NEW YORK — A job candidate named Wu Weixa is on the line with a recruiter for a position at the United Nations. As the Skype call launches, Weixa’s name pops up on the interviewer’s computer screen.
Just as quickly, the questions flow through the interviewer’s mind: Does he call her “Wu” or “Weixa?” A glance at her resume reveals she is female, 32 years old and Chinese. How is her French? She says she wants a U.N. headquarters position to “settle down for a bit.” Does that mean she wants to become a parent — if so, how will she combine that with her career?
The International Organization for Migration and the U.N. Human Rights Office are challenging this caricature and other preconceived notions about job candidates with a new video. All IOM recruiters are now tasked with incorporating the five-minute video into their hiring process. The aim is to tap into the problem of unconscious bias in the workplace, representatives said, after surveys showed great disparities in the career progression of men and women within the organizations.