Have you ever come across a job posting and got the feeling that there is no point in applying because the company is clearly not looking for someone like you? In some cases that is fine. There is no point in you applying if you do not have the qualifications or experience they need. For instance, if you’ve worked your whole life as a plumber, you should not apply for a posting looking for a doctor. It would be a waste of your time and theirs.
However, sometimes, when you get the feeling that the employer does not want you to apply, it is not OK. Sometimes it may be because the posting is discriminatory.
Protected characteristics must not come into it
Protected characteristics refer to gender, race, religion, disability, nationality and other such things. Employers are not allowed to make job postings that aim to exclude someone based on a protected characteristic. For example, the “No Irish” postings that some businesses used in the last century are a clear example of discrimination from the employer.
These days, discrimination still exists, but it is generally far more subtle. Employers don’t refer directly to the thing they don’t want. Instead, they will insinuate it through some of the wording they use.
A common example relates to age. While employers are not allowed to consider that a person over 40 is too old for the job, some clearly do. They’ll say things like, “We’re looking for a digital native”, or “Are you a recent graduate?” Someone over 50 would likely take the hint that they are not welcome at that company as they did not grow up in a digital world and probably graduated a long time ago.
Whether an employer set out to make their preferences clear, or their preferences seeped into the posting unintentionally, a discriminatory posting is illegal. If you encounter one when applying for work you are otherwise qualified to do, you may want to investigate your legal options.