If your face does not fit, forget it

I read with interest your special student issue (The Lawyer, 20 October). It appears that employers place an extraordinarily high emphasis on academic achievement. Furthermore, one human resources manager referred to the importance of team spirit and the need for your "face to fit in".

These two areas are of great concern because of equal opportunities. Many extremely hard working trainees tend to come from new universities, and they are often the first generation to have come in to the academic world. Many, given a chance, will excel in work as they and their parents have sacrificed a great deal to get where they are. Academic achievement alone is unlikely to guarantee quality of work, or indeed, loyalty to the employer

What is more worrying is that human resources managers still place importance on a person's "face fitting in". Those involved in equal opportunities will know that is a recipe for indirect discrimination to creep in.

I also hope that when you next cover students, you will look at problems faced by ethnic minorities.



Maria Fernandes, council member, Law Society