ABC News 20/20 Report: White and Black Names

macallan25 · #1 10-02-2006, 10:38 AM

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2470131&page=1

Report shows people with "white" names are more likely to get call backs for job interviews.

DSTCHAOS · #2 10-02-2006, 10:42 AM

Yeah this job discrimination based on name thing was uncovered over a decade ago.

It's become a story again over the last 5 or so years, especially adding the names of East Indians and Hispanics because of the New Immigration.

KSig RC · #3 10-02-2006, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Yeah this job discrimination based on name thing was uncovered over a decade ago.

It's become a story again over the last 5 or so years, especially adding the names of East Indians and Hispanics because of the New Immigration.

Yeah this is way behind the curve - there's reputable academic research that proved this decades ago, and has been replicated successfully since.

The "asshat corollary" doesn't really fly as causation - some of the names used were as simple as Dexter Jackson in the initial studies. The original studies selected out these problems very effectively.

AlphaFrog · #4 10-02-2006, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSig RC

The "asshat corollary" doesn't really fly as causation - some of the names used were as simple as Dexter Jackson in the initial studies. The original studies selected out these problems very effectively.

I was talking about a separate study. I can't find the link to it now, but it wasn't specifically about race-it was about names that were difficult to pronounce. You can be white, and have a name that people don't know how to pronounce, such as a guy I went to highschool with, who's parents name him Celly. I saw it, and assumed it was "Sel-ly", but it was really "Kelly" - but since his last name started with a C, his parents decided to be cute and spell "Kelly" with a "C".

macallan25 · #5 10-02-2006, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I was talking about a separate study. I can't find the link to it now, but it wasn't specifically about race-it was about names that were difficult to pronounce. You can be white, and have a name that people don't know how to pronounce, such as a guy I went to highschool with, who's parents name him Celly. I saw it, and assumed it was "Sel-ly", but it was really "Kelly" - but since his last name started with a C, his parents decided to be cute and spell "Kelly" with a "C".

Kelly with a C.....pretty idiotic.

xo_kathy · #6 10-02-2006, 01:33 PM

True story from when my now husband was looking for an apt.

xo_kathy calls rental company: Hi, my boyfriend saw the ad for the 1BR.
Rental company: OK, we'll have someone call him back. Name and number please.
xo_kathy: Orlando <super Latino last name>, 555-1234
Rental company: Ok, thanks.

3 days later after no call:
xo_kathy calls rental company: Hi, I saw the ad for the 1BR.
Rental company: OK, we'll have someone call you back. Name and number please.
xo_kathy: Kathy <super WASPy last name>, 555-1234
Rental company: Ok, thanks.

30 minutes later - Ring Ring!
xo_kathy: Hello?
Apt. super: Hi! I'm calling you back about the 1BR.

And I'm pretty educated on this stuff, but I guess didn't think it happened so much until I experienced it myself. So I guess it's good that it's in the news again. Maybe some people will learn something new...

Taualumna · #7 10-02-2006, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I was talking about a separate study. I can't find the link to it now, but it wasn't specifically about race-it was about names that were difficult to pronounce. You can be white, and have a name that people don't know how to pronounce, such as a guy I went to highschool with, who's parents name him Celly. I saw it, and assumed it was "Sel-ly", but it was really "Kelly" - but since his last name started with a C, his parents decided to be cute and spell "Kelly" with a "C".

I wouldn't want to be a guy named Kelly these days...nor would I want to be a guy named Ashley.

Why is it that so many formerly guys-only names are slowly becoming women's names?

AlphaFrog · #8 10-02-2006, 10:42 AM

I've also read a study about those with names that are hard to pronounce are very unlikely to get callbacks, because the recruiter doesn't want to sound like an asshat pronouncing the person's name wrong.

ETA: This is why my husband has a family name of Vicente that we'd like to use for a son, but if we do, he'll be Vicente John (John being my father's name), so he can use "V. John Lastname" on his resume.

Taualumna · #9 10-02-2006, 10:45 AM

Isn't this old news?

MysticCat · #10 10-02-2006, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

ETA: This is why my husband has a family name of Vicente that we'd like to use for a son, but if we do, he'll be Vicente John (John being my father's name), so he can use "V. John Lastname" on his resume.

Just know that as far as school and governmental records are concerned, he will always be "Vicente J. Lastname." My brother and sister both have dealt with that all of their lives (well, my sister did until she married and dropped her first name), and my son is dealing with it now.