that have demonstrated a commitment to racial equity.
Parent company, Black Belonging Matters, makes sure that their job board, "Black Lives Matter Jobs," is not mistaken for the Black Lives Matter Global Network. Still, for the company, it was important that their job board name makes the job boards' intent clear.
"We chose the name Black Lives Matter Jobs, for our job board, because Black people and our allies deserve to work within organizations that are willing to affirm that Black lives matter." Says the company's Director, T.A Laine. A Black attorney from New York, Ms. Laine's father was killed by the police before she was born. She notes, "For Black people, our very beings are the embodiment of the reason the Black Lives Matter movement exists. So, it is important that our employers affirm that our lives matter. It is important that employers are committed to equity and to creating organizations where we truly feel like we belong."
The need for the job board is evident when one considers these eye-opening statistics. Among Black employees:
58% say they have experienced racism at work;
40% say they feel like outsiders at work; and,
35% "say they need to "compromise their authenticity to conform to their company's standards"
What's more, Black candidates who "whiten" their resumes receive 15% more callbacks for interviews.
The process of whitening resumes includes, shortening or changing ethnic sounding names so that they sound less ethnic (think Barrack Obama, who, in his younger years, referred to himself as "Barry"). Whitening may also involve using a different address, so that it isn't evident that the applicant lives in a Black neighborhood. Or, perhaps, removing mention of any "Black" extracurricular activities, etc. Black people do this in hopes that if they can just get an interview, they can prove that they are qualified for the job.
For Black candidates, having a job board such as Black Lives Matter Jobs is important for a number of reasons. Chief amongst those reasons, is that such a job board reduces instances of Black people failing to apply for jobs that they are qualified for, because of fear of rejection due to their race. The job board also reduces the concern that Black candidates face with regard to having to "whiten" their resumes and/or presenting a less than authentic version of themselves."
"In short," notes Ms. Laine, "Black Lives Matter Jobs encourages quality Black talent to apply for positions and, to bring their full, authentic selves to hiring organizations at the start of the hiring process."
None of the jobs on the Black Lives Matter Jobs board are simply copied from other, larger job boards. According to their website, Black Lives Matter Jobs doesn't copy jobs from other sites, because it is important that the jobs on their site are openings within organizations that are actually committed to racial equity. As their site notes, organizations that post their jobs on the Black Lives Matter Jobs job board, take an implicitly "powerful stance - one that is sure to not only attract top talent but also, build employee loyalty, from day one."
Job seekers are encouraged to register for free at www.BlackBelongingMatters.com. Employers can post jobs for free, for a limited time, and can learn more via the contact information below.
To learn more about T.A Laine, Black Belonging Matters or Black Lives Matter Jobs, or to schedule an interview with T.A Laine please call 646-389-3244 or email: Belonging@BlackLivesMatterJobs.com
You can also check out the Black Belonging Matters website at:
www.BlackBelongingMatters.com
Source :Black Belonging Matters
This article was originally published by IssueWire. Read the original article here.
