This whole idea that there are not enough women in any job is silly. The security services should aim to employ the best of the best not try and make a 50/50 split for gender equality.

Reply 4

jakeel1

Original post by DiddyDec

This whole idea that there are not enough women in any job is silly. The security services should aim to employ the best of the best not try and make a 50/50 split for gender equality.

Decisions should be based on merit alone.

Reply 5

Chlorophile

Original post by jakeel1

Decisions should be based on merit alone.

Original post by DiddyDec

This whole idea that there are not enough women in any job is silly. The security services should aim to employ the best of the best not try and make a 50/50 split for gender equality.

As far as I understand, they're not saying that the entry standards should be lower for women than men or that there should be some kind of positive discimination. They're simply trying to make more women aware of the prospects of a career in the intelligence services.

Reply 6

Arkasia

Good god that would be awful.

"BREAKING NEWS: MI5 have identified new threat from their Mumsnet sources: Men."

Reply 7

Ezisola

Original post by Chlorophile

They're simply trying to make more women aware of the prospects of a career in the intelligence services.

How patronising.

Reply 8

Chlorophile

Original post by Ezisola

How patronising.

Not really... if there aren't very many women applying for jobs in a certain area and the reason is thought to be because it's traditionally regarded as a job for men, it's not a huge surprise if they're actively targeting women for advertising.

Reply 9

jakeel1

Original post by Ezisola

How patronising.

I have a problem with recruiting someone who cannot look on the website to an intelligence agency.

Reply 10

MossadDid9/11

They'll probably recruit Muslims and frame them for terrorism.

Reply 11

thesabbath

They obviously need a few women to operate honey traps but haggard feminists and overweight mothers from a communist hotbed don't strike me as optimal candidates.

Reply 12

4 3

Most of those women can't even raise a child properlly, they have no business working for national security

Reply 13

Rakas21

"So candidate Mumsnet, what experiences can your draw on to highlight your suitability for the job

Well Interviewer, when my son came home and told me he'd knocked up a teen i beat the crap out of him, this highlights my experience with torture. In addition, i convinced my husband to drive around in a pink car and buy me 30 different pairs of shoes so i'm well versed in psychological manipulation, finally i stopped my daughter from being groomed by a paedophile online so i'm well versed at intercepting intelligence."

..

Being serious, it should be based on merit.

Reply 14

Doones

Of course it should be based on merit - but that's not what this is about. It's about having a broader range of skills within the intelligence services, and therefore advertising the opportunities on sites like Mumsnet (and TSR?)

Did you even read the linked article?

And, in case you don't trust The Guardian, here's The Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11451134/MI5-and-MI6-must-recruit-spies-from-Mumsnet-says-watchdog.html

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 15

Snagprophet

This sounds like a terrible idea. Mumsnet has a spacial awareness akin to incredibly conservative and backward people as well as social justice warriors.

Reply 16

nulli tertius

Given that spying involves anti-social hours, overseas postings, extensive travel and a certain amount of risk, none of which are likely to appeal to those with primary caring responsibilities, I thought that 37% female employment looked impressive. That is 10% more than the police achieve.

I accept that the civil service as a whole has more than 50% female employment but the DWP doesn't have a Job Centre in Kabul and the Rural Payments Agency doesn't work 24/7.

Reply 17

Joinedup

Original post by nulli tertius

But they (MI5) keep telling us it's not like a James Bond movie... more like George Smiley but with fewer thrills.

Is this news?

Original post by Joinedup

But they (MI5) keep telling us it's not like a James Bond movie... more like George Smiley but with fewer thrills.

George Smiley worked nights.

Smiley spent WWII in Berlin. "I'm sorry dear, the kids' lunches for the next six years are in the fridge."

What about all those trips to see Connie Sachs in Oxford? Who would pick up the kids from school?

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