5 Times You May Have Whitened Your Resume To Get Hired
“When I grow up, I'm not going to give my child an 'ethnic' name. I want them to be able to get a job."
This is a statement that I remember ignorantly making in grade school as I played “house" with my next door neighbor. Imagine that! Even as a young child, I unconsciously was impacted by the idea of “whitening" my life and my family. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only person that felt this way in grade school; many of my friends agreed that they would rather give their future children a “white" or “American" name. Even to this day as an adult, I have met plenty of Black people that have vowed to never give their child an urban/ethnic name. As ridiculous as you may think this sounds, it is our reality in America.
As a hiring manager, I have interviewed countless of people that purposefully left off certain organizations and affiliations on their resume. For those folk, it wasn't until they were hired, and they realized that my company was diverse that they opened up about their organizations, affiliations, and hobbies. Resume whitening is real ya'll (more so disturbingly real). For some job seekers, there is this misconception that by tweaking their resume to omit their race or culture, they are more likely to get hired.
The saddest part about the idea of resume whitening is that studies show that it actually works. During a two-year study at the University of Toronto and Stanford University, Sonia Kang and her colleagues sent out 1,600 fabricated resumes, based off of real candidates to employers in 16 different metropolitan areas in the US. Some of the resumes were left as is, and some were “whitened". It was discovered that out of all of the races, African Americans and Asian Americans were most likely to “whiten" their resume.
In the study, 25.5% of resumes received callbacks if African American candidates' names were “whitened", and only 10% received a callback if they left their name and experience unaltered. For Asian applicants, 21% heard back if they changed their resume, and only 11.5% of candidates did if their resumes were not “whitened" The Asian applicants were more likely to change their names or use a middle name instead of their first name and African American applicants were more likely to slightly change their name and exclude race-focused organizations and awards.
“When I was in college, I definitely decreased the amount of Black-named organizations on my resume. I am a part of a Black Greek sorority, and I was the President of NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists), and I was the Membership Chair for Black Campus Ministries. My name is already very 'urban' and I didn't have a lot of work experience so after not receiving any callbacks, I thought that by “downing my Blackness" I would get more interviews. To be honest, I saw a substantial difference in the amount of callbacks I received after I whitened my resume." - Anonymous
Similar to the person above, most people that were interviewed in the Resume Whitening study said that their reasoning behind whitening their resume is to eliminate potential obstacles that would prevent them from getting a callback. By whitening their resume, they felt like they at least had a better chance to make it to an interview so they could have the opportunity to impress the interviewer. Studies have unfortunately shown that applicants with “black-sounding names" get fewer callbacks than those with white-sounding names, even when they have equivalent educational and work credentials.
While most hiring managers or people won't admit it, discrimination does exist and some people would rather not hire anyone with “urban" names. Even as Raven-Symone said on The View, “I'm not about to hire you if your name is Watermelondrea." I know we can all agree by saying this comment is out of line, but then again it came from Raven-Symone so we are not surprised.
We can all agree that discrimination sometimes happens during and before the hiring process but no one should have to “whiten" their resume to get an interview.
Here are 5 times that you have “whitened" your resume and probably didn't realize it.
1. Abbreviating your name
Instead of listing your full first and last name, you shorten it.
Example: Instead of putting Kamesha L. Smith, it becomes K.L. Smith on your resume.
2. Using your middle name as your first name
You believe that your middle name is more “American" so you use it instead of your first name.
Example: Your name is LaShandra Courtney Dean, but your resume says Courtney Dean.
3. You remove or decrease your minority affiliations
In college, you were involved and had leadership roles in various organizations. Most of these organizations had the name of your race in the name so you remove some of them from your resume.
Example: Instead of stating that you were the President of your Black sorority, a founding member of the Black Democrat Society, and the Vice President of NABA (National Association of Black Accountants), you only list one organization and instead list other organization that don't sound “too Black".
4. You change your hobbies
On your resume, you list interests that are more common with the American culture.
Example: You choose to put interests such as hiking, hockey, or snowboarding because you assume that these interests are more aligned with non-minorities.
5. You alter your location
You change your current location on your resume so that you don't appear to be from an area that is primarily minority-based.
Example: You list you are from San Francisco but you are really from Oakland, California (back in the pre-gentrified Oakland days).
There are many more examples of resume whitening or altering yourself to hopefully get the approval of others. Even once we get the job, we begin to “code-switch" or in other words shifting your language or behavior to identify with more closely with others.
Related Post: Raven Symone, Watermelondrea, and My Job Hunting Reality
What are your thoughts on resume whitening? Drop a comment below and share what you think.
- 'Resume whitening' doubles callbacks for minority job candidates ... ›
- When Resumes Are Made 'Whiter' to Please Potential Employers ... ›
- Harvard Study Says Minority Job Candidates Are 'Whitening' Their ... ›
- 'Whitening' the Résumé - The New York Times ›
- When Resumes Are Made 'Whiter' to Please Potential Employers ... ›
Brittani Hunter is a proud PVAMU alumni and the founder of The Mogul Millennial, a business and career platform for Black Millennials. Meet Brittani on Twitter and on the Gram at @BrittaniLHunter and @mogulmillennial.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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The Power Of Your Big 3: Understanding The Astrological Significance You Hold
Explore your sign’s 2024 horoscope predictions to learn what is in store for you this year in love, career, and more. Check out the love compatibility of each sign to learn more about zodiac pairings and all things compatibility.
Astrology has become even more mainstream and a phenomenon than it ever has in the past. We have gone beyond the, “What’s your sign?” and have moved into “What’s your big 3?” seemingly overnight, and rightly so due to the significance of knowing these important details. Your Big 3 in Astrology represents your sun sign, your moon sign, and your rising sign.
This trifecta is thought to be one of the most significant details of your birth chart and gives you and others more of a full-picture look at who you are beyond just your sun sign.
What Does Your Big 3 In Astrology Say About You?
Knowing your big 3 is important, especially if you are someone who has never really resonated with your sun sign. You read about what it means to be an Aries, but may not align with what you see or your experience with other Aries. Meanwhile, the whole time, you have a Libra rising, the complete opposite sign of Aries, and this is why you have always seen yourself as a more laid-back and less confrontational Aries.
Elements hold a key role in your birth chart and having a big 3 where the elements are all compatible or the same often signifies someone who knows who they are and is comfortable in their skin. Whereas someone with a different element for each part of their big 3 may have challenges with identity or defining who they are or how they want to present themselves. It’s a different type of perspective when looking into your big 3, and it helps you see where your strengths and needs are in life, and how to tap more into this potential.
Your Big 3 In Astrology Explained
Your big 3 can help you navigate life by understanding which part of you comes out more in different circumstances. At home, you are most like your moon sign, when you are out and about, you are most like your rising sign. Whether you are at home or out and about, your goals, purpose, and interests are most like your sun sign.
You can find out what your big 3 is by looking up a ‘Birth Chart Calculator’ on your search engine, typing in your birthday details (you will need to know your birth date, location, and the exact time you were born), and generating your birth chart.
Read below for your sun, moon, and rising signs.
YOUR SUN SIGN
Your sun sign represents the core of you and what motivates you to shine and be your best self. This is your personality, goals, purpose, identity, ego, interests, direction, and where you light up in life.
FIRE SUN (Aries Sun, Leo Sun, Sagittarius Sun)
If you are an Aries sun, a Leo sun, or a Sagittarius sun, you are outgoing, confident, fearless, and in tune with yourself and your personal goals and desires in life. You go after the things you want, and you are not afraid to take up space. You are someone who prefers to be more independent, and you are often in more leadership roles in life.
EARTH SUN (Taurus Sun, Virgo Sun, Capricorn Sun)
If you are a Taurus sun, a Virgo sun, or a Capricorn sun, you are grounded, dependable, loyal, hard-working, and logical. You prefer the finer things in life but also work hard to get where you are. You are someone others feel they can rely on, and you are often a support for other people in your life. You are very connected to the material sides of life, and have a gift for manifesting.
AIR SUN (Gemini Sun, Libra Sun, Aquarius Sun)
If you are a Gemini sun, a Libra sun, or an Aquarius sun, you are light-hearted, free-flowing, intelligent, and communicative. You speak what is on your mind, and you love to connect and communicate with others. People know you for the things you say and your out-of-the-box ideas, and you are someone who is open-minded and provides a safe space for people to be authentically themselves.
WATER SUN (Cancer Sun, Scorpio Sun, Pisces Sun)
If you are a Cancer sun, a Scorpio sun, or a Pisces sun, you are thoughtful, generous, emotional, loving, and compassionate. You care deeply about the people you love, and you are always there for others. You may be more emotional than most, and this is due to your strong intuition and open heart. You are creative, inspiring, and motivated towards connection in life.
YOUR MOON SIGN
Your moon sign represents your emotions. This is the way you express yourself emotionally, how you process your emotions, what you need in love, what makes you feel safe and nurtured, your desires, intuition, your inner world, and what’s going on beneath the surface.
FIRE MOON (Aries Moon, Leo Moon, Sagittarius Moon)
If you are an Aries moon, a Leo moon, or a Sagittarius moon, you are someone who is not afraid to communicate your emotions or how you are feeling, and you can feel your emotions from a mile away. You are confident in yourself and are someone who stands up for what you feel is right. You have a strong need to be seen and heard in your relationships, and a certain type of understanding is needed for you to emotionally thrive. You may have some challenges with anger or high energy and are working through emotional impulses in this lifetime.
EARTH MOON (Taurus Moon, Virgo Moon, Capricorn Moon)
If you are a Taurus moon, a Virgo moon, or a Capricorn moon, you are someone who is emotionally grounded, safe, comforting, and logical. You aren’t overly emotional and may not show your emotions to people much at all, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have them. You think before you speak, and you process your emotions before acting on them, and you tend to be more down-to-earth and understanding when it comes to other people’s emotional worlds as well. You are someone people go to when they need someone to talk to you as you are a very good listener.
AIR MOON (Gemini Moon, Libra Moon, Aquarius Moon)
If you are a Gemini moon, a Libra moon, or an Aquarius moon, you are someone who is fun, outgoing, and emotionally open-minded. You don’t like heavy emotions or too much emotional drama, and you tend to be more go-with-the-flow in this area of your life. Good conversation and mutual understanding are very important to you in your relationships and you want funny banter and inspiration in your connections with others.
WATER MOON (Cancer Moon, Scorpio Moon, Pisces Moon)
If you are a Cancer moon, a Scorpio moon, or a Pisces moon, you are someone who lives by their heart and values your emotional world deeply. You crave a deep type of intimacy in your partnerships and you need a partner who is going to give you that type of emotional connection. You are more private with your emotional world and you tend to hold a lot in, but this can often lead to sudden outbursts as well. Overall, you are the definition of emotion and others learn a lot from you on what it means to love and to feel.
YOUR ASCENDANT (RISING SIGN)
Your ascendant sign represents your perception and the energy you put out into the world. This is the way you come across to others, the way you express yourself, your physical traits and aesthetics, how you manifest, society, and what you expect from the world around you.
FIRE ASCENDANT (Aries Rising, Leo Rising, Sagittarius Rising)
If you are an Aries rising, a Leo rising, or a Sagittarius rising, you come across to others as confident, bold, and stylish. You are known for the way you look or the way you present yourself, and you are usually adorned in bright colors or wearing something that others take a lot of notice of. You are someone who walks into a room, and all eyes are on you, and you love that. You want to be on the move and on the go, and you love to show up in the world exactly as you are today. You see the world with a lot of possibilities and like it's yours to have fun and enjoy yourself in.
EARTH ASCENDANT (Taurus Rising, Virgo Rising, Capricorn Rising)
If you are a Taurus rising, a Virgo rising, or a Capricorn rising, you come across to others as responsible, beautiful, natural, and dependable. You are a hard worker, and you may be known for your career or the work that you do. You are someone who walks into a room and people feel an immediate sense of comfort and like you are someone they can trust. You have strong values and goals, and you are someone who knows what they want. People love to be around your down-to-earth energy, and you make others feel safe and grounded.
AIR ASCENDANT (Gemini Rising, Libra Rising, Aquarius Rising)
If you are a Gemini rising, a Libra rising, or an Aquarius rising, you come across to others as outgoing, friendly, and talkative. You see the world as a place to learn, connect, and be inspired, and you are on a quest for knowledge and understanding. You connect with people from all walks of life, and you tend to have a pretty open-minded and unique friend group. You care a lot about your style and aesthetic and always strive to be authentically you wherever you are. You can talk to people for hours and are often meeting new people and making new friends wherever you go.
WATER ASCENDANT (Cancer Rising, Scorpio Rising, Pisces Rising)
If you are a Cancer rising, a Scorpio rising, or a Pisces rising, you navigate life through the lens of your emotions, and you are deeply connected to the undercurrents of life. You are ruled by your emotions, and this side of you is not something you can keep hidden away easily. You get emotional when you think about society and others at large, and you want to be known for the kind and sincere person you are. When you walk into a room, you feel other people's energy right away and are highly empathic and intuitive.
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