Recruitment

Sarah

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Last Monday, I had a job interview (third and final interview with the MD) and he asked me how I reacted in stressful situations – ‘do you cry, do you get frustrated and burst into tears?’ As I was busy trying to get a job, I didn’t think about it until afterwards. Apparently it was really close between me and the other (male) candidate. They told me I’d find out if I was successful the following day – I actually found out on Friday morning that they’d chosen the other candidate. I don’t usually cry in stressful situations, but this did make me cry. There is no way the male candidate would have been asked the same question. I know that I am probably better off not working in a culture where people would ask questions like that, but that still doesn’t help me in my current unemployed situation.

JC

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A new science institute has opened, and staffed itself with lead researchers. New recruits were announced today – 2 out of 16 are women. They had thousands of applications from all over the world, and this is the gender balance they came up with (the senior hiring team all men). Welcome to the ‘meritocracy’ of academia in the UK. Adding to my recent experience of being the only woman in an interview with a candidate pool of 9, I feel so defeated. But don’t feel I can comment publicly, as I might need a job or grant from one of these men in the future….