My Question of the Day: Have you ever been overlooked and/or denied a job for what you thought was a “silly” reason?

My 2 Cents: When I was in college, I needed to get another job, so I applied for some house-cleaning positions. On my first interview, I dressed like I would dress for any other job, and I took my resume. The family was very impressed, and the mom kept saying, “Our son doesn’t need a tutor or babysitter. Goodness, if you had been available two years ago, it would have been perfect.” I kept assuring her that I was aware that I was applying for a house-cleaning position, but she was very reluctant to take me on. Finally, she said she’d think about it, and I left. As is my custom, when I leave a job interview, I always drop a thank-you card in the nearest mailbox to the potential job as soon as I leave the interview.

Apparently, that was the nail in my coffin. The next day when the family got the card, the husband called me and told me they simply could not hire me. There was a pregnant pause and he explained the two reasons they decided I wasn’t right for the position. He told me, and I’m paraphrasing, “Well, you’re black and we’re Jewish and it just seems so stereotypical. Besides with your education and middle-class background, cleaning someone’s house is beneath you.” My response was something like, “Mr. W– (I actually remember this family’s name because their refusal to hire me was that much of a shock), I’m a struggling college student trying to pay my bills. The only thing that’s beneath me are jobs that are immoral, unethical or illegal.” His response to that, and I’m paraphrasing, “See! Just the fact that you can articulate the point like that is the reason I can’t have you mopping our floors. Thanks for your time. You’re going to be someone great one day,” and he disconnected the call.

I was stunned and stung all at the same time. I sat there with the phone in my hand until I heard the fast busy signal.

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