CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- It helps to have a white-sounding first name when looking for work, a new study has found.

Resumes with white-sounding first names elicited 50 percent more responses than ones with black-sounding names, according to a study by professors at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The professors sent about 5,000 resumes in response to want ads in The Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune. They found that the "white" applicants they created received one response -- a call, letter or e-mail -- for every 10 resumes mailed, while "black" applicants with equal credentials received one response for every 15 resumes sent.

The study authors, including University of Chicago associate professor of economics Marianne Bertrand, said the results can solely be attributed to name manipulation.

"Our results so far suggest that there is a substantial amount of discrimination in the job recruiting process," they wrote.

The professors analyzed birth certificates in coming up with what names to use. The white names included Neil, Brett, Greg, Emily, Anne and Jill. Some of the black names used were Tamika, Ebony, Aisha, Rasheed, Kareem and Tyrone.

Companies that purported to be equal opportunity employers were no more likely to respond to black resumes than other businesses, the study found.

Carolyn Nordstrom, president of Chicago United, a group that seeks to increase corporate diversity, said the study shows the need to educate those that make hiring decisions.

"We like to believe that this has changed, but this is evidence that it hasn't," she said.

I dunno - Peaches and Tonda are questionable. <g> But Serge - just makes ya think White Russian - oh wait, that's a drink. Yeah, Serge makes me think about wanting to have a drink. No....that's not right either. lol

:lol:

In the area where I live it's more like Juanita, Jorge, Jose, Juan... and when my mom was out looking for a part-time job recently it was all those J-names that got hired instead. Apparently in California it's bad if your name is Barbara.

Unfortunately discrimination is still alive and well and living in the US today. In fact I hear - it's alive around the world. *sarcasm* It's an unfortunate fact of life. Whether you are in an area that is discriminate against black, white, hispanic, asian or whatever - the majority still wins out over the minority. I guess that's why I like the net. You can work here for years without people knowing what color your skin is - you're more judged on your words, your acts, your business practices and your community contributions. Too bad we can't all wear color-blind glasses in the "real world" and greet people based on their deeds all the time.

:agrin:

HaHa. Here too. "Must be bi-lingual"

This is a perfect opportunity to bring back a classic ;-))) Let's even the playing field once and for all, for everyone shall we?

http://www.fadetoblack.com/namegenerator/

:rokk: :rokk: :rokk:

I love those name generators.

Bow before Zuwadza!

I stopped the whole racism debate a few years ago. Trying to convince someone not to be a racist is very frustrating and always a waste of time. Maybe in a 100 years it won't matter anymore.

I'm going to blow this theory out of the water using two words:

If you see the name VANILLA ICE on a resume would you hire him? :nyanya:

Just to play devil's advocate here a little: If they did the exact same test, but sent the applications to predominantly black owned and operated businesses, do you think the results would come out the other way around?

Would more black names than white names get called in for interviews in that scenario?

Ok I'm confused (but not confucy)

Peaches, Serge, And Tonda are BLACK NAMES - I mean look, the names are black, as in black font, not to be confused with black ink

Now these are white names - Manny, Moe and Jack


I think (therefore I is) white names would do worse on apps and resumes as most are on white paper

Just goes to show .... Like Chuck Berry said ... you never can tell



Last edited by Vick at Jan 15 2003, 03:12 PM

What a scream.......

"From this day forward, you shall be known by all your brothers and sisters as:
Shebelle................. "

Works for me!

lol, how about names like Esa and Dondrea? :)

Thanks MikeW...

...I be Shaleesa!

Nickatilynx =Zuwarah

I kinda prefer Zuwarah :)

Not fair - you guys all got cool Afrikan sounding names - Kath or even Kathleen translates out to....

Huggy bear?!? WTF? lmao

Esa means "That" in Spanish...so you could go either way, girlie :)

Go either way huh? DAMN!!!!!

;)

Don't tell KC! :P

Oh, Monkey Girl, we've known about you for years :P

Proof that I'm a bad mo'fo':

From this day forward, you shall be known by all your brothers and sisters as:

Shaft

:rokk:

Your damn right!

I ran the name "Dravyk" through there......


It came back.............

"LOSER"


ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

:devil: :devil:

Scary images suddenly of Nick as backup singer to Issac Hayes. :zoinks:

But he does look good in a mini skirt, I must say. :P

I do have the legs for it :)

The maid is staring at me sitting here looking at the monitor and laughing my ass off :P Hey, a new diet plan!! :D

I ran "Nickatilynx" through there ...

It came back with a warning page saying that I, ahem, "Nickatilynx", was wanted in 97 countries and not to move. :o

Its nice to be wanted Drav :)

You wouldn't know :)

.... And I won't be finding out what it's like to be the fav bitch of Mongo from Cellblock C either!!! :inlove:

Lame comeback,Drav!!!!

I WILL be mongo :)

gotta go ...its my daughters birthday.CYA in the am.That should give you time to think of spontaneous taunts :)

I love those "spontaneous" comebacks that take hours to think up :P

Damn, and you say mine are lame? ROTFL!

... Besides you can't be Mongo, you're wearing the mini skirt. :awinky:

I heard that KK was missing one from our room in Vegas...but they swear that Nick wasn't there :P

KK is thin. :)

I'd rip her miniskirt.............
or have a dang good try at it :)

You could use your teeth if you weren't a'scared of the dentist :P

wtf, my african name is "Buckwheat "

that doesnt sound very african to me.

and to all the gringos with a new African name, Happy Kwanza


:D

Boy this gives a whole new meaning to the word mutipule personalities.

You can basically be a different person every day of the week just visit it daily it'll almost give you something new each time.

I used to have a white name but it's black now.

What about "Torone"?