I am in the process of filling an opening at work, and as I was reviewing applications I immediately and instinctively recoiled when I saw that one applicant was a BYU graduate and thought "well, I can skip that one." Then my morality kicked in and I thought what the hell am I thinking?!!! I am a BYU graduate too! Now I'm not only terribly disappointed in myself, I am also terrified to think how future employers may view my own applications. Sure, this applicant could be a super annoying holier-than-thou morgbot, but they could just as easily be a jackmo, exmo, or chill mo. Sheesh. The last thing I want to be is a bigot just like "them!"

As a BYU grad myself, I would suggest thinking back to your own days on campus and the people you met. They were not ALL self-righteous pr*cks, nor were they all even members of the Church (I actually met quite a few non-members). That is the problem with discrimination. We all make an assumption based on some arbitrary thing. People are people in every place and circumstance. BYU had jerks, a$$holes and pr*cks, but I also encountered some of the nicest and most genuine people in my life there, some with whom I am sorry to have lost contact. We shouldn't do the same things we criticize our TBM family and friends for doing, IMHO.

You might get a great employee and you might not.

I am in the last years of my career but having BYU on my degree has been a constant embarrassment through the years.

I still do not like to risk being associated with Mormons, so I usually make a comment in jest that lets them know I'm not a weirdo (Hey, my parents made me go there!).

My credentials sometimes get requested by auditors and regulators so I've gotten that "look" or a comment like, "Is that in Utah?"

I'm pretty good at making fun of it, especially if I'm in a job interview.

As a Mexican American, I simply promise not to drink on the job, and when I see the raised eyebrow of someone not quite a believer, that's when I bring out my BYU diploma... "See," I say, "would a drinker get a diploma from a mormon school?"

I just shared this comment on another thread, but it probably fits here better...

Back in the day, I went to BYU for three years and had one more to go to get my degree. Then a business opportunity came up that required me to move east of the Mississippi, so I finished my last year at a little, podunk college that will go unnamed.

When I was still a TBM, it bugged me to think that my education was primarily from the esteemed "Harvard of the West" and, yet, my degree would carry the name of the small school instead.

Once I realized the Cult was...well...a cult and a BYU degree would have forever linked me to the cult—even after I removed my name from the cult's records—I couldn't be more happy to say I graduated from Podunk University!

Umm, I think 'guilty' is well aware of these regulations but that's not his point. He's merely pointing out his unfavorable knee-jerk response to getting an application where the applicant is probably Mormon. He is to be lauded that he doesn't make decisions based solely on emotion and feelings. I've had the very same thoughts when I will occasionally get feelers from BYU alumni to join my healthcare practice, so I can easily relate. Thank god they're not all hardcore zealots!

It is illegal to discriminate based on religion, or in this case, perceived religion. If you ever openly said that you rejected an applicant because he/she went to BYU, you would be open to a discrimination law suit.

It is unethical to reject people for things that have nothing to do with job performance. As much as we disparage TBMs, we also know that many are hard working, pleasant people. Would you like to be banned from a job for having been Mormon?

As you point out, it is unfair to assume that someone who went to BYU would be difficult to work with. Many of us BYU alums have moved on in our lives. What you are like at 22 is often very different than 5, 10 or 20 years later.

If the person is one of the top applicants, interview him/her. If they show signs of the negative personality traits you fear: judgmental, rigid, sanctimonious, etc., then reject him/her. It is perfectly legal, ethical, fair and wise to reject someone for unpleasant personal traits.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2015 09:37AM by axeldc.

axeldc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is illegal to discriminate based on religion,
> or in this case, perceived religion. If you ever
> openly said that you rejected an applicant because
> he/she went to BYU, you would be open to a
> discrimination law suit.

Unless, of course, you rejected an applicant because you consider BYU to be a sub-standard university, and consider it unlikely that a degree from that school would prepare a candidate for the duties of the job under consideration.

Then it's not religious discrimination.

I agree with your point: rejecting someone SOLELY because of their religion is not just illegal, it's usually very poor reasoning. Just wanted to chime in that rejecting someone from BYU doesn't HAVE to be rejection for religion. It could be, as the end of your post pointed out, for perfectly legal and rational reasons.

It has worked both ways for me in the job market. I have been hired because people thought I was TBM and also because they knew I was not active. It's hard to not be subjective when you are hiring people.

In order to be a professional and especially if you are in management, you really need to learn to operate objectively at all times, as in every decision. Sometimes I am like two separate people. If someone does something that bothers me personally, I still do my best to give them a fair and objective performance review based on things that are relevant to their jobs. If I have a vendor who I like the people personally, I'll escalate as appropriate if they don't hold to their contract or quality requirements. Try to understand the laws and the rules inside of your company. Cover your own ass by always obeying them.

When I see a resume that lists BYU as their college, I'll snicker inwardly. Then I'll remind myself that I am a professional, and meticuously scour that resume to see if it contains the skillsets that are needed for the best person to do the job I am hiring for. In the interview, I will look carefully to see if the person's religion might interfere with his work or working relations if he or she is hired. But I'll never ask about their religion. Instead, I'll use my intemate knowledge of the cult to see if any of the cult's common dysfunctions have adversely affected this person's ability to make good business decisions. Can they be true professiinals too? If I decide that a TBM is the best person for the job, I'll swallow and ask myself how I am going to need to adjust before hiring them. It's all objective and unemotional. Maybe it's a good person. If you make a hiring mistake, you can always let them go later by addressing those issues that make the person incompatible with the job. Just be clear and honest with yourself.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2015 10:37AM by azsteve.

Some of the dumbest people I know have a degree, and more than you think, intelligent and successful people don't even have a GED. If you got it flaunt it. If you don't, well then you better let your merits shine.

Saw this on another forum regarding what to put on your resume:

Degree from BYU*

*Mr. Brown does not share the opinions, views, or beliefs that are held or promoted by the religious institution that sponsors this university. His prior affiliation with BYU does not constitute endorsement, approval, acceptance or membership of/with any person, company, organization, entity, product, policy, service, political or religious belief or action taken by the university or the LDS church or its subsidiaries, leaders, or spokespeople.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2015 11:52AM by onendagus.

I am ashamed of my BYU degree.