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CEO, Knockri - Skills Based Hiring & Promotions Software I On a mission to level the playing field at work
“To be denied a job in 2024 in your hometown, for the color of your skin, goes beyond dollars and cents. It goes into the psyche of a person” Reading a recent article about a 27-year-old who landed a job interview after changing the name on his resume, instantly took me back to 2016. I was broke and young, but full of passion and immensely optimistic about my future. Until I applied to nearly a 100 jobs and would rarely hear back I can still sense the hopelessness and desperation that I went through back then. My mind was racing with questions. Am I not good enough? Is there something I’m missing? Will I ever be able to land a job? Where do I go from here? The process truly took a toll on my psyche Until I made one minor change on my resume – my name Replacing Jahanzaib with Jason instantly landed me multiple interviews and a solid job offer in a matter of days. This was when I realized, there’s nothing wrong with me – it's the system that was holding me back. My story was clearly not an isolated incident but part of a broader, systemic issue. A system that sadly remains intact. Only recently, Dwight Jackson from Detroit landed a job interview after changing his name to John Jebrowski on his resume. The same company that had previously overlooked his application now deemed him ‘worthy’ of the role – all because he went by a name that was more Caucasian. Dwight’s experience is a harsh reminder that racial bias in hiring is still prevalent, affecting millions of minorities globally. My journey fueled my determination to try and change the system; Dwight had the valor to hold it accountable. Yet, countless young, talented individuals never get the chance to come forward, to explore their full potential. We often tell them to be more courageous and resilient, but the truth is, ethnic minorities don’t want to be forced into ‘bravery’ or ‘persistence’. They just want to be seen and accepted exactly the way they are. #equalopportunity #discrimination #racialbias