Does anyone over the age of 35 understand what torture real estate students endure today, just to gain a few weeks of work experience at the biggest agents and developers? And it is not at the hands of humans. Torquemada comes in the guise of AI-driven software – an inquisition excused in the sacred name of diversity, equity and inclusion. It gifts recruitment programmes, such as Arctic Shores, the indulgence to probe your sexual preferences, preferred pronouns, religion and race. Skin colour, accent and class are divined by a Chatbot question which gives you 30 seconds, then films your spluttered answer.
Heard of the RARE Contextual Recruitment System? RARE uses algorithms to upgrade applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds, thus disadvantaging the advantaged. Heard of ATS? They are automatic tracking systems that allow the HR managers to sit and watch the computer say yes or no. Applicants part-judged by silly psychometric tests. Attitude to risk? How long will you let a balloon inflate before it pops. Patience? Solve this simple puzzle. There is no solution. Tee-hee.
The case for the defence? What Darwin might call unnatural selection pervades recruitment across entire industries now. Face-to-face sizing up introduces “one of us” bias. Software screening goes deeper, is fairer and more efficient. The biggest agents can receive 1,000 applications for 30-50 work placements. More pertinent, affirmative action can only be taken by asking intrusive questions. So, they have to be asked.
The case for the prosecution? There is no diversity referee. Bad actors can select who they choose without getting their hands dirty. A faceless inquisition alienates the pick of the crop. “These systems are dehumanising” says one articulate student currently applying for work placement. “They expose a callous culture behind the firm’s public image. No weight should be given to skin colour or sexuality. I want to be treated on merit alone. Not accepted or refused because of a DEI quota.”
The retired head of a top five agency is vociferous. “It’s about time the whole system was exposed for what it is.” Why? A young relation applied to his old firm for a summer internship, honourably not mentioning the family connection. The process exposed the HR department in a very different light to the firm’s reputation. Incompetent, mechanistic and icy when pressed. The old boss eventually exploded and rang the new boss to ask if he knew what was going on in his name. Bosses? Do you?
Peter Bill is a former editor of Estates Gazette
Image © Colin Miller
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