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Beware of scams: Protect yourself from fraudulent messages

At Diversifying Group, we're committed to your safety and security. We would like to ask our candidates to beware of a current scam that targets job seekers. Fraudsters may reach out to you impersonating consultants with job opportunities or offers in order to get your personal information or request payment. It's crucial to be vigilant and verify the authenticity of any messages you receive.

Recruitment scams are not always obvious. Here are a few tips on how to identify a fraudulent message:

  • It’s from an unknown phone number, country code or email address.

  • It contains a link; these may contain malware that could be installed on your device so avoid clicking on these.

  • It contains sudden requests for payment or pressure to act quickly.

  • It contains poor spelling and/or grammar.

  • It contains unrealistic salary or working arrangements - if it’s too good to be true it probably is.


For your safety, we strongly advise:

  • Do not respond to these messages.

  • Do not share any personal information, banking details, or make any payments requested through these messages.

  • Report the scam message to your local authorities or the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) through their official website for further investigation.


At Diversifying Group, we might contact you by text message, however:

  • Initial contact will usually be via an email address containing @diversifying.com or via LinkedIn.

  • We never send job offers or requests for personal information via text message to individuals who have not registered with our agency.

  • We will never ask a candidate to pay fees as part of the recruitment process.

  • We have an office phone number on our website, so you can give us a call if you’re not sure of anything.


Stay alert and safeguard yourself against fraudulent activity. If you have any doubts or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly using the contact details below:

24 May 2024

Diversity Lens - Issue 224

The ideal candidate for a job is...

SKILLED ✅

HARD-WORKING ✅

PRETTY...? 🤨

I recently read an article which suggested that appearance was accounting for a lot when it came to the success of a job interview. One woman claimed that she had the skills and experience, but was passed over for the role because "I hadn't put in enough effort into my appearance." Meaning, she hadn't worn make-up. This got me thinking...how has conforming to a certain appearance become a requirement of a job?

After some more digging, I found that a survey of over 500 hiring professionals showed that a woman's level of professionalism is often judged based on her physical appearance, including weight, body shape, hairstyle, and clothing choices. Why is "prettiness" an extra unspoken job requirement? And are men ever subject to this kind of physical scrutiny? Let us know your thoughts.

- Stef, Marketing & Community Lead


 

QUICK FIRE NEWS 🧨

🗳️ Ireland’s homeless can participate in next election

✍️ Over 430K mothers face NDAs after maternity discrimination

🏛️ Gender non-conformity goes back to the Ancient Romans

🩸 Sunak apologises after HIV & hepatitis blood scandal

🚨 British police are testing women for abortion drugs


 

LET'S GET INTO IT 🤓

Why is the new ChatPGT flirting with me? 😳

There's a new version of ChatGPT and it is "weirdly flirtatious."

Tell me more GPT-4o was released on Monday - an upgrade described as a "more natural human-computer interaction." One voice option given to this new model confused users by bearing a striking resemblance to Scarlett Johansson. Moreover, the voice was "oddly seductive."

So, who cares? Some argue that this flirty female voice feeds into harmful gender norms. That it builds on existing criticism of the many female-voiced assistive technology (Siri, Alexa) that cater to your every need. There is a suggestion that the way we make demands of these virtual assistants sends a signal that women are "obliging, docile and eager-to-please helpers", particularly to children growing up around this tech. It's not just that the voices are clearly female, it's that they're sassy, flirty, and mostly developed without input from women.

OpenAI denied that the voice mimicked Johansson but have since removed the voice option. They also claim the vocals were chosen for their "approachable" and "timeless" quality.


 

Starmer versus Sunak on trans rights 🏳️⚧️

A UK general election is confirmed for this summer. What does that mean for the future of trans rights?

Legislation update Both leaders agree that the legal recognition of trans and non-binary people needs updating in some way. What this reform might look like is only becoming less clear. While Starmer has been a big supporter of the 2010 Equality Act, his recent comments on transness have been a cause for concern.

Starmer...

🔴 has criticised lowering the age limit for obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate

🔴 is a supporter of “sex-based rights”

🔴 says he "respects" JK Rowling's views

🟠 vows to "modernise" the Gender Recognition Act

🟢 appears to accept that trans women are women and trans men are men

Meanwhile Sunak has...

overseen a more vitriolic attack on trans people during his time as PM, most recently:

🔴 banning trans women from female hospital wards

🔴 attempting to limit gender-neutral toilets

🔴 planning to ban gender identity discussions in schools

🔴 openly says that trans women are not women, and trans men are not men


 

Are reality shows toxic workplaces?

We don't usually consider reality TV show contestants as employees in a workplace, but should we?

Have you seen Love is Blind? In case reality dating shows aren't your thing, we'll explain. Love is Blind puts contestants - fifteen men and fifteen women - on a "digital detox" to remove all distractions, as well as physical appearance, as they date other contestants without seeing what they look like. What they don't tell viewers is that the contestants are subjected to long hours, from 8am to 2 or 3am the following day. They're stuck inside with no windows, but plenty of alcohol. They must follow a strict date schedule, with few breaks, and there is huge pressure to "make a connection."

Take out the reality TV show part and it sounds like a very toxic workplace, right? 😳

Last year, a lawsuit was filed against the show claiming “unsafe and inhumane” conditions, including sleep and food deprivation, and labor violations. Because going on a reality show isn't viewed as "work", they are afforded little protection. People tend to view it with a "you get what you deserve" lens. But is it time for a reality show reckoning?


 

THINGS WE DOOM-SCROLLED THIS WEEK... 🫣

🕵️ New search engine identifies all images of you on the internet

🫠 Employers completely misunderstanding diversity

🗣️ The realities of AI voice cloning

 

 

 

 

 

 

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