Americans. Several months ago I attended a Bay Area Harvard Black
Alumni holiday party. 100s strong, I found myself in pain at the
event. Individually many attendees had shared in confidence their
stories. More than one Harvard Business School black had prior to
that evening asked me how to get hired at Google. Many other creeds
and ethnicities ask me the same question. Anecdotally in my mind I've
tabulated the results.
If you are a white woman you said "their process sucks." "I don't
understand it." 13 months later you get a call back and an offer.
Maybe you accept. Maybe you do not. The blacks don't get call backs.
By all accounts Google's hiring process is obnoxious. Undoubtedly one
day they will end up with the image of Microsoft where no one cool
ever wants to work there as a first choice. That said, the Harvard
Business School blacks don't seem to have the same chances on the
non-engineering side of Google as their white and Asian brethren.
So here I am many years later off campus at this party. The talent
level in the room is humbling. You think Obama is unique. Think
again. I can stand in a room full of Obamas. It hurts me to see them
not get their fair chance at private firms. Even when they do get
jobs in Bay Area companies it is frequently one rung down and less
than their European counterparts. Promotions are impossible to come
by.
My secret to share with the Bay Area is 'hey you struggling
corporations, wake up!" Black is the new white. There is a sea of
rock star talented black applicants, hungry. If you mentor them to
rise in your ranks they will make you stronger and more profitable
than you've ever been before. When you go to negotiate deals, for
various reasons it just might become fashionable to endue black at all
tiers of your enterprise.
Perry
perry.gregg@post.harvard.edu
P.S. Not to be a Google kvetch, I picked them for this example because
they are hip and bright enough with open minded leaders that get it.
One founder is famous for a question he used to ask in interviews,
'leave the room, take five minutes, come back and tell me something
you think I have never thought of.' There are some companies in the
Bay Area where blacks would be punished if the flag was raised that
there was a problem.
* * *
Re: Could you use a Perry?
My talents are on the senior tech management side, internet
development, commercial software all forms, portals, hardware, IT, et
al. I've managed engineers, engagements and project teams in China,
Canada, Israel, Australia, Europe, India, Pakistan, South America, the
US and former Soviet block countries. It needs to be OK with the
hiring company that I pursue ushow2, Inc. as a side hobby.
Have a current full-time gig, looking to make a change for the right
opportunity. If you act now, you get a Perry bonus of a few contacts
around the world, sales, Board and public speaking chops. Would it be
useful to you to have me join your team? I've spent the past 5 years
in a downsizing environment. I'd like to join a story with an upside.
Travel is fine. Would you care to see how far I can carry the ball
with a chance with the right team? Best,
Perry Gregg
cell: (510) 684-4152
email: perry.gregg@post.harvard.edu
P.S. Bio at http://ushow2.com 'more about us', and
http://perrygregg.com for non-profit activities.