More common name = better job opportunities?

[sandmangeck]

Do you think that having a more common name gets you more job interviews?

[jonathan_matos5]

no but being a full time student and gigging musician gets you less

[tastybasslines]

Yes - it does, at least for black people. African Americans with "black sounding" names like Laquisha or Shanene are more than 50% less likely to get callbacks, even if their education and qualifications are equal or in some cases, better than their "white" sounding counterparts. So I can see this happening on a grander scale.

[Big_Daddy]

Most definitely. Anything that sounds strange to people will make them less likely to phone them back.

[echoSE7EN]

Depends on the industry to some degree.

[TJ55]

I would say "yes" and "no". "Strange" sounding names as Big Daddy and Tasty referred to I can see that working against you. But I would think that a less than common name could work for you too in that fact that it would separate you from the crowd. Names like Matt, John, and David could be anyone ya know? Maybe I'm bias tho' because my name is far from common. Take it for what it's worth.

[MJ5150]

I read that people with "white" sounding names get more callbacks from resumes/applications than people with "black" sounding names.

-Mike

[fryBASS]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

no but being a full time student and gigging musician gets you less

+100 to that

[jokn388]

On my immediate team I work with a Carlos, Rajendra, yaping, weiquan, Andy , Andrew, and Jon. I would say no but that's in my experience

[Phalex]

Well, I would imagine that if your first name ends with "Destroyer of Worlds", it could hinder you in some fields. It could be a real boon if you want to get an entry level position at the Legion of Doom HQ....

[IconBasser]

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

Yes - it does, at least for black people. African Americans with "black sounding" names like Laquisha or Shanene are more than 50% less likely to get callbacks, even if their education and qualifications are equal or in some cases, better than their "white" sounding counterparts. So I can see this happening on a grander scale.

indeed, there was a chapter devoted to this in Freakonomics. Very interesting stuff.

[EBodious]

Originally Posted by echoSE7EN

Depends on the industry to some degree.

yep, my ex's work is in diversity and non-native english speakers and stuff. her first and last names are as WASP as it gets. i have an italian last name (that could come across as spanish sounding). she feels it helped her with job interviews and still uses my name to give hers a little more flare.

[L-A]

Not if you rely on self-promotion. Clients know me on a first-name basis and I can't be mistaken for someone else; there are one or two others named Louis-André in the field, worldwide.

[sandmangeck]

I know it's not the case with the hospital that I work in. I was just wondering within other job markets.

[Staccato]

Based on this thread, I'm changing my last name on Monday! Gotta find the number for the courthouse.

Johnny Stacatto is definitely not getting me the interviews...

[Cabazon]

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

Yes - it does, at least for black people. African Americans with "black sounding" names like Laquisha or Shanene are more than 50% less likely to get callbacks, even if their education and qualifications are equal or in some cases, better than their "white" sounding counterparts. So I can see this happening on a grander scale.

Do you have citation for this? I imagine you do, since you're using numbers.

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

Yes - it does, at least for black people. African Americans with "black sounding" names like Laquisha or Shanene are more than 50% less likely to get callbacks, even if their education and qualifications are equal or in some cases, better than their "white" sounding counterparts. So I can see this happening on a grander scale.

I agree. I've seen it happen first hand, more than once.

[Jim Nazium]

Sad, but probably true. I believe it has also been shown that taller, more attractive people make more money than their short ugly counterparts, all else equal. We humans can't seem to escape these little prejudices, probably because many of them are unconscious.

[RED J]

A short fat guy named Cornelius Magonnasquoggle ain't gonna get far.

[thumpbass1]

I'm thinking about having my name legally changed to Bruno Ratmeister. That would make for some fun job applications.