Job applicants in the UK from a disadvantaged background aren’t being awarded jobs in London’s financial sector because they often wear brown shoes with a business suit, a report has suggested.
Firms recruit from a tiny pool of elite universities and hire those who “fit in”, a study by the Social Mobility Commission found. They are “failing” to give jobs to talented but less advantaged candidates, partly because they flout the “opaque” City dress code.
“Opaque” dress codes practiced by those from more formal backgrounds are being used to judge candidates, with brown shoes a fashion faux-pas that many from poorer backgrounds may not be aware of, said the study.
Managers often select recruits who display “polish” and place as much importance on a person’s speech, accent, dress and behaviour as their skills and qualifications, researchers said.
Alan Milburn, chair of the Social Mobility Commission, said it was “shocking, for example, that some investment bank managers still judge candidates on whether they wear brown shoes with a suit, rather on than their skills and potential.
