Botched interview, not discrimination, was reason UIC employee not promoted

If you Google "How to Nail an Interview," more than 300,000,000 hits come up. Indeed, the importance of crushing an interview cannot be overstated, as one engineer with a race discrimination claim recently learned.

Testing, testing

Greg Barnes, who is African-American, worked as an engineer in the facilities management department at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). He was promoted in 2008 to assistant chief engineer for one of UIC's campuses. In 2015, the chief engineer for the west campus retired, and the university posted the open job. The operating engineer positions at UIC are classified as civil service jobs under the State University Civil Service System (SUCSS). The system sets the minimum classifications required for a position.

To be considered for a chief engineer position, applicants need to take a civil service exam and complete an application. Applicants who meet the minimum requirements are placed on the civil service register. When a position opens up, applicants with the top three scores are asked if they are interested.

UIC's HR department compiled a list of 11 candidates who met the minimum qualifications and included the top three exam scores. Barnes was placed on that list.

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