Job advertisement slammed over 'sexist' requirements. Photo / Twitter
Job advertisement slammed over 'sexist' requirements. Photo / Twitter
A job advertisement calling for applicants who possess the "ability to deal with male banter" has been slammed for promoting everyday sexism.
The position is for an Executive Assistant and Investor Relations Advocate was advertised on British job search websites Guardian Jobs and reed.co.uk, posted by recruitment agency RMS recruitment.
The advert seems pretty standard, describing the hours, pay and duties of the administrative role, but it is the 'Skills & Personality' section that has people up in arms.
Along with being emotionally intelligent and being able to handle HNWIs (High-net-worth individuals), the candidate is also required to have a good personality, which they clarify as having the "ability to deal with the male banter and be sociable but not distracting".
People have criticised the ad as "regressive" after a picture of the post was shared on Twitter by theatre director Hannah Joss, with many saying the term "male banter" is just another way of excusing harassment.
"Male banter = casual everyday sexism on this occasion? Otherwise the applicant wouldn't be asked to 'deal with' it," one user commented.
Another said: "Why don't they just say "Must be able to deal with rampant misogyny and snobbery from both colleagues and clients"?"
Here is a picture of the full job advertisement. Photo / Supplied
While the job does not specify whether it is directed at male or female applicants, some users pointed out that using the term "male banter" rather than just "banter" made it appear to be directed at women as they have to be prepared to tolerate male chauvinism.
"Makes it look like they'll only consider women for the job. Doesn't the UK have rules about that kind of thing," a user responded.
"I worry about the 'deal with male banter' line. Not just banter, it's gonna be male banter," another added.
UK employment law consultant Enrique Garcia, told the Huffington Post that the advertisement could also be perceived as trying to exclude women from the hiring process.
"While the ad does not specify whether the company is looking for male or female applicants, it can reasonably be deduced that by specifying the candidate must be able to put up with 'male banter' the majority of existing staff are male," he said.
"This ad is implying one of two things; either the applicant should be male to fit in with the existing workforce or, if they are female, they should be able to put up with 'laddish' behaviour.
"Whilst the advert doesn't stop women from applying, if a female candidate applied and didn't get the job she could consider an indirect discrimination claim if she felt that the reason she was unsuccessful was due to being judged less likely to be able to 'deal with male banter' than a male candidate."
The advert has since been removed from both job search sites, with a Guardian News & Media spokesperson telling IBTimes: "The job advertisement in question was unacceptable and has been removed from our site. We have made clear to the recruiter that the language used in the advertisement was inappropriate and have suspended their account permanently."
