Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#1

Post by minimaxir » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 4:23 PM UTC

Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest
blog.pinterest.com

Re: Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#2

Post by paulhauggis » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 4:41 PM UTC

Honestly, this is adding to the problem. We need to be concentrating on hiring the best person for the job. If this ends up being mostly men, non-minorities, etc, then there are other problems that need to be fixed.

Ie: why don't they have the skill sets to get the job?

This reminds me of what many police and fire have been doing to bring in more women: reduce the standards on the physical tests...which just increases the danger for everyone.

Re: Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#3

Post by debacle » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 5:05 PM UTC

For a site that caters almost exclusively to white women, this wasn't the vector for diversity I was expecting.

Re: Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#4

Post by bigethan » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 5:18 PM UTC

Awesome to see a big name company set specific goals for gender and racial diversity. I can't wait for the end of the "almost every meeting is all white dudes" era.

And much respect to Tracy for moving the needle.

Re: Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#5

Post by BhavdeepSethi » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 7:23 PM UTC

Isn't this wrong at some level? I support the idea of promoting programs like Women In Engg., but hiring based on race/gender is so wrong. Do you lower your hiring bar to get the numbers you've aimed for? And assuming some of these employees turn out to be under-performing, how do you deal with the appraisal process?

I'm not sure if Pinterest posted this article with some other intent (like having more support programs), but in it's current state, it seems discriminatory.

Re: Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#6

Post by BanMeWithRage » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 7:26 PM UTC

bigethan wrote: post #4

Awesome to see a big name company set specific goals for gender and racial diversity. I can't wait for the end of the "almost every meeting is all white dudes" era. And much respect to Tracy for moving the needle.

Moving what needle?

Do you work in tech, in which Asians and Indians of all walks dominate, or do you work in "tech" the same way runners work in "hollywood"?

Re: Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#7

Post by infosample » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 7:35 PM UTC

BhavdeepSethi wrote: post #5

Isn't this wrong at some level? I support the idea of promoting programs like Women In Engg., but hiring based on race/gender is so wrong. Do you lower your hiring bar to get the numbers you've aimed for? And assuming some of these employees turn out to be under-performing, how do you deal with the appraisal process? I'm not sure if Pinterest posted this article with some other intent (like having more support progra…

Assuming a different race/gender is under the bar or will under-perform seems discriminatory.

Re: Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#8

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 7:37 PM UTC

bigethan wrote: post #4

Awesome to see a big name company set specific goals for gender and racial diversity. I can't wait for the end of the "almost every meeting is all white dudes" era. And much respect to Tracy for moving the needle.

[deleted]

Re: Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#9

Post by comrh » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 7:37 PM UTC

BhavdeepSethi wrote: post #5

Isn't this wrong at some level? I support the idea of promoting programs like Women In Engg., but hiring based on race/gender is so wrong. Do you lower your hiring bar to get the numbers you've aimed for? And assuming some of these employees turn out to be under-performing, how do you deal with the appraisal process? I'm not sure if Pinterest posted this article with some other intent (like having more support progra…

If you have 9 men who apply and 1 woman and they're all of equal skill, chances are a man will get it purely on probability.

Re: Our plan for a more diverse Pinterest

#10

Post by rheydrichSS » Thu, Jul 30, 2015, 7:38 PM UTC

BhavdeepSethi wrote: post #5

Isn't this wrong at some level? I support the idea of promoting programs like Women In Engg., but hiring based on race/gender is so wrong. Do you lower your hiring bar to get the numbers you've aimed for? And assuming some of these employees turn out to be under-performing, how do you deal with the appraisal process? I'm not sure if Pinterest posted this article with some other intent (like having more support progra…

For a site whose chief technical accomplishment is to allow women to pin and share cutesy images, I'm not sure having top talent really matters that much.