If you’re about to graduate and/or if you’re applying for jobs: what are some of the issues you’re encountering in your job search process? Are you encountering or thinking about any particular job issues as a minority in technology?
The biggest issue I’ve encountered in my job search process is the reduced number of companies hiring due to the crisis. Another issue I’m encountering is the lack of true engineering jobs in a reasonable proximity in or around my city, New York City. I feel like my last name (Diaz) may hold me back in ways that I will not understand, but my first name (Brandon) will strike curiosity enough for points in scoring an interview.
When I went to a career fair for The Army Corp of Engineers, I had to get my name tag and wear it around the event. I went to grab my name tag and the lady at the table holding the tags goes “Ah. YOU’RE Brandon Diaz!” after I mentioned my name. She then goes “Okay… we (her and her friend) were dying to know… Your father is hispanic, but your mothers is….??” And I was like “Filipina… My mom is Filipina… I was only named ‘Brandon’ because my mom had a crush on that guy in 90210.”
She goes “Oh… um… I love Brandon from 90210!”
Needless to say I felt strangely profiled and analyzed before the event even started which made me feel even weirder when I saw that most of the representatives were older, white males.
Ignorance and careless dialogue around/about my ethnicity is something that I know I will continue to experience. It just gets weirder and weirder every time.
Diversity+Tech 