Of course there are all kinds of reasons for why you might not be chosen for the job, no matter how qualified you think you are. But for Black people, there are also undoubtedly those situations when you just KNOW the job wasn’t offered to you because of the skin you’re in. When that happens, the person in charge of hiring has to be creative with the rejection. These are some of the things you might hear instead of “You’re hired.”
You’re Overqualified
How many times have we heard that one? It’s seen as a handy way of letting you down with minimal sting—but it hurts nonetheless. Especially when you badly need a job. Studies have shown that “black” sounding names are less likely to be called in for the interview. But once you make it past the first gatekeeper, sometimes that’s as far as you’re going to get.
