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5 years ago from Marcella Fontes, CheesecakeLabs
The part where he ignores the original problem and asks a leading question in order to derail the conversation and detract legitimacy from the existing contributions.
Of course recruiters are going to weight skillset, qualifications, etc. This argument does not obligate anyone to hire an unskilled workforce — which his tweet falsely asserts as the original argument.
It wasn't necessarily his original argument. Gender diversity shouldn't be factored into agency selection... hiring the best human for the job should. Irrelevant of gender, sex, race, religion, etc.
I think the broader point Rakesh was trying to make (I will admit he failed somewhat) is that hiring for the sake of diversity just causes agencies to hire "token" women, and "token" African-American employees so they look better. Which is not only offensive, its also not a solution.
Andy's second argument explains this:
Rakesh: Thanks. My question: for example, when only 18% of women graduate in CS why should we aim for 50% of the recruited to be women?
Andy: because it's the right thing to do.
His argument turned into: Hire women because diversity. which isn't a good solution to this problem.
But then again, twitter had never really been a place for long form, and civil, debates.
Exactly — Twitter is by nature reductive, and that was his only contribution to this thread, which could have invited reasonable comments.
I disagree that "hiring for the sake of diversity just causes agencies to hire 'token' women, and 'token' African-American" — prove that this is a problem, beyond the quality of his argument on Twitter.
Because if you hire someone based on their race to fill quotas then you are just doing it to have your 'token' race members, not the best team members.
Again, show me that this actually happens. Find one person who a team that cares only for quotas.
You're missing the point. If this kind of thinking becomes institutionalised, then this will be the outcome.
... and you're justified in assuming this will inevitably happen? I'm not hearing an argument; I'm loosely hearing an unproven worst-case.
... and you're justified in assuming this won't inevitably happen? I'm not hearing an argument; I'm loosely hearing an unproven best-case.
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Which part is terrible? honest question, which part are you referring too? The argument that women should be hired, just because we need to be more diverse, is a little more than insulting to women.