So I knew some HR departments discriminated based off names but I never knew the statistics and how accurate that thought was. But a recent study shows that people with "white-sounding" names are 50 percent more likely to get a response to their resume than are those with "black-sounding" names.
The study, done by professors at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology and the University of Chicago Graduate school of Business, mailed 5,000 resumes in response to job ads in both the Boston Globe and the Chicago Tribune. Four resumes were sent for each job posting; two well-qualified resumes, one each with a "black-" and "white-sounding" name, and two lesser qualified resumes, again one each for black and white.
Names were chosen after a study of birth certificates. "White" names included Kristen, Greg, Neil, Emily, Brett, Anne, and Jill. "Black" names included Kareem, Tamika, Rasheed, Ebony, Aisha, and Tyrone. Resumes with "black-sounding" names had only a 6.7 percent chance of receiving a response to their resume, while resumes with "white-sounding" names had a 10.1 percent chance .
The study found as much discrimination in less-skilled jobs, such as cashiering and mail room attendants, as in more heavily skills-based positions such as regional sales manager and assistant to the president jobs.
So, what is the solution to this problem? It's hard to say, according to the article most of the people in the HR departments would not actively discriminate and the name-based discrimination so it "makes it much more tricky" now to prove discrimination now than in MLK's times.
So the only solution to me is listen to mom's who says "God is always working in your favor, so no matter what your name is, nobody can take what God has determined to give to you". Or you can not give your child the so called black names like Cheleishcia, MaKeisha, Taelenshia..
I prefer to go with the strong recommendation of mom's advice with the consideration to the latter.
So what do you think about nameism? Is this a surprise to you, or did you already know this info? Hit me up and let me know.
Full Article: HERE
Suga HiL
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7 Comments:
i wish this something new. it's all a shitload of racism. i want them to do a study on spanish names. that's what im currently afflicted with. (anthony taurus is not my real name lol)
@ Anthony
LOL, Suga HiL is not my real name either. What? got a mexi name? I have to admit that a study of the Mexican names would be intresting. The other thing is I know more white chicks named Tamika than black ones. Oh well.
i ain't mexican.. geez.. im still black people lol. just my name is puerto rican. dominican is acceptable also. maybe even cuban. but not mexican. i ain't short and stubby lol
@ Anthony, My bad! LMAO!! I need to go to politcally correct school for the (Cuban, Spanish, Hispanic demographic). But I can totally see u being Pierto Rican with your knowledge of the grass..LOL!
I'm guilty of this myself - sorta. Allow me to explain...
For me, its not about the name being "black-sounding" or "white-sounding". I'm gonna be blunt and say its more of a "WTF" factor. I recently stumbled across the name "Trashundriuna". Come on now, WTF?!?! I wish I could remember the spelling on some of the other ridiculous (yea, I said it) names that I've seen on apps & resumes. I refuse to spend 15 minutes trying to figure out the pronunciation of an applicant's name. I'd rather call the equally qualified Susan, John or Melissa. Nameism is nothing new & not going away any time soon. Am I justifying nameism? No. Not at all. But the rising "creativity" in baby-naming isn't exactly kosher. Individuality is beautiful, but can easily give way to foolishness - just ask your local Designerae or Kayeshiana.
@ Mandi Nicole, you are hilarious...
I feel ya somewhat..I try to place myself in someone else's shoes though. It's not their fault their mom was smoking some ish when they named them. But, u know I'm not going to name my child something crazy though.
My name is on the blackish sounding side, lmao but i like my name though, let's just say it ends in esha (but there is only ONE vowel before that, lmao) and yea i think having a harder to pronounce name can hinder you while trying to get a job but i think if your qualified it shouldn't really matter. P.S i use to work with a chick name Lawashicka (WTF?) :-)
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