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Kennah

(14,304 posts)
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 04:36 PM Apr 8

What Researchers Discovered When They Sent 80,000 Fake Resumes to U.S. Jobs

Last edited Tue Apr 9, 2024, 03:48 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NY Times

A group of economists recently performed an experiment on around 100 of the largest companies in the country, applying for jobs using made-up résumés with equivalent qualifications but different personal characteristics. They changed applicants’ names to suggest that they were white or Black, and male or female — Latisha or Amy, Lamar or Adam.

On Monday, they released the names of the companies. On average, they found, employers contacted the presumed white applicants 9.5 percent more often than the presumed Black applicants.

Yet this practice varied significantly by firm and industry. One-fifth of the companies — many of them retailers or car dealers — were responsible for nearly half of the gap in callbacks to white and Black applicants.

Two companies favored white applicants over Black applicants significantly more than others. They were AutoNation, a used car retailer, which contacted presumed white applicants 43 percent more often, and Genuine Parts Company, which sells auto parts including under the NAPA brand, and called presumed white candidates 33 percent more often.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/08/upshot/employment-discrimination-fake-resumes.html



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What Researchers Discovered When They Sent 80,000 Fake Resumes to U.S. Jobs (Original Post) Kennah Apr 8 OP
What I would like to see is someone write a resume with all the "qualifications" (crimes) of trump Escurumbele Apr 8 #1
I started a thread about that a while back. Shermann Apr 8 #11
Can anyone provide a non paywalled link? spooky3 Apr 8 #2
Sorry, was rushing. likesmountains 52 Apr 8 #3
Thanks, but can you put the link in the reply text rather than the title? Nt spooky3 Apr 8 #4
Here you go: CousinIT Apr 8 #5
Thank you, CousinIt! spooky3 Apr 8 #7
This one has links to 5 Kennah Apr 8 #10
When I looked for my first job (1965), it was not uncommon to see "Only Caucasins Need Apply" in newspaper ads. Silent Type Apr 8 #6
"Want ads" were also segregated by sex: "jobs for men"; "jobs for women." Nt spooky3 Apr 8 #8
Boy... do i remember those ads! slightlv Apr 8 #23
That's outstanding. You were a pioneer! Nt spooky3 Apr 8 #24
And the jobs were divided in the newspaper want ads willamette Apr 8 #12
Where was this geographically? ClaudetteCC Apr 8 #13
Rube red South. But, it and other vile discriminatory acts happened elsewhere too. Silent Type Apr 8 #14
I don't doubt it did ClaudetteCC Apr 9 #31
Should have seen the "White Only" sign over waterfountains and restroom doors. It was an ugly time in many ways. Silent Type Apr 9 #32
I sold a house one time that had a deed restriction from the '60s louis-t Apr 9 #30
Well, this study should put the DEI myth to bed. Yavin4 Apr 8 #9
Must really throw them off, Bayard Apr 8 #15
I hate these stories, and I love these stories ... aggiesal Apr 8 #16
Very interesting. Thanks for posting! ALBliberal Apr 8 #17
I'm somewhat surprised about the car dealership. Mr.Bill Apr 8 #18
Wish they'd tested more than auto related industries. live love laugh Apr 8 #19
See CousinIt's post with a non paywall link. Nt spooky3 Apr 8 #25
This can't be true, right? Lunabell Apr 8 #20
and era still not law nt et tu Apr 9 #29
Whats the point of posting stuff behind paywalls? Mosby Apr 8 #21
My cousin has worked for Genuine Parts a long time, his whole career, and this does not PatrickforB Apr 8 #22
On an individual basis Old Crank Apr 9 #26
Something similar was done years ago where the job applicants had the same qualifications but it was..... EarnestPutz Apr 9 #27
Knowing this, should applicants "change their name" or use their initials * Oopsie Daisy Apr 9 #28

Escurumbele

(3,401 posts)
1. What I would like to see is someone write a resume with all the "qualifications" (crimes) of trump
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 04:41 PM
Apr 8

and see how many would hire him for their companies.

Doesn't have to be explicit about the insurrection, just modified to show "leadership" at ousting the president of a company, and things like that. I bet no one would call that candidate back, but when it comes to voting for him, for running the country, oh well, that is different.

spooky3

(34,468 posts)
2. Can anyone provide a non paywalled link?
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 04:43 PM
Apr 8

Studies much like this have been done by management scholars and psychology scholars 10+ years ago.

Silent Type

(2,937 posts)
6. When I looked for my first job (1965), it was not uncommon to see "Only Caucasins Need Apply" in newspaper ads.
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 04:54 PM
Apr 8

Maybe this study indicates some improvement, but still sad to read.

slightlv

(2,829 posts)
23. Boy... do i remember those ads!
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 09:55 PM
Apr 8

Even then it made me mad. Mad enough I joined the Air Force straight out of high school. I was one of the first flights of female law enforcement in the AF. We still didn't have security open to us yet. My main issue? The clothing.. especially boots... we're too huge, and I couldn't drive because u couldn't reach the pedals in the trucks. But at least I served... and made my Dad proud.

willamette

(119 posts)
12. And the jobs were divided in the newspaper want ads
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 05:37 PM
Apr 8

And the jobs were divided in the newspaper want ads. "Men Wanted" and "Women Wanted." Women weren't eligible for most union jobs.

ClaudetteCC

(24 posts)
31. I don't doubt it did
Tue Apr 9, 2024, 01:49 PM
Apr 9

i'm just taken aback by how blatant it was to put such words in a newspaper ad. That was well before my time though.

Silent Type

(2,937 posts)
32. Should have seen the "White Only" sign over waterfountains and restroom doors. It was an ugly time in many ways.
Tue Apr 9, 2024, 01:53 PM
Apr 9

louis-t

(23,297 posts)
30. I sold a house one time that had a deed restriction from the '60s
Tue Apr 9, 2024, 01:26 PM
Apr 9

that the house could only be sold to Caucasians. Obviously, no longer enforceable but it was shocking to see it in writing.

Yavin4

(35,445 posts)
9. Well, this study should put the DEI myth to bed.
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 05:05 PM
Apr 8

You'd think that every non-White applicant would be a shoo-in for any job given the way conservatives cry about DEI.

aggiesal

(8,923 posts)
16. I hate these stories, and I love these stories ...
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 06:33 PM
Apr 8

I hate these types of stories because it shows how persistent racism is.
I love these types of stories because it exposes these companies.

Mr.Bill

(24,317 posts)
18. I'm somewhat surprised about the car dealership.
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 06:44 PM
Apr 8

I've worked at a few dealerships and they made an effort to have a diverse staff. But then I live in California, where the customers are pretty diverse. It was pretty necessary to have some salespeople who spoke Spanish because you get customers that don't speak English.

I would estimate that if the sales staff was all white males, your sales would go down signifigantly, say 25%.

live love laugh

(13,124 posts)
19. Wish they'd tested more than auto related industries.
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 06:54 PM
Apr 8

Also wonder if resumes were the same to eliminate qualifications as a reason for selection?

The paywall prevents me from reading the whole article.

Lunabell

(6,105 posts)
20. This can't be true, right?
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 07:19 PM
Apr 8

America isn't a racist country and doesn't need the EEOC, right? We don't need laws protecting anyone's civil rights! Or is the argument that these are private corporations that can make racist decisions, just let the market decide. It's all so confusing which way the GQP will go on this!!

Mosby

(16,342 posts)
21. Whats the point of posting stuff behind paywalls?
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 07:49 PM
Apr 8

I'm not payfor the NYT or a lot of other sites.

When I post from Wapo or Atlantic I provide gift links.

So just know a lot of us aren't reading these articles.

PatrickforB

(14,586 posts)
22. My cousin has worked for Genuine Parts a long time, his whole career, and this does not
Mon Apr 8, 2024, 08:11 PM
Apr 8

surprise me one single little bit. Same with auto nation.

These are right-wing (racist) bastions in terms of political outlook.

Old Crank

(3,622 posts)
26. On an individual basis
Tue Apr 9, 2024, 01:08 AM
Apr 9

These types of discrimination are hard to prom. Race, gender, age, or combinations of the three.

But after a while the applicant knows, even if they get an interview.

EarnestPutz

(2,120 posts)
27. Something similar was done years ago where the job applicants had the same qualifications but it was.....
Tue Apr 9, 2024, 05:42 AM
Apr 9

.......the taller applicants that were called in for interviews more often.

Oopsie Daisy

(2,674 posts)
28. Knowing this, should applicants "change their name" or use their initials *
Tue Apr 9, 2024, 07:36 AM
Apr 9

* obviously this does not solve the institutionalized discrimination at the resume-call-back level, but it would help to get over that speed bump and have a face-to-face interview.

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