You will attend various job interviews when seeking employment, and there are countless cases when you walk away without the role. Most of the time, you accept defeat because you clearly didn’t have the right level of experience they were looking for, or you felt as though you messed up the interview questions. But there are some cases when you receive a rejection email or call and feel like something’s not quite right. You nailed your application, and the interview was a success, so why haven’t you gotten the job?
Again, it could simply be that another candidate was better than you, but don’t underestimate how many people are unlawfully denied jobs every year. There’s every chance you didn’t get the role because the employers broke the law, which has prevented you from getting a job to support yourself or your family.
With that in mind, here are some telltale signs you were denied a job unlawfully:
Rejection Comes After A Background Check
This is extremely common. Businesses and employers will hit you with a rejection only after conducting a background check. Is that unlawful? No, particularly if there are things on your record that they don’t like, then they’re entitled to deny your application.
The legal issues stem from when background check errors come up. Wrong information in your file forces an employer to avoid hiring you. It’s technically against the law because they’re rejecting you based on false information. If you feel as though you’ve never done anything wrong or had any black marks on your employment or legal history, then it’s worth seeking legal guidance after a rejection like this.
It’s either down to an error, which you can correct, or the employer is falsely claiming that you failed a background check, which is illegal.
You Don’t Receive A Valid Explanation
Did you know that nearly 20% of workers have changed their names on a resume because of discrimination concerns? Discrimination is more common than you think (or hope), and it could be why you’ve not been given a job.
One big sign of this is that the company doesn’t give you a valid reason for rejecting your application. If you get down to the interview process and feel like things went well, yet the employer doesn’t explain why you didn’t get the job, alarm bells sound. Things are even more worrying when they give reasons that clearly aren’t true—such as stating your lack of experience or qualifications when you evidently meet their requirements, and then some.
There’s No Diversity In The Company
Obviously, discrimination is illegal, and no business can avoid hiring someone because of their age, gender, sexual preferences, race, etc. Not getting a proper explanation following an interview is a big warning sign, as is the company’s current talent lineup.
Do you see a company full of middle-aged white men with no women or people of color at all? When a company rejects your application and hires someone who fits the mold of its current staff, it might suggest discrimination. In any case, you can take legal action against any business if you think they’ve denied a work opportunity because of this.
So, yes, there are instances when employers don’t hire you because of factors that aren’t strictly lawful. If you suspect this, it’s always worth getting a second opinion from legal professionals to see if you can take action. Remember, there will be times when you simply aren’t who a company is looking for, and that’s okay. It’s usually very easy to spot when you’ve lawfully or unlawfully been denied a role.