

Dropbox’s hiring practices explain its disappointing​ lack of female employees - pmcpinto
http://venturebeat.com/2014/02/16/dropboxs-hiring-practices-explain-its-disappointing%E2%80%8B-lack-of-female-employees/

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patio11
_“Perhaps a question on how Dropbox might be used to solve income inequality
or the unaffordability of housing in San Francisco would reveal as much about
someone’s creativity—and more about their character—than questions about
superheroes.”_

I wonder whether the motivation for this question is:

a) I am genuinely unaware that this question carries freighted assumptions
which would project into the hiring process.

b) I am aware that this question carries freighted assumptions, but think they
are justified because they tend to counterbalance pre-existing biases in the
hiring processes.

c) I am aware that this question carries freighted assumptions, and if it
thereby biases our hiring process, I am totally cool with that result.

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JoeAltmaier
So they want geeky employees. They ask geeky hiring questions. Not a lot of
women are geeky. Conclusion: hiring practices are biased against women.

I guess that's technically a correct conclusion, if many women can be placed
outside the 'geeky' box. If you have an axe to grind (and face it most essays
begin with that) then you can pound out 1000 words.

But what's actionable about that? Dropbox should succeed in some other way?
Because they are succeeding, spectacularly. And changing their fundamental
practices could arguably endanger that.

No I'm not all about the bro culture; I'm about not twisting culture to fit
your favorite PC issue. 'Geeky' is working for them.

I'd suggest doing what Stanford does (did? in my day anyway). They work hard
to find minorities that fit their culture. Instead of bashing the culture as
the problem. Because bashing is just not helpful; and because they're starting
with demonstrable value that could be destroyed by misdirected reforms.

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rdl
Biased hiring practices like...GPA?

