Black Men Still Face Uphill Struggle in the Working World

Black Men Still Face Uphill Struggle in the Working World

By Manny Otiko

    Being laid off has been a challenging time for me. Many of my experiences have reinforced why black people, especially black men, are still struggling with employment and short lifespans. It also reinforced how much I hate the interviewing process, which is essentially a crapshoot. The interviewee usually has an up hill struggle to convince the employer why they should hire him.

    Many employers, who are mainly white men and women, still harbor negative stereotypes about black men. Black men still have a reputation for being unreliable, uneducated or threatening. One would think that the more education black men gain, the better their chances are of employment. Not necessarily, I interviewed for a position unloading trucks with a major retail store recently criticized by the NAACP for its lack of contracting opportunities with black businessmen. After sailing through the background check, drug tests and the sit down interview, I was told by the woman interviewing me that I was overqualified for the job.

The general manager also commented on how well I spoke. After being jerked around for two weeks, I finally received a card thanking me for my interest and letting me know the position had been filled. Apparently I got punished for answering the questions correctly, I guess if I had come into the interview speaking Ebonics and wearing a gold-plated grill, they would have felt more comfortable. The idea of a black man, as smart if not smarter, than the person doing the interview seems to be much scarier than an ignorant black man.