How sexist remarks from interviewee should impact on hiring process?

manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

We had an interview with a candidate who from the technical and management point of view is very interesting for our company.

He has a long work experience in country A. Country A is internationally rated poorly on women's rights. It was his wife that applied on his behalf to the position as a lecturer there, so the interviewer asked:

• It is interesting that she considered moving to country A, other wives might be reluctant to go there...

To which the interviewee replied:

• Country A is often misconceived by its women's right. It is actually a paradise for women, as they have cheap jewelry and a chauffeur there. (they were not allowed to drive in Country A at that time)

As a piece of the context, he is not a national nor currently living in country A. He left due to limitations on having his children enrolled on the university there, since they are not nationals of country A. Therefore, I don't think he is trying to defend a country dearly to him.

He is applying to a senior developer position. While he will not directly manage the team, he would be the most experienced programmer of the company. It is important that he improves our methods and architecture, but at the same time, he should be open to junior suggestions and keep some sensible legacy code.

We are in a domain where there are few women working for us, but from this kind of mindset, I fear he might undermine their work due to prejudice. I think it is reasonable to evaluate this during his trial period.

Are there other impacts on his professional performance I am not considering from his supposed sexist view of women?

manpreet 2 years ago

My counterquestion: Why did the interviewer ask the question at all?

If the interviewee says something along the lines: "Yes, it is a very sexist und unequal country", but the culture is also noted for hospitality, the interviewer could think: "Hey, how ungrateful, fouling his own nest!". In some cultures it is even considered offensive to say anything against a host!

If the interviewee tries to stay neutral, the interviewer could think:"Hey, he is dodging the issue. He wants to hide something!"

If the interviewee as in this case defends the country, the interviewer could think he is sexist.

The interviewee cannot read minds, so how should he anticipate what the interviewer wants to hear? Heads I win, tails you lose?

It was a loaded culturally-insensitive question and the problem is that he did not even have to lie to give a supposedly honest answer. Remember: This is a completely different culture! Women are exactly as biased and archconservative as men and if they lived there the whole lifetime, they have a very different worldview and expectations, so many of them will answer in all honesty, sure, luxury is great. And the ones who do not find their life fulfilling will very likely not talk about that to a stranger. So confirmation bias sets in and you get a supposedly honest answer.

So simply look out how he actually behaves to women during the trial period and judge him accordingly.