Tech and engineering professionals went in on Facebook after they released their diversity reports on Thursday. The statistics revealed that a large portion of the company’s talent is still reflected by an overwhelming population of white men at 55 percent and Asian men at 36 percent. Black and Latino numbers capped off at 4 percent and 2 percent, bringing a wave of disappointment and inducing the hashtag #FBNoExcuses.
Facebook’s diversity chief, Maxine Williams, released a statement saying that the lack of diversity was in part due to the lack of skill set exhibited in candidates seeking to obtain employment at Facebook offices. In tandem with her quote, “We have a long way to go,” she also highlighted that the lack of high schools teaching computer science is part to blame as well as the decrease in women and minorities enrolling in those courses.
Although Williams statements are in fact true, it is also true that there are more more minority students with engineering and tech degrees than there are jobs readily available to them. The problem isn’t that there aren’t candidates ready to fill these positions, the problem lies in the diversity and recruitment efforts of the companies trying to hire them. Those who took offense and were disappointed with the lack of effort on Facebook’s part to increase their inclusion of minority talent shared their grievances as seen below.
Folks were quick to put Facebook on game to ideas and resources to partner with in the hopes to decrease their diversity gap in hiring practices.
Why doesnt Facebook partner with orgs like @BlackGirlsCode @CODE2040 & see the growth & foster relationships with us #FBNoExcuses
— Deena McKay (@Deena_McKay) July 15, 2016
If you expand the schools that you reach out for in recruiting you’d find even more POC. Especially at HBCUs & HSIs. #FBNoExcuses
— Kaya Thomas (@kthomas901) July 15, 2016
If pipeline is the problem (which has been proven that it’s not) then create an internship program for blck students. #FBNoExcuses
— Morgan DeBaun (@MorganDeBaun) July 15, 2016
They also let them know that the very people discussing this topic were likely to also have the skills to fulfill any role on their team.
There are more qualified minority technologists in this hashtag than work at Facebook. #FBNoExcuses
— Shanley (@shanley) July 15, 2016
It also became clear that Facebook’s diversity issue is not representative of all tech corporations.
When companies say diversity is hard to figure out
Then @tristanwalker tweets pictures of his team.#FBNoExcuses pic.twitter.com/I2DPAFnLm2
— James Carter (@jamescarterhr) July 15, 2016
Hired someone black and latino in my first week at Skurt, with more on the way. Really not that hard, the talent is there. #FBNoExcuses
— Everette Taylor (@Everette) July 15, 2016
Our cofounder & CEO is Black woman.
Our CPO is a Black woman.
The Collective (photogs) are 55% Wmn, 95% PoC.#FBNoExcuses— Colorstock™ (@GetColorstock) July 15, 2016
Tech is #MoreThanCode. We just graduated talented group of professionals spec. in hybrid skills. Yes, from underrep. groups. So #FBNoExcuses
— 2020Shift (@2020Shift) July 15, 2016
Examining why Facebook’s lack of diversity was such a prevalent issue brought about some interesting points.
If we don’t exist how did @CODE2040 get 800+ students of color to apply for their program with a 2 person recruiting team? #FBNoExcuses
— Kaya Thomas (@kthomas901) July 15, 2016
If tech companies hire for “culture fit”, my mere existence means I never had a chance from birth. Interesting… #FBNoExcuses
— Amélie Lamont (@amelielamont) July 15, 2016
If you can’t get the candidates to come to you, then go to them. Build offices where Black and Latinx candidates want to live.#FBNoExcuses
— EricaJoy (@EricaJoy) July 15, 2016
But the shade in the #FBNoExcuses hashtag shed some light on where the hiring practices may have went wrong.
The available talent is not the issue. Racist ideologies are- do better. #FBNoExcuses https://t.co/b4DQDjAWKR
— Meagan Dawnavette (@Dawnavette) July 15, 2016
“Lean in, unless you’re a black woman”, is what that phrase means. I’ve gotten the same lines. #FBNoExcuses https://t.co/2sMNBiPVKT
— Amélie Lamont (@amelielamont) July 15, 2016
Facebook’s diversity numbers are proof that “Leaning In” doesn’t do a damn thing for women of color. #FBNoExcuses
— MaCherie Edwards (@MaCherieEdwards) July 15, 2016
Even our CEO had to keep it real.
I have hundreds of resumes of technical diverse candidates applying to jobs @Blavity // companies should hire me to source lol. #FBNoExcuses
— Morgan DeBaun (@MorganDeBaun) July 15, 2016
What do you think about Facebook’s issue with hiring diverse talent? Share your comments.
