Dropping Things Off Your CV

[dales.girl38]

On the photo on CV thing, if you have a particularly ethnic sounding name and don't necessarily fit that particular ethnic group then a photo can assist in overcoming a number of stereotypes and bigoted views that people hold. There has been a study in the US on this and equally qualified candidates where one has a particularly black sounding name (ie: DeSean Jacquizz Smith) are significantly less likely to be offerred an interview.

My dad had this exact problem in the 1980s when he was living in Perth after migrating from New Zealand (originally from India). He was applying for heaps of jobs and was never even getting an interview, and eventually was advised by friends to put a photo on his resume to show that he was quite caucasian in appearance, because people tend to assume our surname is Indigenous Australian. Started getting interviews straight away and a job soon after..

 

[Nothing]

That's covered in the film version of Freakonomics by Morgan Spurlock of Super Size Me fame.

That's the one.

 

[kfc1]

My dad had this exact problem in the 1980s when he was living in Perth after migrating from New Zealand (originally from India). He was applying for heaps of jobs and was never even getting an interview, and eventually was advised by friends to put a photo on his resume to show that he was quite caucasian in appearance, because people tend to assume our surname is Indigenous Australian. Started getting interviews straight away and a job soon after..

Your surname is Dingo?

 

[NarklesHelmet]

On the photo on CV thing, if you have a particularly ethnic sounding name and don't necessarily fit that particular ethnic group then a photo can assist in overcoming a number of stereotypes and bigoted views that people hold. There has been a study in the US on this and equally qualified candidates where one has a particularly black sounding name (ie: DeSean Jacquizz Smith) are significantly less likely to be offerred an interview.

That is an unfortunately all too common occurrence everywhere. Where i live here in Sweden they have done studies and investigations on it and found if you don't have a name like Svensson or Larsson you are a lot less likely to be called for an interview. I know of some immigrants who have changed their names because of it.

 

[J_Moore]

Yeah, my partner's got an Indian surname, and she got suspiciously few calls when she was job hunting a few years ago. Always had my suspicions about it, to be honest.

 

[magic_johnson!]

Don't know about the nickname thing. I wouldn't look at an 'alex smith' and go pfft, his name isn't even alexander. My first name is timothy, but ****ed if i could go a whole interview being referred to as timothy just for the sake of not putting down tim. Maybe i'm biased because i have one of these names, but yeah i don't know.

Interesting reading about the last name/ photo thing though. Something i never thought about, but seems to have some merit to it. Unfortunate that in this day, in this multicultural country, that a last name can be off putting.

 

[Run n Spread]

Don't know about the nickname thing. I wouldn't look at an 'alex smith' and go pfft, his name isn't even alexander. My first name is timothy, but ****** if i could go a whole interview being referred to as timothy just for the sake of not putting down tim. Maybe i'm biased because i have one of these names, but yeah i don't know.

Interesting reading about the last name/ photo thing though. Something i never thought about, but seems to have some merit to it. Unfortunate that in this day, in this multicultural country, that a last name can be off putting.

Never got those names. Why didn't your parents just put Tim on the birth certificate given that is the name you are refereed to? Similar for Benjamin, Christopher, Nicholas etc Basically the shortened version is effectively how you would introduce yourself rather than it being a nickname as such.

 

[magic_johnson!]

Never got those names. Why didn't your parents just put Tim on the birth certificate given that is the name you are refereed to? Similar for Benjamin, Christopher, Nicholas etc Basically the shortened version is effectively how you would introduce yourself rather than it being a nickname as such.

I don't know, wasn't alive 20 years ago to have a say. Perhaps some of the more mature gd posters have an understanding of society back in the early 90s? Was it tradition then for everyone to be called ben, andy, tim etc or were some still referred to as benjamin/ nicholas? Having the long name leads to a couple of options should the child choose something different, while having the nickname on the birth certificate leaves just option. Only thing i can think of, apart from tradtion.

Edit: also, thanks dales.girl38 for bringing up the 100 likes. How popular you've made me feel, you'll never know

 

[Unknown Caller]

Caesar
Work experience
Super Moderator, BigFooty

• Upholding the values of glorious website BigFooty

 

[dales.girl38]

Yeah, my partner's got an Indian surname, and she got suspiciously few calls when she was job hunting a few years ago. Always had my suspicions about it, to be honest.

My dad copped it worse when he was believed to be Indigenous Australian than Indian, but for either to be seen as a reason for not hiring someone is a shame. 30 years on and there are still signs of it.

 

[kfc1]

I have seen that attitude from time to time in the corporate world and it is usually explained as being wary of potential language/communication issues. In my field you get some highly qualified graduates who can't string a sentence together because their english is so poor

 

[dales.girl38]

I have seen that attitude from time to time in the corporate world and it is usually explained as being wary of potential language/communication issues. In my field you get some highly qualified graduates who can't string a sentence together because their english is so poor

Seems like a cop out to me. If their resume is well written (and they have the necessary qualifications), there is no reason to not interview someone because 'they might have language issues'.

 

[Nothing]

Seems like a cop out to me. If their resume is well written (and they have the necessary qualifications), there is no reason to not interview someone because 'they might language issues'.

Fry eyes narrowing.jpeg

 

[dales.girl38]

Fry eyes narrowing.jpeg

Oh dear..

 

[kfc1]

Seems like a cop out to me. If their resume is well written (and they have the necessary qualifications), there is no reason to not interview someone because 'they might have language issues'.

I agree with you.

 

[checkraiseulite]

Seems like a cop out to me. If their resume is well written (and they have the necessary qualifications), there is no reason to not interview someone because 'they might have language issues'.

and he's an indigenous australian.

(might have language issues though, and come to work permanently stoned)

 

[Dagless]

I'm pining for a BigFooty Death List championship to top off the CV.

 

[Plugger35]

That is an unfortunately all too common occurrence everywhere. Where i live here in Sweden they have done studies and investigations on it and found if you don't have a name like Svensson or Larsson you are a lot less likely to be called for an interview. I know of some immigrants who have changed their names because of it.

I'm not sure calling yourself Mohammed Svensson is going to win over the Swedes.

Yeah, my partner's got an Indian surname, and she got suspiciously few calls when she was job hunting a few years ago. Always had my suspicions about it, to be honest.

She should have gone for a telemarketing job she would've been swamped by calls, at dinner time.

#racial stereotypes

 

[J_Moore]

She should have gone for a telemarketing job she would've been swamped by calls, at dinner time.

#racial stereotypes

#hilarious

 

[nicky]

Yeah, my partner's got an Indian surname, and she got suspiciously few calls when she was job hunting a few years ago. Always had my suspicions about it, to be honest.

Mmm actually i recall a friend of mine in fashion telling me that she outsourced the recruitment of accounting and financial jobs for her employer in order to filter Indian applicants. So you are dead right to be suspicious.

 

[Catfish Alley]

Seems like a silly thing to do. Indians I've known have been really hard workers.

 

[dales.girl38]

When people learn of my Indian heritage I tend to cop more taxi driver or 7/11 jokes than call centre ones.. people are hilarious

 

[Illinois Nazi]

When people learn of my Indian heritage I tend to cop more taxi driver or 7/11 jokes than call centre ones.. people are hilarious

Thank you, come again!

 

[Plugger35]

I apologise if I offended anyone with that Indian telemarketing joke.

I actually worked with a lot of Indian people in the finance department of British Airways in London and they were lovely people. For morning tea on a Friday we used to have samosas and other Indian food that some of the Indian women there would bring in, it was delicious, much better than the normal party pies and sausage rolls you get for morning tea here.

One of my best mates there was an Indian Sikh bloke that wore the old turban, he was born and bred in Birmingham and had a full on Brummie accent. Loved his cricket like me so we got on like a house on fire.