SavvySugar

Résumés With "White-Sounding" Names Have Better Success?

SavvySugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:30:16 -0700

Difficult to pronounce last names might elicit some middle school teasing, and unfortunately name-based discrimination doesn't end once the days of playground recess are long gone. According to a study performed for the National Bureau of Economic Research, résumés with "white-sounding" names have a 50 percent greater chance of receiving a response from employers compared to applicants with African American names.

CNN Money spoke with a few job seekers with "ethnic-sounding" last names who are convinced their names are turning off employers from giving them a chance. People with last names like Rzucidlo, Sameita, and Gallegos are suspicious that their surnames are partially to blame for their extended unemployment. Some recruiters say that an applicant's name is one of the last things they look at - their job is simply to find someone who's qualified. And besides, there are anti-discrimination policies employers in many states are required to follow.

Have any of you ever felt like you've been a victim of name-discrimination during a job search?

Your Two Cents: Have You Felt Discriminated Against at Work?

SavvySugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:00:20 -0700

Discrimination can have many ugly faces; whether it's deliberate or unintentional it never feels good when you've been unfairly treated. On Sunday's episode of Mad Men, Peggy Olsen finally got the office she deserves - one that doesn't double as the copy room. She made the change happen by standing up for herself and believing that her contributions were enough to warrant her own office, even if she was (gasp!) a woman.

Photo courtesy of AMC

Résumé Trend: Removing Your Graduation Date

SavvySugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:37:20 -0700

Age discrimination is usually reserved for job applicants decades out of college, but even those on the younger side of the job hunt may also be targets. Job seekers of all ages have started adopting the practice of omitting their college graduation date from their résumés to keep their exact ages a secret.

Some older workers are taking this a step further by eliminating their earliest work experience. The overall idea from both sides is to let the job experience speak for itself without an employer knowing precisely when you were 22. Recent college graduates, however, should include their graduation year to give reason for any lack of experience.

Source

Have You Witnessed Weight Discrimination at Work?

SavvySugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:02:38 -0700

I've never heard anyone try to defend the US when someone calls our country fat, but weight discrimination is certainly a hefty issue in this country. Women have been particularly mistreated and discriminated against because of extra pounds, and at considerably lower weights relative to their body size than men. Self-reported cases of weight discrimination show that women begin noticing a difference in the way they're treated when they're about 13 pounds overweight. Women reported workplace weight bias as well as mistreatment in their personal lives, and researchers found that this kind of discrimination is more common than discrimination against religious beliefs or ethnicity.

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Utterly Ridiculous: Workers Fired For Not Smoking

SavvySugar — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 07:04:51 -0800

Yes, you read that correctly. Three workers at a German computer company were fired because they requested a non-smoking work environment. The trio, who made up about a third of the small ten person company, apparently caused enough of a stir that the boss kicked their non-smoking butts to the curb.

The boss, named Thomas J., seemed to have no regrets about his decision and explained his position when he said, "I can't be bothered with trouble-makers. We're on the phone all the time and it's just easier to work while smoking. Everyone picks on smokers these days. It's time for revenge. I'm only going to hire smokers from now on."

What would you call this type of discrimination - Smoke-ism?

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The Gender Gap Is Shrinking - Except at the Top

SavvySugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:23 -0800

It turns out, the difference between men and women's salaries is smaller than we thought - as long as those salaries aren’t very big to begin with. A new study from PayScale.com compared salaries across 90 different jobs, adjusting for any outside factors that might affect the salary (the location of the job, the worker’s education, etc.) except for the worker’s gender. What they found was surprising - to see the results, read on.

How Not to Behave: Career Questions From Mad Men

SavvySugar — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:00:40 -0700

When it comes to workplace drama, Mad Men has it all: high-stakes accounts, employees fighting for promotions and power, interoffice affairs, drinking on the job, and professional talent clouded by shenanigans, secrecy, and even sexual harassment. Whenever I watch the show I am both captivated by the saucy situations and characters and thankful for how far we have come as professionals since the 1960s. Obviously, the characters' antics spark all kinds of career questions for us modern women. I've shared my learnings from the show, but where do you stand on their behavior?

January Jones Wanted to Be a Storm Chaser - What About You?	Have You Felt Discriminated Against at Work?	Do You Attend Conventions For Work?
Did You Intentionally Choose Your Career Path?	Have You Ever Had a Drink While on the Clock?	Do You Know Which Co-Workers Smoke?

Hiring Managers Show Preference For Employed Candidates

SavvySugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:30:12 -0700

It never occurred to me that some companies would discriminate between hiring a candidate who is already employed, and one whose status is unemployed. Adding fuel to the frustration of many laid off workers, it appears that more hiring managers are stating a preference for the former.

It's discouraging to learn that some employers only have eyes for passive job seekers. Ryan Ross, a partner at an executive recruiting firm, explains, "If they’re employed in today’s economy, they have to be first string." OK, so I could see how this line of thinking might pertain to top-tier execs who command the highest salaries. But according to The Wall Street Journal, "the bias extends from front-line workers to senior manager." Ouch.

For tips on how to overcome this bias, read more.

Ross indicates that despite the unforgiving economic environment, employers fear that applicants were let go because of poor performance. To help your case for employment, he suggests gathering "strong letters of recommendation from your previous employer, stating that you were laid off for economic reasons and that you are 'eligible for rehire'." If you're unable to get these formal letters, make sure you have solid references from your previous company that are willing to speak with potential employers.

What do you think about the pattern of employers showing preference to candidates who are already employed?

Men Earn in Nine Months What You Earn in a Year

SavvySugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:17:17 -0700

The gender pay gap is definitely not a thing of the past - the 77 cents that women make for every man's dollar in this country is a sure sign that gender inequality continues to plague the workplace. To put things in perspective, men make the equivalent of a woman's yearly salary by the time the first of September rolls around. Configured on a weekly basis, a woman must work until the following Tuesday to catch up to a man in an equivalent position.

Just last week, the Senate killed an equal pay bill, called the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, that was aiming to counteract a Supreme Court decision limiting how long workers can wait before suing for pay discrimination. The original decision was made when Lilly Ledbetter sued her employer for pay discrimination and the case escalated all the way to the Supreme Court. Want to know how long you have to sue your employer for unfair pay? Just read more

As Lilly learned when the final gavel was pounded over her case, you have 180 days starting from your hire date to sue over pay discrimination. Her case makes it clear why it's so important to be aware of what your colleagues earn: She worked 20 years for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. before she learned that she was earning far less than her male colleagues. An anonymous co-worker slipped her a note to make her aware of the disparity and Ledbetter says, "I was shocked. I lost my composure. I had to go into the ladies' lounge and sit down because it was just like falling; you look around and see who's looking at you."

Goodyear gave her specific instructions when she was hired to not discuss her pay, and she complied knowing that breaking this rule could mean trouble for her job. Even if your employer doesn't give you strict instructions to keep your lips sealed about pay, talking to your colleagues about salary is something that definitely doesn't come naturally. When I interviewed negotiation expert Linda Babcock she suggested asking your colleagues what they think you should be making, which could be a more comfortable question. Have any of you ever approached a co-worker about pay issues?

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Will the US Follow Britain's Lead in Exposing Underpaying Companies?

SavvySugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:04:23 -0700

The US is very hush-hush compared to other countries when it comes to discussing money, and our federal law protects our income tax information from being exposed. Not only does this protect individuals' privacy, it also conceals the prevalent gap between the rich and poor and makes the exact gender gap difficult to measure.

UK Equality Minister Harriet Harman has spearheaded proposed laws that would encourage companies to publish figures showing their average gender pay gap. It's a clever way to get around sharing individual salaries while clearly exposing the companies who underpay their female employees compared to men. Harman explained, "We have structural discrimination on pay and we will be able to see it clearly for the first time, workplace by workplace. Women will be able to see they are paid less than men and will be able to complain about it and challenge it."

The legislation would require public companies to share these figures while heavily suggesting that private companies follow suit, and Harman says she's confident they would. I think they could really be on to something with the proposed law, but how do you feel about the second piece of it? The legislation would also promote "positive discrimination" by favoring female and ethnic minority job candidates with equal qualifications.

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