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• Recruiting and Managing Diversity in the Workplace
  • Overview
  • Cultural Diversity at Work in New Zealand
  • Whats Unique About International Talent
  • Perceptions of Difference
  • How Do We Unlock The Potential Of Diversity
  • The Recruitment Process Applying An Intercultural Lens
  • Prepare The Job Profile
  • Advertise The Job
  • Short List The Candidates
  • Conduct The Interview
  • Award The Job
  • Monitor The Recruitment Process
  • Acquaint The Newcomer To The Workplace
  • We Welcome Your Comments
  • Acknowledgements
  • References and Suggested Reading

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Perceptions of Difference

Personal background and attitudes towards cultural diversity significantly affect our choices in the recruitment of international talent. The greater the perceived difference between the newcomer and the potential employer, the more difficult it can be for the newcomer to find work. Note that we said ‘perceived difference’.

Assumptions

Employers can make assumptions about a job candidate’s suitability based on obvious characteristics such as name, accent or physical appearance. The real person can lie below the surface. We cannot communicate effectively with another – let alone one from another culture – unless we understand both their visible and invisible attributes.

Cartoon

Mirror hiring

Lack of familiarity with a person’s background and qualifications, or a feeling of discomfort with people who look and sound different can influence an employer to select applicants who are similar to themselves or the previous job holder.

These attitudes to difference and subsequent ‘selection techniques’ have a profound effect on the job seeker.

Unemployment

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Under-employment

The scenario depicted in this video is not uncommon. The Hudson Report (2006) states that "migrants still find it difficult to find work in New Zealand, and those who do are often placed in jobs well below their skill level."

Poor settlement

"Work is arguably the single most important element in the integration of immigrants to New Zealand. Work is about individual fulfilment, about identity and about social inclusion and cohesion." Brain Gain, 2008 Human Rights Commission. The success that comes from securing meaningful work – that is, work equivalent to the migrants’ skills and experiences, flows into the community.

If an organisation has employees who mirror the population of potential local or international markets, it is more likely to have the language skills, cultural understanding, networks and experience to produce the goods and services that best suit those markets.