Can you IMAGINE opening your inbox expecting a job offer only to find racist slurs staring back at you? Girl, buckle up because this tea is absolutely scalding.
Allison Jones thought she was about to level up her career when she hit that coveted “Easy Apply” button on LinkedIn for a tech position. You know, the one that’s supposed to make job hunting less of a nightmare? Well, honey, nightmare doesn’t even BEGIN to describe what happened next. Instead of a warm welcome to the team, this queen received an email from someone claiming to represent the company’s HR department—and it was absolutely VILE. We’re talking full-on racist language, including the dehumanizing term “Dear Chimp.” Yes, you read that right. In 2024. At a so-called “legitimate” company.
The Shade Room decided to do what they do best and sent their investigative journalist Justin Carter on the case to figure out if this company is even real or if this is some kind of sick scam targeting Black job seekers. Because let’s be real—this feels like a setup designed to cause maximum harm. The fact that someone would use HR’s name to send such blatantly racist content is absolutely DIABOLICAL.
Social media is LOSING IT over this story. Black professionals in tech are sharing their own horror stories in the comments, and honestly, the pattern is terrifying. This industry has a serious racism problem that goes way beyond just “bad apples.” When companies aren’t even TRYING to hide their bigotry, it’s time we talk about systemic issues, darling.
What’s even more infuriating? Job seekers are becoming targets for these kinds of attacks because they’re vulnerable and hopeful. LinkedIn’s “Easy Apply” feature, which was supposed to help, is being weaponized by hateful individuals. This is the kind of stuff that keeps talented people of color OUT of spaces where they deserve to thrive.
The real question here is: How many other applicants received similar emails? And why hasn’t LinkedIn stepped up their verification process to prevent scammers and racists from posing as legitimate companies? We need answers, sis.
What do you think? A) This is clearly a scam and we need LinkedIn to do better B) The company should face serious legal consequences if they’re legitimate