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Home · News

IT Company Posts Job Listing On LinkedIn Seeking 'Preferably Caucasian' Applicant

Cynet Systems later issued an apology for the racist job listing that somehow wasn't flagged before publishing.
IT Company Posts Job Listing On LinkedIn Seeking ‘Preferably Caucasian’ Applicant
By Breanna Edwards · Updated October 23, 2020

There’s bold, and then there’s bold. Cynet Systems, an IT staffing and recruiting company is facing backlash after Twitter users spotted a racist job listing last week that specifically asked for a “preferably Caucasian” applicant, according to the Huffington Post.

The racist (not to mention illegal) stipulation was listed amongst your run of the mill requirements. Eight to 10 years of experience, sure, a “relationship individual” who can get more opportunities and build the account, cool, sounds good. Oh, by the way, “please be white.”

Uh, hey @cynetjobs – what's with this?

Your job listing for a mid-senior level business development position's top qualification is "Preferably Caucasian"

How could you POSSIBLY think that's okay? pic.twitter.com/DPWzpgXqqE

— Helena McCabe (@misshelenasue) April 27, 2019

Needless to say, the post drew swift criticism.

I’m not shocked by this but I am shocked the listing doesn’t say “preferably Caucasian male.” Cuz we all know that’s exactly what they mean.

— Book Minded Mag (@BookMindedMag) April 28, 2019

This is NOT okay, @cynetjobs. The recruiter responsible for your LinkedIn job posts requires some training, although I suspect the problem runs much deeper than training can fix. @cynetsystems

— Jerry Honeycutt (@JerryHoneycutt) April 29, 2019

Someone accidentally posted their back channel discussion into front channel

— Lesley Carhart (@hacks4pancakes) April 28, 2019

Cynet, of course, went on the defensive shortly after, apologizing “for the anger and frustration caused by the offensive job post.”

“It does not reflect our core values of inclusivity and equality,” the company tweeted out, adding that those behind the listing have been fired.

Cynet apologizes for the anger & frustration caused by the offensive job post. It does not reflect our core values of inclusivity & equality. The individuals involved have been terminated. We will take this as a learning experience & will continue to serve our diverse community.

— Cynet Systems (@cynetsystems) April 29, 2019

A larger question that begs to be answered though is how the listing got posted in the first place without drawing any red flags? Did no one double check this?

This was something Twitter users also wanted to know.

Anyone else tired of these companies doing this then "apologising" and claiming it "does not reflect our core values"

Just excuses. If the above is true how did this even happen?!
Did the person who posted it not read it before posting?!

— bigo93 (@bigo93) April 29, 2019

When companies apologize it’s usually translates to “I’m sorry we got caught” and not sorry they did it.

— Winston Sirajuddin (@winstonsiraj) April 29, 2019

Cynet sent an additional statement to HuffPo noting that “Both of our owners are Indian-Americans, our workforce is over 60% minority, and we are certified as a diversity supplier by the National Minority Supplier Development Council.” But we all know how that works, you don’t denounce racism and racist culture by listing all the Black and brown people that you know.

Nonetheless, the company insists that it is “looking at measures to catch offensive or outside-of-policy ads before they ever go live to ensure this can’t happen again.”

TOPICS:  Cynet Systems job listing preferably caucasian racist job listings
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