From Roll on Friday 02/09/11:
Orrick, Herrington & Suttcliffe has apologised after advertising a job for which the "ideal candidate" would be no older than 30.
The US firm posted an ad on its website looking for a European Corporate lawyer to join its Rome office. The ideal candidate would need very strong academics - "a magna cum laude Italian degree in law, a classical lyceum diploma with full marks, and an LLM degree possibly with merit or distinction" - and would enjoy working in a young environment. Which is just as well, seeing that they "would be 26-30 years old".
A spokeswoman for the firm said that "the advertisement was clearly an error and in no way reflects the firm's commitment to equality of opportunity. The advertisement has now been removed from our website. We apologise for any offence this may have caused".
Ah – it was that damn external recruitment consultancy, eh? Those guys!!!
But really, come on, you lot. You can think it (and let’s not pretend otherwise) you can practice it, you just can’t say it out loud.
Ahem. 
If it ever comes to recruiting staff for Law Actually, I think I’d better get some help drafting the advertisements. Otherwise I shudder to think of the gross contravention of discrimination law that might come to pass.
Well, you know people are like throwing allegations about. 
In Russia they also specify whether the candidate needs to be good looking ;D
ReplyDeleteAnd why the hell not, I say. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI never gave age discrimination a second thought ... until I started getting older.
ReplyDeleteAh yes... my views might change in the fullness of time! ;-)
ReplyDeleteyou just know that now, they will hire a 65 year old (just in case).
ReplyDeleteps. I'm BACK :D
Yay - great to see you back! :-)
ReplyDelete