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CAA A E AACCAXCCACAMMAMSIDIDIEDE E EXEXININISNS PSS S TTI ITPIP
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WHY THE CITY ISN’T FAIR R WHY THE CITY FAIR R WHY THE CITY ISN’T FAIR R
The The allocation of the CityCity of London’s ‘top jobs’ allocation of the of London’s ‘top jobs’ remains bothboth highly arguably remains highly and arguably The allocation of exclusive theexclusive City ofand London’s ‘top jobs’ unfair, sayssays Louise Ashley in her new book unfair, Louise Ashley in her new book remains both highly exclusive and arguably ‘Highly Discriminating: Why the CityCity Isn’t Fair ‘Highly Discriminating: Why Isn’t Fair unfair, says Louise Ashley in the her new book and Diversity Doesn’t Work’. and ‘Highly Diversity Doesn’t Work’. Discriminating: Why the City Isn’t Fair A Diversity senior lecturer at Work’. Queen Mary University Doesn’t A and senior lecturer at Queen Mary University of A London, Ashley believes current diversity senior lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, Ashley believes thethe current diversity agendas ostensibly aimed at rectifying this of London, Ashley believes the current diversity agendas ostensibly aimed at rectifying this situation do not work either, that agendas ostensibly aimed atand rectifying this situation do not work either, and that thethe opening up of access has limited effect situation doaccess not work and that the opening up of haseither, hadhad limited effect – it– it has legitimised a situation where a narrow group opening up of access has had limited effect – it has legitimised a situation where a narrow group continue to rewarded. be rewarded. isnarrow including has legitimised a situation where group continue to be AndAnd sheshe isaincluding the accountancy big accountancy firms here. continue to be rewarded. And she is including the big firms here. She says that over the past 40 years City’s the big accountancy firms here. She says that over the past 40 years thethe City’s recruitment practices andpast associated narratives She says that over the 40 years the City’s recruitment practices and associated narratives have helped practices sustain anand impression that recruitment associated narratives have helped sustain an impression that appointments take place on the basis have helped sustain an impression thatof ‘merit’. appointments take place on the basis of ‘merit’. For her this is just the on case. appointments takenot place the basis of ‘merit’. For her this is just not the case. process, she ForLooking her thisatisthe justrecruitment not the case. Looking at the recruitment process, she sees many at of the Cityrecruitment employers going back to the Looking process, she seessees many of set City employers going back to to thethe same old universities Group) many of of City employers(Russell going back same old set of universities (Russell Group) and insisting at least a 2.1 degree. But as same old set on of universities (Russell Group) and and insisting on at a 2.1 degree. ButBut asas one top recruiter “Itdegree. was typically insisting onleast atadmitted: least a 2.1 one one topthat recruiter was typically felt unlessadmitted: you had a“It 2:1, you wouldn’t top recruiter admitted: “It was typically felt that unless youyou had a 2:1, youyou wouldn’t be intellectually or academically robust in a felt that unless had a 2:1, wouldn’t be intellectually in arena a profession oror in academically an investmentrobust banking be intellectually or academically robust in a profession inoran banking arena to learnor and develop and have the strength profession in investment an investment banking arena to learn andand develop andand have thethe strength of rigour academically to progress in that to learn develop have strength of rigour academically to progress in that environment. In reality, I’m not sure of rigour academically to progress inthat thatwas environment. In to reality, notnot sure that was ever proven theI’m case, so insure HR I felt it was environment. Inbereality, I’m that was aproven toolproven to just narrow down numbers. did everever to be the case, sothe in I felt itWe was to be the case, so HR in HR I felt it was have some people with 2:2s –numbers. there was no a tool to just narrow down the a tool to just narrow down the numbers. WeWe diddid difference in their performance.” some people with 2:2s – there was havehave some people with 2:2s – there was nono difference in their performance.” difference in their performance.”
It has also meant that despite accountancy It Ithas also that accountancy firms continually emphasising they are has alsomeant meant thatdespite despite accountancy firms continually emphasising are building and communicating unique firms continually emphasisingathey they arebrand, building and unique brand, accountants and consultantsaaat competitor building andcommunicating communicating unique brand, accountants competitor firms seem and increasing to lookat alike. accountants andconsultants consultants at competitor firms seem increasing totolook alike. The problem is, Ashley explains, firms seem increasing look alike.for people The problem is, Ashley explains, for to The move up others have toexplains, move down. Creating problem is, Ashley for people people toto upupothers have move amove fluid society means astoto well as down. offering move others have move down. Creating Creating a fluid means as support to disadvantaged groups you have to a fluidsociety society meansas aswell well asoffering offering weakentothe entrenched positions of the most support groups have to support todisadvantaged disadvantaged groupsyou you have to advantaged classes. Organisations weaken theentrenched entrenched positionsof ofsimply the most most weaken the positions the sharing middle classOrganisations culture with asimply wider advantaged classes. Organisations simply advantaged classes. sharingmiddle middleclass classculture culturewith withaawider wider sharing
TIME TO GET NOMINATING TIME TO GET NOMINATING TIME TO GET NOMINATING The deadline for nominations to the PQ magazine
awards is for almost here! Youto have until Friday 10 deadline for nominations to the magazine The The deadline nominations the PQPQ magazine March to get those entries to us, so get nominating. awards is almost here! You have until Friday awards is almost here! You have until Friday 1010 For our 20th awards night we so areget going back to March to those get those entries to us, nominating. March to get entries to us, so get nominating. Proud Embankment, and thewe date been setto For our 20th awards night arehas going back For our 20th awards night we are going back to for Monday 24 April. and the date has been set Proud Embankment, Proud Embankment, and the date has been set you want be at the awards you really do forIfMonday 24toApril. for Monday 24 April. need to get nominating. If you want to be at the awards you really do If you want to be at the awards you really do There arenominating. 21 categories up for grabs, so lots of need to get needchances toThere get nominating. to winning a coveted PQgrabs, trophy.soNow are 21 categories up for lotsisof There aretime 21 categories grabs, so lots ofis not the to go shy onup us.for Why not nominate chances to winning a coveted PQ trophy. Now chances to winning a coveted PQ trophy. Now is not the time to go shy on us. Why not nominate not the time to go shy on us. Why not nominate
group doesn’t create that fluidity. It just means group doesn’t doesn’t createthat thatfluidity. fluidity. just means working class people have to ‘pass’ middle group create It Itas just means working class classpeople peoplehave havetoto‘pass’ ‘pass’asasmiddle middle class. working class. Social mobility programmes can have lifeclass. Social mobility mobility programmes canhave havelifelifechanging effects on those involved. However, Social programmes can changingwhat effects on thoseinvolved. involved. However, following is aon relatively benign However, introduction changing effects those following what relatively benignintroduction introduction to City life,what participants oftenbenign encounter a following isisaarelatively City life, life, participants often encounter different setparticipants of experiences during mainstream to City often encounter aa different set set ofexperiences experiences during mainstream graduate recruitment processes, Ashley different of during mainstream ventured. What firms say about diversity graduate recruitment recruitment processes, Ashleyis a graduate processes, Ashley considerable distance from whatdiversity they do.is is ventured. firms about aa ventured.What What firmssay say about diversity Read our review of her book onthey page 41. considerable distance from what considerable distance from what theydo. do. Read Read our ourreview reviewofofher herbook bookononpage page41. 41.
you and your team mates for Accountancy Team you and yourteam team matesisfor for Accountancy Team of and the Year? And ifmates there someone who has you your Accountancy Team of the Year? And if there is someone who has helped you in yourisprofessional life,has then ofreally the Year? And if there someone who really helped you in your professional life, then you helped can putyou them for Traininglife, Manager/ really inforward your professional then you canof put them forward for Training Manager/ Mentor the Year. you can put them forward for Training Manager/ Mentor ofout thethe Year. Check details on page 17 of this issue, Mentor of the Year. out the the nomination details on page 17https://tinyurl. of this issue, or Check download for at: Check out the details on page 17 of this issue, or download the nomination for at: https://tinyurl. com/k6bkx7fm or download the nomination for at: https://tinyurl. com/k6bkx7fm Remember, you have until Friday 10 March, so com/k6bkx7fm getRemember, nominating!you have until Friday 10 March, so Remember, you have until Friday 10 March, so get nominating! get nominating!
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