People are generally NOT hired solely on the basis of their qualifications and work record. They are hired because of who they know, because they will be a good fit for the company, and all sorts of other reasons, none of which have anything to do with their qualifications or work record. Studies have consistently shown that it's easier to get a job if you're good looking, that tall people are more likely to be hired than short people, and thin applicants are preferred to fat people. People are encouraged to network within their chosen fields because that's how you get hired or move up. Recently it was suggested by a political candidate that women should learn to play golf to enhance their career options. Nothing would be more helpful to their chances of closing the wage gap than learning to play golf.
If work record and qualifications were the sole criteria for a job, why do people have to interview for a job. Wouldn't you just look at the resumes you received and call references and hire the best person on that basis? Qualifications and work record are the entrée to the interview but you get the job on how you come across in person.
First off... there is no wage gap with women. There is profession choice gap if anything. I can't believe the number of women who choose to go into "Social Work", or "Nursing", "Book Keeper". These are low wage jobs. A man going into those jobs will earn no better than a women. Men just typically don't.... and Women typically do.
Women still work more low-pay jobs report on gender wage gap finds - Los Angeles Times
If you choose to do a job that has a low market value, there is no one to blame but yourself. I work doing low-wage assembly work. The lady who works as a production engineer over my production department, easily makes 5 to 6 times my yearly wage.... why? GENDER DISCRIMINATION!.... er... no.... she does a higher paying job. She's an Engineer, doing engineering work. Has nothing to do with the fact she has breasts and I have balls. Has to do with the value of the work we're doing.
There is no gender wage gap. It's just bull. Sorry.
Now as to on what basis people are hired.......
I am reading into your post that A: You think the 'networking' deal is wrong. And B: You have never actually hired anyone as an employee for anything.
Let me give you a hint.... people lie. They lie a ton. The old fashioned "My word is my bond" and "A reputation is worth more than gold" belief system of America 100 years ago, is completely abandoned.
You can put all kinds of stuff on a resume. I've seen resumes that got people jobs, that were full of garbage that wasn't true. And you say... well... why doesn't the company check the resume?
Again, you obviously haven't hired anyone for a employment position. Some companies report getting over a thousand resumes, for a single job opening. You think you are going to check every single thing, on everything single resume? Really? It can take all day just to verify an individual went to specific school. Let alone his last 5 jobs, and even then, the individual can put a phone number to a buddy of his, who will lie through his teeth. Three of the companies on my own resume, don't even exist anymore. How do you verify that?
Not to mention, that legal cases have made it nearly impossible for companies to put out the warning about bad employees. If you own company X, and a bad employee that you fired, goes to company Y and applies for a job, and company Y calls you up... if you tell them "that guy is terrible!" you could end up sued in court, and pay thousands.
Well companies know this. Worse... many times a company will give an employee that they don't want, but yet too risky to fire, they'll give a glowing recommendation in the hopes you'll hire them, so they can get rid of them. Companies know that too.
Based on the above, companies are much more likely to hire through networking, than through a resume.
This is the fault of society and the law. The people on the left, have created their own problem. By attacking companies for firing people they don't want.... for warning others not to hire bad employees.... and by the general lack of honesty in the culture.... the result is companies are very reluctant to hire people based on their resume.
So now company tend to hire through people they know. You caused this. Your fault.
And here's the kicker... if you ever did run a business, and you hired a bad employee... just once.... you'd be hiring through networking from then on. One bad employee can ruin a whole year of your life, and cost you tons of money.
And by the way.....
One side note of interest. You gave the impression that you think "qualifications and work record" is all that matters.
You should know better. Have you ever been to a restaurant where the food was wonderful, and prompt, and timely....... but the waiter and staff was rude?
Ever had that? Years ago, more than a decade now, I went to a Pizza shop. I heard from a number of people that they had the best pizza in the area. It was a small private pizza shop. So I ordered a pizza, and went to get it. The guys in the store were absolutely terrible to me. I never went there ever again. Didn't matter about their qualification or work history, I don't deal with people who are jerks.
You can have all the qualifications in the world, and all the work history you want, and if you can't work together with people in the company, you are not wanted.
Most companies will openly admit, they'll take an employee that may not be quite a talented, as long as they can work well with the rest of the team. And you know what? They're right. Qualification and work history, is important, but it's not the only thing. If you are arrogant, or you have a chip on your shoulder about "gender wage gap", and you think you are entitled to something because you have a bit of paper from a school that say "I r smrt!" no sorry, you fail.
You have to humble, and decent of a person, and get along with others.... AND do your job well.
