Since receiving his offer to paralegal for Clayton-Utz, Dustin Dobbs has acknowledged his inherent privilege may have played into the hiring decision. Dustin is a heterosexual cis-male whose dad plays squash with Alfred, the managing partner, on a Tuesday.
“Yeah look I wasn’t too surprised when I got the position,” Dustin revealed as he opened his complimentary bottle of Moet, received as a welcome gift from the firm, “but I felt a bit weird when I thought about how much more qualified the other candidates seemed to be in comparison. When I realised I probably got the position because of my privilege I just felt so much better. Not that I got the position, but that I acknowledged it, you know?
“Look, I know there were better candidates out there. Like my friend Saanvi? She’s the President of the LSS, has paralegal experience and volunteers at a CLC part-time”, Dustin espoused to his friends at the pub, shortly after signing the employment contract.
“Why didn’t she get the position? It makes me so angry!
“I mean, I’m a credit average student with no extracurricular involvement. There were definitely more qualified candidates.”
When asked to comment, Saanvi responded: “He’s by no means as qualified as me, but he’s definitely more confident. Maybe he was just a better culture fit? Or he interviews better than I do,” she said, before signing up to a $400 three-week course on ‘Assertive Interview Skills for Women’.
“Feminism has come so far, but we’ve got so far to go you know? I’m glad I can recognise there’s something not quite right here. Most guys would just assume they’re entitled to the position, but I was really nervous at this interview stage. Like, I was going up against some really strong candidates.”
Dustin’s father, James Dobbs, had this to say of his son’s success:
“I’m proud of him. Really. He’s worked hard to fit into the mediocre male hiring pattern that allows more senior members of staff not to feel threatened. Plus, women are just less consistent workers, which is something you really need at a law firm. Alfred just can’t afford someone handling a big case to get all irrational because of some blood coming out there whatever.
“And God maternity leave is a scam. Although you don’t have to pay them as much, so that’s a plus.”
Dustin was unable to make Saanvi’s Fight the Wage Gap Protest earlier today due to it conflicting with his hangover from the night before. He is excited to attend his first ever day at work next Monday though, particularly as his parents still pay his rent so all money earned will go directly onto his tab at Acads.