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"typically those are extremely remote/rural areas" This study (conducted in Chicago and Boston in 2002) indicates that resumes with names like Todd and Brendan

"typically those are extremely remote/rural areas" This study (conducted in Chicago and Boston in 2002) indicates that resumes with names like Todd and Brendan get a 50% higher callback rate than names like Rasheed and Kareem: http://www.chicagogsb.edu/pdf/bertrand.pdf http://www.chicagogsb.edu/pdf/bertrand.pdf Presumably it's worse in the south. Not that I've ever been there.

yummyfajitas 19y ago
That may be a "silly name" effect, not a racial effect. I read a while back a similar study done (sorry, can't find a link), but comparing different white names. Jennifer and Meghan got far more callbacks than Rainbow, Peace and other hippy names. More anecdotally, my friend Dikshit Gupta got far fewer callbacks than Dave Gupta, even with identical resumes (both are obviously Indian). I'd be curious to see a similar study done comparing generic names to generic "dead president" names (George Smith vs George Washington Smith), rather than made-up african sounding names.
- wallflower 19y ago
  Unfortunately, pen names and screen names are chosen to obscure ethnic origins, by marketing necessity, more than choice. My Indian and Asian friends used to know if a telemarketer was calling because the maybe-it-sounds-like this mangling of their surnames and sometimes first names. With the recent outsourcing of telemarketing to Indian call centers, I wonder if pronunciation of their names has improved, if any.
- icky 19y ago
  > my friend Dikshit Gupta Please tell me you're kidding... > got far fewer callbacks than Dave Gupta, even with identical resumes (both are obviously Indian). Maybe "Dave" implies a certain level of cultural assimilation? (Or at least a willingness to sell out ;-)
wallflower 19y ago
Familiarity matters. Attractiveness matters as well. I remember a VH-1 popup video for Fiona Apple that highlighted how many months it had taken Fiona to get from demo tape (one of her friends babysat for a music industry big-shot) to recording contract to hit single. Then it contrasted that with Newt Gingrich (7 years or something to rise to Speaker of House) and other powerful, not-so-attractive individuals.
chaostheory 19y ago
even if racism is still a big hurdle - as someone already mentioned; it didn't stop Oprah - she's in Chicago right?

yummyfajitas 19y ago

That may be a "silly name" effect, not a racial effect. I read a while back a similar study done (sorry, can't find a link), but comparing different white names. Jennifer and Meghan got far more callbacks than Rainbow, Peace and other hippy names. More anecdotally, my friend Dikshit Gupta got far fewer callbacks than Dave Gupta, even with identical resumes (both are obviously Indian). I'd be curious to see a similar study done comparing generic names to generic "dead president" names (George Smith vs George Washington Smith), rather than made-up african sounding names.

wallflower 19y ago
Unfortunately, pen names and screen names are chosen to obscure ethnic origins, by marketing necessity, more than choice. My Indian and Asian friends used to know if a telemarketer was calling because the maybe-it-sounds-like this mangling of their surnames and sometimes first names. With the recent outsourcing of telemarketing to Indian call centers, I wonder if pronunciation of their names has improved, if any.
icky 19y ago
> my friend Dikshit Gupta Please tell me you're kidding... > got far fewer callbacks than Dave Gupta, even with identical resumes (both are obviously Indian). Maybe "Dave" implies a certain level of cultural assimilation? (Or at least a willingness to sell out ;-)

wallflower 19y ago

Familiarity matters. Attractiveness matters as well. I remember a VH-1 popup video for Fiona Apple that highlighted how many months it had taken Fiona to get from demo tape (one of her friends babysat for a music industry big-shot) to recording contract to hit single. Then it contrasted that with Newt Gingrich (7 years or something to rise to Speaker of House) and other powerful, not-so-attractive individuals.

chaostheory 19y ago

even if racism is still a big hurdle - as someone already mentioned; it didn't stop Oprah - she's in Chicago right?