Free Career and Job Search Advice

[Guest]

I have been working for a lot of Islamic entities in the US, including
a mosque and an Islamic radio. I have sent my CV to about 30 companies and sometimes I do not even receive a reply back !

I have always worked in a managerial capacity, now I have 2 options either keep trying or change my resume to

worked in a radio as advertising manager
worked for a non profit organisation as an administrator

I feel I am betraying my heritage by doing this. But I have to pay the bills to. This could obviously not be a case of Muslim Workplace Discrimination but just my competition being better qualified or experienced than I am.

[PDF] Muslim Discrimination in the UK Muslim Discrimination in the Workplace

[7days]

Hi friend,

Please don't think they are discriminating against you because they see that you may be Moslem by judging you from where you worked in the past, as I truly do not think that is the case. Many of us have sent out many Resumes either in emails, or in the mail, or handed out resumes in person or filled out many job application forms and still only hear from a few here and there looking for an interview. That has nothing at all to do with your religion, so please do not take it personally, as the rest of us are having the same issues. That's just the way it is. Some at least send an email and thank you kindly for applying, but state that you are not qualified and why. Some at least we are able to take a test, or able to have landed a phone interview or a real-life face-to-face interview. Then all of us have to sit and wait it out and get nervous and wonder if we'll ever hear from them, or if we will get that job. It's kinda the way things are, it usually takes several months from when one starts to look for a job to where they actually get one. The exception is someone that is young in say the 20's as that is the ones they tend to hire, and also someone who is already presently working and simply wanting to get a different job. It takes many months when one is simply in between jobs or out of a job. Don't give up, keep trying.

As far as what you put down for your positions, I would say that anyone that came to me (if I were an employer which I am not) and told me they did some work for a non-profit organization would get hired in a second.

[Guest]

Sadly, discrimination is all too prevalent despite all the efforts to eradicate it. Again, as in the gay issue, your religion should not be an issue unless it's a particular requirement of the job. I would steer clear of mentioning anything in your CV that could possibly arouse prejudice in any way, shape or form. Obviously names are a bit of a giveaway but I have known people to "anglicise" their name in an attempt to circumvent any prejudice. I'm not advocating this as it is, frankly, wrong unless your name has been anglicised over the years by your friends and workmates, but you may well feel you've nothing to lose by doing so.

I think your course of action is a good one; concentrate on the facts as they are and you should get judged on your ability to do the work. If this gets you to an interview then the interviewers may well find themselves having to answer a few questions of their own.

Good luck,

Richard

[AliceA]

but do you write in your CV what religion do you have?

I mean, I don't think is discrimination here.. for my actual job I've sent 60 CVs... and I did not think I am discriminated..