Careful what you ask for in age of social media
“WE are currently looking for a saleswoman who is young and energetic.”
While this phrase may seem quite standard for a job advertisement, if you really examine the terminology, it reveals blatant discrimination.
Job advertisements are unfortunately rife with discrimination, whether intentional or not. It is, however, illegal to exclude candidates from applying based on their age, gender, race, marital status, disability, religion and sexual orientation.
Thus, it is imperative that employers are aware of their legal obligations and abide by anti-discrimination laws.
Wording in advertisements must be devoid of any biases, such as gender-selective titles (salesman versus salesperson), ageist buzz words (young graduates or mature candidates) or preferences towards nationalities in language-based roles (Italian versus Italian-speaking). There are some exceptions to this rule, but unless there is a legitimate occupational requirement, employers should avoid expressing inclinations towards certain groups.
In Australia, a giant activewear retailer faced severe backlash when their advertisement for a receptionist/fitness model listed the requirements as “size small” and dictated bust, waist and hip measurements. The advertisement was labelled sexist and sizeist as it was pitched towards slim females.
This misstep was significantly detrimental to the brand, which centres on inspiring and empowering women.
Another example was a power company that advertised an internship asking female applicants to post bikini pictures as part of a Facebook competition. After public criticism the company gave a weak apology and offered all 10 applicants graduate positions. It is shocking that such transparent sexism and unethical campaigns still exist.
In today’s social media-obsessed world it is crucial to ensure all company correspondence is ethical and appropriate.
One wrong comment can go viral within minutes and destroy organisations, with small businesses being especially vulnerable. In mid-2017, a theatre in London posted a scathing job advertisement highly critical of Millennials.
It stated their work ethic was poor and asking if they knew “how to exist in the real world”. This controversial post was ridiculed for being condescending and ageist. Googling this particular theatre now reveals copious negative articles and bad reviews.
It is highly recommended that companies include a mission statement on their website or job advertisements that commit to diversity and equal opportunities. This demonstrates that companies support applicants from varying backgrounds. Sometimes the legal requirements for job advertisements can be a grey area so it is always best to err on the side of caution. Get it wrong and you risk brand damage, lawsuits or social media backlash.