One thing that has changed is 25 years ago a newly married man about to have kids with his wife’s was your best employee. They took their job very serious as now a wife, kids to support and a mortgage.

Today they are your worse. Between paternity leave, running out door day care, snow days schools, coaching teams. They are a horror show.

I have one working for me a 45 year old male with two young kids. I actually told him I wish I could hire your wife instead of you. He is a man child. I think he might grow up by 60

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Anonymous wrote:When you are interviewing applicants do you take into consideration things that you’re not technically allowed to consider? Like for example the fact that a woman just got married at 35 and is probably going to have children soon and therefore either taking maternity leave or quitting to stay home? Or someone highly qualified has dyed pink hair and therefore may turn off your conservative clients? Just examples. Anonymous forum here so curious about what decision makers are really thinking, especially small business owners where the one hiring is also the one most invested in the success of the company.

Tell me you’re a boomer without telling me…

Wrong.

And Google brings up a lot of stuff, including the applicant’s Knot wedding page.

Well thank god this board is anonymous bc basing a hiring decision on this, is f’ing illegal. But. You already know that don’t you OP.

That doesn’t mean people don’t Google job applicants.

I google everyone. Even the folks in my own company that I'm meeting for the first time. Seriously. I'm looking for connection points and usually find them.

Anonymous wrote:I do not. And I shut it down quick if I hear it from staff on my hiring committees.

I shut it down too when it is obvious that's what's happening. But a fat ugly person might 'lack' such and such skil or we someone might question their ability to connect with stakeholders, those are valid reasons. But the real reason is implicit bias and that's what the question is about.

Anonymous wrote:They definitely think “fat” = “lazy”

+1
More for women than men and there have been studies done on this. Women of color are dinged the hardest (of course).

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Anonymous wrote:How would I know that someone just got married and plans to have kids soon? I wouldn't ask. If they voluntarily told me this, of course I don't want to hire someone that will soon need to take 3 months or more off, but that's why it's illegal to ask.

How do you tell if someone is 35? I mean I had kids when I was 28. I have friends that had kids at 42.

Very easy to determine age by college graduation date.

As immigrant, plenty of my friends re-did college in the US for an employable degree, graduating at 26-28 is common.

I also know a few ppl graduating at 20 due to AP credit + summer schools.

Ok. But let’s go with 90% of the time, college graduation year reveals your age.

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Anonymous wrote:How would I know that someone just got married and plans to have kids soon? I wouldn't ask. If they voluntarily told me this, of course I don't want to hire someone that will soon need to take 3 months or more off, but that's why it's illegal to ask.

How do you tell if someone is 35? I mean I had kids when I was 28. I have friends that had kids at 42.

Very easy to determine age by college graduation date.

As immigrant, plenty of my friends re-did college in the US for an employable degree, graduating at 26-28 is common.

I also know a few ppl graduating at 20 due to AP credit + summer schools.

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Anonymous wrote:How would I know that someone just got married and plans to have kids soon? I wouldn't ask. If they voluntarily told me this, of course I don't want to hire someone that will soon need to take 3 months or more off, but that's why it's illegal to ask.

How do you tell if someone is 35? I mean I had kids when I was 28. I have friends that had kids at 42.

Very easy to determine age by college graduation date.

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Anonymous wrote:I've been asked if I plan to have kids at many interviews over the last 20 years (34yo female with 2 kids)

So starting around when you were 14?

Likely having kids? Honestly, yes, I'd consider it, but perhaps not in the way you're thinking. As feds, we can't even come close to matching the salaries of private sector jobs. But I can offer flexibility and understanding, and a group of coworkers that will do the same. Retention is much, much better among staff members that have kids.

I had coworkers who didn't want to hire someone because she had children. It was the only time I have ever said "shut up now" to anyone at work.

Anonymous wrote:What about being conventionally attractive and/or well dressed? I don’t mean a model walking in with runway designs, but like an 7-8 wearing Veronica Beard.

There are many studies showing that people attribute positive equalities to attractive people.

Anonymous wrote:This is why we don't mention marital, parental, or health status in interviews, people

Right. It would be illegal to raise in a job interview, and idiotic for a candidate to volunteer.

I will admit that I was a bit taken aback when I walked into an interview room and found a young woman with spikey purple hair, full sleeve tattoos, and multiple piercings. This is a traditionally conservative industry but not necessarily a client facing role, and she came across as really bright and engaging during the interview.

She has turned out to be one of the best employees I've ever had. Brilliant, enthusiastic, dedicated, great communicator and collaborator. We put her in front of clients now, there's always a bit of a second look at first, but she wins them over in no time.

I no longer think twice about people's fashion choices. Not that it's a protected class anyway, but I really don't care anymore. Kind of ashamed that I ever did notice.

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Anonymous wrote:I mean…the pink hair consideration is not illegal.

I’d never hold the fact that someone just got married/may have kids against them. Thank god my employer didn’t do that when I was younger.

Same. Pink hair is a choice not to present in a professional manner. It's not a protected class.

How would I know a 35yo "just got married"? I would not think about this or care. I hired someone who was clearly pregnant and she was great (took maternity leave as we are all human!)

I’m pretty sure hair style is protected class in DC.

Anonymous wrote:What about being conventionally attractive and/or well dressed? I don’t mean a model walking in with runway designs, but like an 7-8 wearing Veronica Beard.

VB is more like realtor style.
Finance or Law - dress well meant simpler style, subtle texture, fitted tailoring.