Asked for photo by agency?

Pauliedragon

I sent an e mail response to a recruitment agency today and they've asked for a photo. Never been asked this before. Is it just a regular selfie or should I dress up interview style and send one. What's the normal procedure here? And as a side note why do they want a picture?

1hnr79jr65

It can be normal for agencies to ask for photos, party to verify who is coming for interview, partly for staff identification if you are hired on a contracted out basis. Just something tidy from shoulders up, even a casual shirt would do.

TheBoyConor

Unless you are going for a job in acting or modelling, it should not be relevant and they are dicing with danger by asking. All it takes is a disgruntled applicant to take the line that they weren't selected because they were black/white/traveller/male/female/old/young etc etc. and they;d be in the shít.

Jim2007

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Unless you are going for a job in acting or modelling, it should not be relevant and they are dicing with danger by asking. All it takes is a disgruntled applicant to take the line that they weren't selected because they were black/white/traveller/male/female/old/young etc etc. and they;d be in the shít.

Rubbish, it has been standard practice for time no now. And the kind of games you speak about have been kicked to the kerb along time ago.

Jim2007

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I sent an e mail response to a recruitment agency today and they've asked for a photo. Never been asked this before. Is it just a regular selfie or should I dress up interview style and send one. What's the normal procedure here? And as a side note why do they want a picture?

It's pretty much normal now a days and it is going to be the first thing of you their client is going to see, so make it formal.

TheBoyConor

Jim2007 wrote: »

Rubbish, it has been standard practice for time no now. And the kind of games you speak about have been kicked to the kerb along time ago.

How is it such standard practice? putting photos on CVs is considered a big no-no as far as I'm aware.
How would a photo be relevant to a job application, unless that job was dependent on a person being of a certain appearence for lets say, acting or modelling roles.

I think it opens the way to challenges and trouble.

And I am aware that there have been many cases in the past where employers were challenged for discriminating on age, appearance, skin colour etc that could be inferred from a photo.
how is it that these challeges have been now made redundant?

_Brian

Asking for a photo for a job where appearance doesn’t matter is a major risk.
It could be claimed they are filtering by sex or race and they would have little defence to rely on as it’s not essential information.

Pauliedragon

Jim2007 wrote: »

It's pretty much normal now a days and it is going to be the first thing of you their client is going to see, so make it formal.

Fair enough but my job would have nothing to do with looks and the recruiter wants me to send a picture seperate to my cv. That's the part I find odd. I'm happy to send it I was just curious as to if this is the norm. Someone said it's so they can recognise you. They can recognise me when I tell them my name surely?

TheBoyConor

I think it is a bogus reason unless your appearance is somehow related to the job. As you say, they can recognise you when you tell them who you are. Bullshít excuse tbh.

My guess is that the employer might be in a business which might be very traditional and conservative and perhaps wants to screen out applicants who might be a traveler, a black, or anyone who appears foreign.

Another possibility is they are screening based on peoples social media posting history. They might want your picture so they can recognise you on Facebook and stalk your history on that to see is your lifestyle acceptable to their client.

Agent Smith

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I sent an e mail response to a recruitment agency today and they've asked for a photo. Never been asked this before. Is it just a regular selfie or should I dress up interview style and send one. What's the normal procedure here? And as a side note why do they want a picture?

Never heard of a photo, but a copy of ID is completely normal.

Alun

Is it in Ireland or another country? In Germany, for example, it's common to have photos (and all kinds of stuff you'd never see here) on CV's for example.

TheBoyConor

tbh, if a potential employer was to question me on my identity or to ask me to prove it, I would be pretty insulted that they would have such little faith in my integrity and credibility as a professional. I'd be questioning whether it was an organisation that was appropriate to work for. Never in my life have I had an employer ask me to prove my identity.

Jim2007

Pauliedragon wrote: »

Fair enough but my job would have nothing to do with looks and the recruiter wants me to send a picture seperate to my cv. That's the part I find odd. I'm happy to send it I was just curious as to if this is the norm. Someone said it's so they can recognise you. They can recognise me when I tell them my name surely?

Why does it have anything to do with lucks. It's just easier to match the CV's with the faces afterwards.

TheBoyConor

Why would they need to match a CV with a face? The face has nothing to do with the actual job.
The only face that matters is the person who they actually hire. And that is nothing to do with the recruiter, it is between the employer and employee.

It is all a rouse for stalking and to be able to stalk the right person on facebook.

Jim2007

TheBoyConor wrote: »

I think it is a bogus reason unless your appearance is somehow related to the job. As you say, they can recognise you when you tell them who you are. Bullshít excuse tbh.

My guess is that the employer might be in a business which might be very traditional and conservative and perhaps wants to screen out applicants who might be a traveler, a black, or anyone who appears foreign.

Another possibility is they are screening based on peoples social media posting history. They might want your picture so they can recognise you on Facebook and stalk your history on that to see is your lifestyle acceptable to their client.

In the real world it always about discrimination, that is the whole point of interviewing people is all about deciding how you'd prefer to have. And it does not matter what people say, no one is going pass over someone they'd like to work with for someone else.

Jim2007

TheBoyConor wrote: »

tbh, if a potential employer was to question me on my identity or to ask me to prove it, I would be pretty insulted that they would have such little faith in my integrity and credibility as a professional. I'd be questioning whether it was an organisation that was appropriate to work for. Never in my life have I had an employer ask me to prove my identity.

Do you realize that employers can be prosecuted for failing to satisfy themselves of your identity and that you have a legal right to work in Ireland and that the law applies to everyone. It is up to employers if they want to take the risk... but if checked, "I took there word for it will not fly".

Jim2007

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Unless you are going for a job in acting or modelling, it should not be relevant and they are dicing with danger by asking. All it takes is a disgruntled applicant to take the line that they weren't selected because they were black/white/traveller/male/female/old/young etc etc. and they;d be in the shít.

So what are they going to do at the interview stage then?, put them behind some kind of a screen so you can't see them. You are being inconsistent.

TheBoyConor

That is fair enough yeah, but I would think that employers would do a mental risk assessment of who needs to be verified and who is a safe enough bet.

If someone asked me to provide proof that I have a legal right to work in Ireland, I can tell you I would not be impressed by it.
If I was in some other place outside the EU and was asked, I'd have no problem with it as I would be foreign and it would be a reasonable question.

Jim2007

Jim2007 wrote: »

Rubbish, it has been standard practice for time no now. And the kind of games you speak about have been kicked to the kerb along time ago.

It shouldn’t be standard though and people should be fighting back against it.

Skatedude

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

It shouldn’t be standard though and people should be fighting back against it.

No picture, CV in bin, Move on to next CV.

Strumms

TheBoyConor wrote: »

It is all a rouse for stalking and to be able to stalk the right person on facebook.

Correct. You send in a CV of an impressive nature, then they are trawling through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram looking for the ‘Gary Delaney’ or whoever trying to get an ‘in’ into the ‘person’ and not the applicant. The ‘applicant’ has an impressive CV but they want to know the ‘person’... how they behave on nights out, any controversial political opinions, what their social life is like and put together a true picture not available or getable in a 30 minute interview and 3 page CV...

I’m private on my social media but if not I’d be going incognito around the time applying and going for jobs. There would be fûck all controversial but don’t give them an ‘in’.

You just as an employer want to see what this potential new hire looks like ? You’ll find out at the interview.

Skatedude

Skatedude wrote: »

No picture, CV in bin, Move on to next CV.

No pictures at all and they’d have to do it above board or not hire at all.

Mrs OBumble

TheBoyConor wrote: »

That is fair enough yeah, but I would think that employers would do a mental risk assessment of who needs to be verified and who is a safe enough bet.

If someone asked me to provide proof that I have a legal right to work in Ireland, I can tell you I would not be impressed by it.

So would you expect them to base that assessment on your accent ("he sounds ORR-TEE-EE, he must be OK", or your name "Shure Paddy Murphy is fine. But Emile Watson, nope, need to ID check that one"?





For what it's worth, people going for permanent positions through Public Jobs have to take along four photos, and a govt issue ID, and proof of address and right-to-work in Ireland if the ID doesn't show that. The individual photos are checked against the ID, and against the person sitting in front of them. This happens well before any job-offers are made.

edit_me

When I applied to Pfizer, I had to bring passport size photo to assessment center.
I know for sure at least one case where one person attended interview and another started the job.

TheBoyConor

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

So would you expect them to base that assessment on your accent ("he sounds ORR-TEE-EE, he must be OK", or your name "Shure Paddy Murphy is fine. But Emile Watson, nope, need to ID check that one"?

You'll find that many many jobs are recruited on that kinda vibe.

CIARAN_BOYLE

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Why would they need to match a CV with a face? The face has nothing to do with the actual job.
The only face that matters is the person who they actually hire. And that is nothing to do with the recruiter, it is between the employer and employee.

It is all a rouse for stalking and to be able to stalk the right person on facebook.

If you are doing 100 interviews over a week for a job having a photo is a useful aide memoire.

Let's say you have two people doing interviews and one person on the interview panel says I like theboyconor. The other interviewer says I don't really remember him standing out. The first interviewers out the picture and says that guy.

It makes it easier.

biko

https://www.irishjobs.ie/careeradvice/should-you-put-a-photograph-on-your-cv/

OMM 0000

Of course, most people jump on this as a chance to scream discrimination and how employers are evil.

OP - the photo should suit the job.

If it's a modelling position or something where you're being hired based on your looks, then you should use a photo where you look pretty / attractive.

If it's a serious customer service role then you'd want the photo to look friendly and professional.

Etc.

Basically you want them to think "this looks like the type of person who could do this role".

TheBoyConor

could a male interview be accused by a less attractive female applicant of only having given an interview to another female because she was more attractive?

OMM 0000

TheBoyConor wrote: »

could a male interview be accused by a less attractive female applicant of only having given an interview to another female because she was more attractive?

You're allowed discriminate on looks.

The discrimination legislation defines discrimination as treating one person in a less favourable way than another person based on any of the following 9 grounds:

* Gender: this means man, woman or transsexual
* Civil status: includes single, married, separated, divorced, widowed people, civil partners and former civil partners
* Family status: this refers to the parent of a person under 18 years or the resident primary carer or parent of a person with a disability
* Sexual orientation: includes gay, lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual
* Religion: means religious belief, background, outlook or none
* Age: this does not apply to a person aged under 16
* Disability: includes people with physical, intellectual, learning, cognitive or emotional disabilities and a range of medical conditions
* Race: includes race, skin colour, nationality or ethnic origin
* Membership of the Traveller community.

Notice they don't mention looks.

TheBoyConor

But with the current climate of being sen to be woke and people being triggered by the most trivial of things, an applicant who is passed over and suspects it being because of being overweight or having scars or whatever, could create a big public furore about it. Even though it is not illegal there is the potential for a lot of negative publicity and damage to a company's reputation.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

TheBoyConor wrote: »

And I am aware that there have been many cases in the past where employers were challenged for discriminating on age, appearance, skin colour etc that could be inferred from a photo.

Any proof of the parts in bold?

TheBoyConor wrote: »

tbh, if a potential employer was to question me on my identity or to ask me to prove it, I would be pretty insulted that they would have such little faith in my integrity and credibility as a professional. I'd be questioning whether it was an organisation that was appropriate to work for. Never in my life have I had an employer ask me to prove my identity.

Is this some sort of a joke? Is your ego that enlarged that you find offence in a potential employer making sure you are who you say you are?

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Why would they need to match a CV with a face? The face has nothing to do with the actual job.
The only face that matters is the person who they actually hire. And that is nothing to do with the recruiter, it is between the employer and employee.

It helps recruiters. The face may very well have something to do with the job, and it's not just for actors and modeling.

It is all a rouse for stalking and to be able to stalk the right person on facebook.

Ah here, this is nonsensical paranoia.

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

It shouldn’t be standard though and people should be fighting back against it.

Yea, good one... :rolleyes: Employers will definitely lose out :rolleyes:

biko wrote: »

https://www.irishjobs.ie/careeradvice/should-you-put-a-photograph-on-your-cv/

Same chap will tell you that you will never get a job with a beard. He's old, he's out of fashion and completely irrelevant.

TheBoyConor wrote: »

But with the current climate of being sen to be woke and people being triggered by the most trivial of things, an applicant who is passed over and suspects it being because of being overweight or having scars or whatever, could create a big public furore about it. Even though it is not illegal there is the potential for a lot of negative publicity and damage to a company's reputation.

Who's going to listen to a fat scarred nobody who wasn't selected for a job for unknown reasons? This hypothetical situation is fantasy.

TheBoyConor

Well on the plus side, an employer cannot discriminate against you for potentially being a homosexual. And if they do, you'll get youself a grand payday out of it.

Calahonda52

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I sent an e mail response to a recruitment agency today and they've asked for a photo. Never been asked this before. Is it just a regular selfie or should I dress up interview style and send one. What's the normal procedure here? And as a side note why do they want a picture?

I would ask them, under Article 6.1(f) Legitimate Interest, of the GDPR directive for their Legitimate Interest Assessment on why the need this information.
https://www.gdpreu.org/the-regulation/key-concepts/legitimate-interest/

TheBoyConor

You can ask that of course. You are entitled. And they might respond.
However, you would have to be not too bothered about the job as they will put your CV in the bin as they will see you as an argumentative trouble maker.

Pauliedragon

I'm honestly not too fussed about it I don't want people here to argue that wasn't the point of the thread. To clear a couple if things up it's a management role in the hospitality industry. I've no issues with sending people photos as I said earlier why? If it's to do with looks I wouldn't consider myself any way good looking so is there any point in moving forward and what type photo to send if anybody here has any experience.

OMM 0000

TheBoyConor wrote: »

But with the current climate of being sen to be woke and people being triggered by the most trivial of things, an applicant who is passed over and suspects it being because of being overweight or having scars or whatever, could create a big public furore about it. Even though it is not illegal there is the potential for a lot of negative publicity and damage to a company's reputation.

"We choose candidates based on their skill level, previous experience, education, how their interview went, and how we feel they would blend into our current team. Hiring is often difficult and unfortunately we could only offer this job to one person. We wish all unsuccessful applicants the best of luck in their career, and we would encourage them to apply for other roles in our company should they believe they are a suitable match."

As long as the company doesn't admit they hired based on looks, it's almost impossible to prove.

I agree with your general point though. Some people are always looking for an opportunity to be outraged.

Strumms

biko wrote: »

https://www.irishjobs.ie/careeradvice/should-you-put-a-photograph-on-your-cv/

This I find shocking...


“Even more frequently I am asked “should I put a picture on my CV?” I find this a hard question to answer, not because I don’t have a view on the matter but because it’s a very personal thing and some people just like to include it.

I believe that the culture here in this country is such that a picture is rarely included. We are more inclined to print a QR code where a quick scan will bring the reader to your Facebook or other private pages. There the idea of a picture is far more acceptable. If your not sure try it, there are lots free QR code generator websites that you can use.”


Sure at this rate we are one step away from handing them our Facebook, Twitter and email passwords too. I can see companies in the future at this rate inviting you to interview but it being conditional on you sending them all of your social media details ! What next, as part of the hiring process they want to do a ‘home visit’ with you and interview you and the family and dog in the living room ?

We need to soften the cough of employers in this country, already taking massive steps into invading the personal lives and overall wellbeing of employees.