Following on from last week’s blog looking at what people
from black and minority ethnic communities can do to increase their chances of
making it through to interview stage, we shall now consider how to put across a
good impression when you get there - highlighting areas we know can cause
barriers to some people from non-white British backgrounds when seeking jobs in
the UK.
As we stated last week, our position on what is right and
wrong is irrelevant; and we are not saying that everyone will face these
barriers, or create them - rather, that they can exist. And whilst the law is here
to protect you, sometimes people aren’t always consciously aware or even care
that they are being discriminatory. Consequently, you should be aware of the
barriers you may face so that you can decide if you want to avoid companies
that won’t be supportive of your experience in the workplace, or use tools to
navigate around this behaviour in order to increase your chances of finding
employment.
Dress
Whilst race and religion are different considerations, religious
affiliations are often cultural. And stereotypes can sometimes be linked to
items that display belief - be that jewellery or clothing and this can
sometimes damage your chances at interview. Whilst the ideal would be to remain
neutral at interview stage - ensuring that such items (jewellery especially in
this case) are removed or hidden - there are some doctrines that require a more
visible display of faith. In these instances we would advise that you broach
the subject to address any potential misunderstandings that the employer may
have and redress any concerns they may
have of your ability to do your job safely.
Body Language
Interview stage is all about rapport; the majority of the
decision will be made on the things that are not said, rather than the things that are. Although we would advise
that you do not attempt to read other peoples’ body language, we would advise
that you do influence your own. There
are cultural norms in the UK that suggest a good applicant such as: - a firm
handshake, direct eye contact and straight posture. Make sure you display these
traits because, as difficult as this might be if your culture values opposing nonverbal
cues, you may wish to give yourself the best possible chance of appearing
competent, confident and capable in the eyes of the interviewer.
Work History
If your work history contains periods where you worked abroad
or in an organisation that an employer might consider “non-British”, bear in
mind that there could be an assumption that this work would not apply to the UK
market and they might not value this contribution. Make sure you point out how
your skills are transferable and the additional diversity can, in truth, add
value to the organisation through increased experience and knowledge around how
different cultures approach challenges.
Modesty
There is a fine line here; whilst culturally the UK can be
modest sometimes, this is false and at interview you need to project your very
best. There’s an art to selling yourself without coming across as overbearing,
so practice on friends till you can get it right. Also have a look at this: - handy guide from what
I learned today shows some good
examples of how the British can use language in often confusing manner,
Remember if something is not mentioned it does not mean it
is not being thought about - make sure you take the chance to alleviate
concerns and instead leave the interviewer feeling that any perceived differences
will add value to their business.
Happy Building
Chrissi
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