Is The Rise Of An Internet Only Hiring Process Discriminatory To Poor Americans And Minorities?

Steven Wilson
PMAP 4211
9/20/2011

As a young man, my father gave me that advice that when applying for a job, make a good first impression by putting on your nicest suit, introducing yourself to the manager, have a strong handshake, and look him/her in the eye. This advice served me well over the years and helped me to gain many different positions. But what about the job seekers of today? Over the years, I have trained many young people to research what they want to do and then to go to that business during a slow time and ask for the manager and do just that. A firm handshake, a confident voice, and strong eye contact would make the Hiring individual remember you and want to hire you. But over the years, that method has become less and less effective. Young people come back dejected and disappointed because the only response they get is to go to a website and fill out an application. Gone are the days of going into many businesses, asking for the manager and dropping off a resume or an application. Most large companies have adopted a policy of internet only applications. Instead of applicants taking up the time of a manager, applicants are directed to a website to apply for their desired position. Sometimes there is even a kiosk on site to complete the task. On the surface this seems like a great idea. Companies cut down a lot of time spent on unqualified applicants by asking certain questions that, if answered incorrectly, the computer program weeds out. But what if the qualified applicant does not have ready access to a computer or the internet? What if the otherwise qualified applicant lacks the technology skills needed to complete an application online? Is the rise of an internet only hiring process discriminatory to poor Americans and minorities? We live in an age where our technology is growing leaps and bounds every day. Internet based companies are becoming more and more of a force in our economy and companies are looking to technology to save wherever they can. Many large companies are utilizing the internet as a recruitment tool today because it is more efficient than the old way of paper applications and resumes. Instead of posting an ad in the newspaper or hanging out the “Now Hiring” sign, employers can reach many more applicants using sites like Monster.com or Careerbuilder.com. Once they have reached these potential employees they are directed to begin the application online. No need to have printed applications on hand and you don t run the risk of violating the law by having personal information unsecured. When applicants fill out these applications some applications use key words to scan the content of the resume or application and eliminate those without the desired key words (Ensher, Nielson, Grant-Vallone 2002). In the past, that interview was set up via a phone call, today its via email. You can email several potential candidates at one time instead of spending time on the phone. Some companies have taken the extra step of having pre-employment testing and screening online before even considering the candidate for an interview. This process saves the company lots of time and money but is this type of hiring practice fair to minorities and the poor? 65% of Americans have Access to the internet from home (US Census, 2010). That number has grown from just over 54% in 2002 (US Department of Commerce, 2002). We are a nation becoming more wired and tech savvy every day. But when you look closer at the 2010 US census report numbers you will see that only 52% of African Americans have internet at home and only 37% have access to the internet from a source outside the home. This compared to 67% of White Americans with 39% having access outside the home. When we look at income on that same report we see that of the families with income less than $50,000 a year, only 51% have access inside the home while 91% of those American families with income of over $100,000 have at home access. What this would indicate is that a white candidate has an easier time completing an internet only hiring process than a similarly qualified African American. While this disparity is concerning, it has decreased over time. Some may argue that even if an applicant does not have a computer at home, they have access to a local library of social service agency. It is true that access to these alternative sources is increasing (Farlie, 2003). But in rural areas and in areas hit harder by economic factors where resources are being reduced due to lack of funds internet access outside of the home is not feasible. If an employer emails the candidate asking for more information, then that applicant has no way to retrieve that email nor a way to respond in a timely fashion costing him or her that job. So if we smooth out the playing field in regards to internet access, does that solve the problem? Not necessarily. The Department of Commerce report shows that as of October 2010, 51% if Americans over the age of 25 with only a high school diploma used the internet at home. Compared to 84% of those with a bachelors degree (Us Dept. of Commerce, 2011). It seems that those with less education are also at a disadvantage when it comes to completing a job application in the modern format. While access to technology is increasing, we need to train more Americans to utilize this technology properly. I have seen may teens and young adults who do not even know how to access a web page without going through the Google portal. This puts them at a severe disadvantage in the job market when competing with other applicants who have received some training on computer and the internet either at school, at home, or in some social service program. The Pew Research Center indicates that the gap in internet access is decreasing, mainly due to the rise of Smartphones in America and the improving broadband infrastructure (Crawford, 2011). Mobile device internet access is also increasing. 88% of Americans have cell phones and African Americans and English Speaking Latinos are as likely as whites to have cell phones (Zickuhr, Smith, 2012). It is that inexpensive access to alternate devices and technologies that seems to be the key to more equitable access. While it is less expensive for companies to advertise and begin the application process digitally, it is not a substitute for face-to-face communication and the variable of the interviewers intuition and training. A digital application cannot tell if a person made eye contact or fidgeted or used the good judgment to dress appropriately. Reducing HR costs in an organization is not only focused on hiring. Companies need to properly train and retain employees. It is that human factor in the interview process that gives a trained interviewer a good feel of whether the employee is the right fit for the company and, as far as ive seen, cannot be replicated by a computer program. Based on the articles and websites read, I do not think that this is a nefarious plot to discriminate against people based on race or economic status. This is one of those situations where the technology has grown so fast that common since and reason have not yet caught up. What does the future hold? The Obama Administration has announced the National Wireless Initiative where at least 98% of Americans will have internet access in 5 years (Us Dept. of Commerce, 2011). Being wireless would reduce the cost of rural areas that lack the funds to build a broadband infrastructure. Since more and more minorities and economically disadvantaged citizens are gaining access to wireless devices, this access would greatly increase the ability of those lagging behind to readily access affordable internet, get training to utilize these new resources, and start the process of catching up to the ever changing technology of corporate America.