A manager might be  prejudiced, but if this individual does not discriminate, legally it does not make any difference.   We don’t care what people think, we care what they do!   Know the difference between these two unfortunate situations and know what might be actionable if it affects you.  When it comes to prejudice, thicken your skin and when it comes to discrimination know the rules.  Above all…always be the professional!

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If you have read Black Sales Journal before, you recognize that I frequently comment on racial prejudice, racial preference, and the effects of negative racial perceptions.  It is natural to provide comment on these topics as they represent the 8,000-pound elephant in the room and as a result are not discussed openly in most forums.

We spend time discussing how the Black sales professional can successfully use tactics to neutralize racial preference and how we all (all Black professionals) can nullify and improve negative racial perceptions.  We also face the fact that racial prejudice is a different and difficult beast and that we may never change it.   Psychiatrists often characterize prejudice as a deep-seated attitude.  We all are aware that something negative has been cast into someone’s personal life, it can have a permanent effect.

Importantly, we should recognize the relationship between racial prejudice and racial discrimination and how they manifest themselves in sales.

The Attitude versus the Action!

For the purpose of this explanation let’s define both of these:

Prejudice – Unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group.

Discrimination – Treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit:  racial and religious intolerance and discrimination.

(Courtesy of Dictionary.com definitions 3/5/2012)

So there you have it, racial prejudice is an attitude. It can reach deep into ones fiber, but an individual will never be tried in a court based on this attitude, as it is not a crime.  If a customer has this attitude, they still remain a viable customer for someone, but possibly not for a Black sales professional.  If your employer has this attitude it is unfortunate yet as long as they make objective and meritorious decisions, they are not guilty.   In other words they can be prejudice but not discriminate strange as it may sound.

Racial discrimination is a different animal as it is action oriented. A distinction made on the basis of race can potentially be afoul of the laws and regulations, and is almost always ethnically wrong.  It goes without saying that racial discrimination is unfair and although a customer is free to do anything they want, in the case of an employer it could be legally actionable.

The Vicious Circle

The relationship between prejudice and racial discrimination is suggested to be ‘circular’; meaning one leads to the other.  You document racial discrimination but you talk about prejudice as someones disposition or attitude.  Racial discrimination might mean that you get no ‘call-in’ prospects, bad territories, or no house (orphaned by another rep leaving) accounts.  Discrimination may be hard to prove, yet there is evidence, especially when you are able to compare the situation on a relative basis between all sales professionals at a location.  Know what extras you get and how well you performed when you get the chances and if you feel aggrieved read Black Sales Journal 3/9/2011 When You Feel Screwed  – Three Steps to Getting Help.

I make the suggestion that from the standpoint of professional sales that we realize that the most important activities that we can undertake are as follows:

• Look for and expect fairness from the managers that we work for and be prepared to professionally point out inequities, in a professional manner, as they happen.
• Document important milestones and activities correctly recognizing that it is “not what you know, it’s what you can prove!”
• Master your company’s performance system (Black Sales Journal 1/10/2011 – Preparing for the Performance Review Discussion).  Always be pro-active and prepared.
• Document every thing you get and what you don’t get.  Know the prospects, house accounts, and special benefits you get, and document them well.  Especially document the situation if you are not getting any.  You will need to know what others are getting to have a chance of success.  The facts count.
• Be the expert on you! Know your sales totals, close ratios, and what percentage of your success came from the company giving you prospects or accounts.

When Bad Gets Worse – Racial Harassment

The unfairness of racial discrimination creates frustration and ill will.  Things are even worse when there is racial harassment.  Racial harassment normally comes from the employer and can emanate from management or coworkers.  A strong example of this is the Montrelle Reese vs. ThyssenKrupp (see Black Sales Journal February 13, 2012).

Racial harassment has a primary purpose of demeaning and driving an individual out of the particular work environment.  It is akin to racial bullying and has no place anywhere, especially in the work environment.  Making someone miserable is awful, and anyone who witnesses it and does nothing is full of fault as well.  It makes no difference as to the colors involved.

Know the facts and know your options.  Most importantly, recognize that acts of discrimination, harassment, and bullying may be actionable, but prejudice is not.  It is an attitude.

Additionally, always be the professional.

Your comments are welcome.  Your comments are welcome.  Reach me at Michael.Parker@BlackSalesJournal.com.

The job search conundrum can definitely be a routine.  The problem is that it can also be one of the biggest wastes of time imaginable.  Why are you working so hard to find a suitable position when you’re the real power is in recruiters seeking you out?

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I had an opportunity to review a compelling report called the Jobvite 20015 Recruiter Nation Survey. Jobvite (http://jobvite.com) is a forward-looking San Francisco company that specializes in recruiting software and applicant tracking software.  This organization is on the cutting edge in recruiting platforms.

I am going to share some of the Jobvite finding that may really help you in your job search.

Jobvite 2015 Recruiter Nation Survey –  A Few Important Points

Over 92% of recruiters will use social media to find you! – Of the major platforms out there, 87% use LinkedIn, 55% use Facebook, and 47% use Twitter.  There are looking you where you spend time.  This is a big deal!

Referrals are your most effective source of quality hires! - This is huge, and there is no easy way to say it, you need to have all of your professional contacts “looking” out for you when you are looking.  Recruiters regularly utilize social networks, internships, and outside recruiters, but having a network of people watching out for you is an extremely effective way to put yourself in contention for a position.

Recruiters face obstacles trying to find the right candidate! – 56% of recruiters are hurting for skilled or qualified candidates.  This is a big deal as well.  Be mobile if possible, and search your regions with knowledge that if you can have flexibility, you may land a job, the job, more quickly.  Help the recruiter help you, be up front about your flexibility and terms.

There are many other points in the survey.  I want to make sure that aspiring candidates understand the importance of social media, referrals, and flexibility.  Jobvite’s survey was well done in its scope, and I am even more convinced that building and focusing on a professional network, as opposed to “lobbing” out resumes is your key to success in finding a suitable position.

What is Most Important to a Recruiter?

Recruiters have to focus on something when attempting to fill a position.  As would be the case,  some things that seem important may be more important than others.

Some items that you have previously thought of as important aren’t! – 63% of recruiters ranked cover letters as a 1 or 2 on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest ranking.  Additionally, 57% of recruiters rank GPA as a 1 or 2 on the scale in terms of its importance.

Remember to showcase the most important items – 87% of recruiters think your previous job experience is more important as it ranks either 4 or 5 on the 5-point scale.  Ranking even higher, 88% think the culture fit is definitely important.  An area that many take for granted, references shows up as well, with 51% of the recruiters believing that they are important.

Social Media Pitfalls Still Abound

The Jobvite 2015 Recruiter Nation Survey also ratifies what so many of us know about social media and your job search.

There are goods and bad about having a social media presence.

Put yourself in the best “Light” – 76% say you should share details regarding volunteer, professional, or social engagement work.  52% suggest that you engage with current events tastefully, and importantly, 72% suggest that you double-check your spelling and grammar!

Avoid the Negatives – 54% suggest that the picture of you and that little red cup is a negative, and 75% suggest that you with marijuana is a negative.  I would suggest to you that that number might even be higher.  Interestingly enough, 33% think that a limited social media presence might be negative.

More to Come

I will touch on some more salient points of the Jobvite 2015 Recruiter Nation Survey, and will also be touching on the important points of the Diversity Jobs Index and Report as put together by the fine people at Professional Diversity Network.

Many thanks to Jobvite for sharing this enlightening report.  Please feel free to share any comments with me.  I can be reached at Michael.Parker@BlackSalesJournal.com.