A 2004 study showed the perceived racial origin of your name matters when applying for jobs. The researchers applied to a range of jobs using a set of names usually perceived as belonging to Black people and another set typically perceived to belong to white people. The “Black” names received 50% fewer callbacks than the “white” ones.
In 2021 a group of researchers replicated that experiment to see if things had improved. The results show that they have, but there is still a problem. The average employer they tested was 9% more likely to call someone with a white name back than an applicant with a Black name. Some companies, however, were 24% more likely to call the white names.
What is a Black name or a White name?
In the 2021 study, the researchers took their sample of names from a list of people issued with speeding tickets in North Carolina. They defined a race to a name if 90% of the people with that name were of the same race. They also reused some of the names from the original 2004 study.
It goes far beyond Black or White
Many already know what these studies prove – that names with strong racial ties can sometimes limit opportunities. There is a long history of immigrants of all origins changing their names for something more American-sounding and making sure their kids have American-sounding names.
What can companies do to reduce discrimination based on names?
One option an employer could use is to remove the names from the applications before sending them on to whoever is to review them. They can also use their computer systems to look for patterns in who they recruit. Does one department or recruiter tend to call back or recruit far fewer people with names of certain perceived racial origins? Or overly favor names with another perceived racial origin.
If you feel an employer has discriminated against you because of your name, there may be legal options available.