Silly and bizarre reasons people have been denied employment

Every job has some non-negotiable requirements candidates must fulfil to be considered for employment. Regardless of how qualified you are; these requirements are almost immutable. For example, you can’t work in fast food business and keep your beard. You can’t join the Nigerian police force if you are a male below 1.67m (5.6 Ft); neither can you join the Nigerian Army if you are flat footed. 


Recently while surfing the net, i stumbled on some stories about people losing job opportunities because of some silly and bizarre requirements.  Now unlike the defensible requirements mentioned earlier, these set requirements I read about are Ludicrous.

The first story is from an internet platform called Nairaland. A member - Jadonjack - told of how he lost a job opportunity because of his Facebook profile name. He said;

“I'm really not gonna bore you with how the whole interview went, but it actually was going well until I was asked to give my Facebook ID. Considering how the HR was enjoying my response to his questions, I happily told him my Facebook ID. Putting the name in the Facebook search box, nothing of such was shown, he (HR) then said I should spell it and I did that without a second thought (I never knew customising a Facebook ID is a job seeking crime). After spelling Daniel Omoniyi (not real name) as Dhaniehl Homohniyhi, the man said “I’m so sorry, we can't hire you". I was so confused that I had to ask him why, and he said “your Facebook ID looks unserious and fake please use the door".

And that was how ‘Daniel Omoniyi’ lost the job because of Mark Zuckerberg’s Toy.

Next is about a Lady named Lara Odoffin, a graduate of Bournemouth University who alleged that a company offered her a job, but then withdrew the offer all because she refused to take out her braids. Odoffin received an email from her prospective employer and it read:

“Unfortunately we cannot accept braids – it is simply part of the uniform and grooming requirements we get from our clients. If you are unable to take them out, I unfortunately won't be able to offer you any work”.

Lara

Odoffin took to her Facebook page to share her experience in a post which has now been shared over 1,500 times, she said;

“So after being accepted for a position within this company, they have TAKEN BACK the offer of a position on the grounds that if I do not take my braids out. Naturally I simply cannot work for the company. This type of discrimination should not still be happening in this day and age and any establishment still condoning such practices deserve to be shamed and criticised. Being a black woman means that to have a long term hairstyle that stays neat is always going to be a problem. Having braids that last for 2-4 months and can be packed neatly and styled to however a workplace requires is the solution to this problem. No workplace has any right to forbid you from this. This is discrimination and I am disgusted that I had to be subject to such behaviour in this 21st century. Please share. It is not okay”.And that was how Lara Odoffin lost the job because of her hairdo.

Lastly is the story about a lady who lost 5 job opportunities because she would not remove her head scarf. Miss Fatima Audu who studied microbiology, has a PGD in education and very passionate about teaching took to twitter to share how she was denied employment by 5 schools namely; Green Springs, Love World, Gulf Flowers, Sherwood, Creative Academy.
In a series of tweets, she spoke of how these schools rejected her after series of tests and interviews. In one tweet she said;

“At Green Springs, I was offered an employment letter and told to remove my scarf i complied and was further asked to remove my cap. I refused and left the job”.

Fatima

Miss Audu’s religious beliefs makes her headscarf much more than a fashion accessory. Removing it is almost akin to asking her to shave her head. In another tweet she said;
“So i should work without a head cover just to get a teaching job? Working with my head uncovered is a choice i will never make”.
And that was how Fatima Audu lost 5 job opportunities because of her scarf.


Question is; why will a school lose out on a passionate and qualified teacher because of a scarf? Why will a company lose out on great hands over trivialities?

Personally, i think these organizations are too small and full of themselves, because a multinational or a world class company won’t worry about your Facebook ID, your hairdo or whether you choose to cover your hair, but the results you will bring.

At this point, it has become pertinent to investigate the corporate culture of an organization you are interested in before applying. You wouldn’t want to go through a rigorous recruitment process only to be told you can’t be employed because you are Gap-toothed.

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