Discrimination Against Ethnic/Minority Names

Nurses Job Hunt

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No matter how many self-righteous managers and nurses might deny it, there is still plenty of discrimination against job hunters with ethnic names. All you have to do is Google to find plenty of articles, stats, and studies showing that people with minority names must complete 2-3 times more job applications in order to receive the same number of job interview offers as their Anglo-Saxon sounding counterparts.

For those of you lucky enough to go by an Anglicized nickname, here's something interesting from a manager/HR blog: you are NOT obligated to apply for jobs with your legal name. If you've been going by another nickname for ages, then for goodness's sake, apply with that name! Resumes, cover letters, and even digital applications are not legal documents. When HR is interested enough to need a background check and social security number, that's when you give them your legal name.

But of course, not everyone has been lucky enough to go by Jennifer or Lauren or Rachel. So is there no other advice for them except to keep their chin up and keep applying? In a job market where even "white-named" job hunters are having no luck with 100+ job applications, that is surely disheartening.

Specializes in Med-Surg.
Again, people who are NOT African American can not speak on it. They are not black and have not had our experiences with trying to prove that we are equal and just as good a nurse as our white counterparts. I know of DONs who have been fired from their positions after making racist comments to African AAmerican nurses. When I was in LPN school I went to a branch of a community college here in Mississippi. In order to go to RN school, I would have had to go to another town to the main branch. The head administrator at the brach I was attending (An older white gentleman who everybody loved) advised me not to apply for RN school at this college because the Nursing insrtuctors were racist and harder on the black students. He advised me to go to en entirely different college.And the sad thing about it is that here in the south, they all profess to be Christians. You can't beat them going to church on Sunday, but of course that is the most segregated place in the world is church.(At my place of worship all races are worshiping together, but of course that is a another subject). Thats what is so sad about it. A lot of people refuse to accept the fact that there is racism even in our line of work. Of course they don't see it because its shameful to them. Excuses, excuses, excuses.

Oh, I'm sorry. I know this might not be very PC, but racism is racism, no matter who it is against. And white people are not the only people who can be racist, just like they can be discriminated against. You assume that white Southerners are racist? Do you think maybe that is racist, assuming that just based on the color of their skin and their geographical location? What about African American preachers who encourage race warfare? Racism works for everyone you know. Offering positions and scholarships based on the color of your skin is wrong, and I HAVE seen it many times, not intended for white people.

No I don't asume all white people are racist. I have white people all through my family.I dont agree with anyone who encourages race warfare. I worship with white people, mexican, asian ect. Not only that but these people are my friends and we are at each others homes as real spiritual brothers and sisters. their children have spent many a night at my house and mine at theirs.But some of them have been disowned by their families because they stooped so low as to befriend a black person. I have several cousins who are married to white southerners. My husbands grandfather is white. And MY grandfather, My dad's father, is white. He and my grandmother had 14 children. But even they are discriminated against for marrying into black families. I'm not stupid. I know that all white people are not predjudice. Bu i'm not naive either. Even dogs have more sense than racist people, white or black. When have you seen a black dog only wanting to be around other black dogs or a white dog only wanting to be around other white dogs? I am saying that racism in the medical field does exist. Thats what I'm saying.

Specializes in Trauma.
Unfortunately this is very true! If you are not a minority, you may not understand. I am from the south and have witnessed applications being thrown in the trash can of people with ethnic names specifically African American names. They may not throw out one that says "Chang" but they will certainly throw out a "LaQuisha" or "Martavion". Lets face it folks, predjudice and racism still exist and in some places its on the rise. It is sad but its true. I have found that in my area, I have to really be on top of my game and work extra hard because of my race in order to get positions that my white counterparts are applying for.

Ummm... You witnessed someone in HR throw applications in the trash only because they had "African-American" names on them? The person in HR told you, an African-American, that was the reason they were being thrown away? I don't know what to think. My first thought is what kind of idiot do you work for? Someone that is trying to set them-self up for a lawsuit, or perhaps you just ASSUMED that is why they were thrown away.

I read a study years ago in Sociology about racial bias and by far the most biased people were educated blacks against less educated blacks.

Specializes in Trauma.
Oh, I'm sorry. I know this might not be very PC, but racism is racism, no matter who it is against. And white people are not the only people who can be racist, just like they can be discriminated against. You assume that white Southerners are racist? Do you think maybe that is racist, assuming that just based on the color of their skin and their geographical location? What about African American preachers who encourage race warfare? Racism works for everyone you know. Offering positions and scholarships based on the color of your skin is wrong, and I HAVE seen it many times, not intended for white people.

...and sexism is sexism. When I was searching for scholarships the VAST majority I found were for minorities and women. If you were a female minority you had it made. There were more scholarships than you would be able to apply for. Do a google search for scholarships for single mothers then do one for single fathers and see how big of a disparity there is.

Specializes in Med-Surg.
...and sexism is sexism. When I was searching for scholarships the VAST majority I found were for minorities and women. If you were a female minority you had it made. There were more scholarships than you would be able to apply for. Do a google search for scholarships for single mothers then do one for single fathers and see how big of a disparity there is.

Yup, I totally agree with you. I think in the interest of making things "fair", we have made things the complete opposite of it. When not everyone is eligible to have the same things, with all other things being equal except for race/age/gender/etc.. that is considered NOT fair. What should matter is our need, our skills, our abilities. Not the color of our skin, how many birthdays we have had or the dangly thing between our legs.

Pardon my bluntness, but this topic really grinds my gears.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
My ethnicity is WASP - but I agree with the OP. In fact, it is such an "open secret" that I know of three people in my grad school classes who anglicized their first names for professional reasons. One of my current colleagues (African American) legally changed her first name when she was pursuing her doctorate in public health after being advised to do so by an influential professor.

I do know that having an unusual or weird first name is a real disadvantage in some professions because it detracts from the gravitas that they need to project. Can you imagine a Supreme Court Justice named Moonbeam or Apple?

I have no solution - wish I did.

The only Apple I know of has a blonde, blue eyed mother. Not sure if we're discussing racism or "alternative names."

I will agree that this does still happen this day and age, even though it shouldn't. I'm sure a lot of it is subconscious on the part of the hiring manager. But it happens all the same.

Since black parents know what kind of discrimination is out there, I can't help but wonder why they name their daughters names like "Sharika" or "Latonja". It's their right, for sure. And they should be able to embrace their own culture. But the fact remains that those names carry certain connotations, whether we like it or not. Why would you limit your child that way, fair or unfair?

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Unfortunately this is very true! If you are not a minority, you may not understand. I am from the south and have witnessed applications being thrown in the trash can of people with ethnic names specifically African American names. They may not throw out one that says "Chang" but they will certainly throw out a "LaQuisha" or "Martavion".

*** My question is why would any parent give their child a name (like those mentioned above) that will certainly put them at a disadvantage in life?

I work in a city that is probably about 70% white and yet I (white) am often a minority amongst the nurses. I find that fact interesting and have no clue as to why. Thus I do not see racial discrimination where I work unless I am the one being discriminated against? I don't think so.

@brandonlpn that's not a 'culture thing', that's a 'ghetto thing' lol. I completely agree with you though. When I had my son, I gave him a name that wouldn't tell his ethnic background. Sad but true. *shrugs shoulder* the point is racism will never end. I have been called the 'n' word so many times by people I have never met. Especially when I play xbox online with my husband. I can always expect to be called a 'ni***r' at least 3 times. Smh......

agree with misstgo. Racism is here. So as said, my hospital is probably 20% white staff and the rest a mixture, mostly asian. I hardly ever hear racist remarks. I have been doing this a long time and only twice have heard it. The last time was a shocker. I walked into a room and the white patient family said to me "Oh how nice, a white nurse". That was a first! Is that racist? On their parts? Probably somewhat but I get mixed up these days. I did not know what to say other than "we are a very diverse great group of nurses".

I'm assuming most of the posters here are from the US? I live in Canada, specifically in the city of Toronto. Over half our population are non-white "minorities" if you can call it minority at all. The nursing profession especially, whites are the minority, I've been on past units where white nurses make up maybe like 10%. Most are filipino, black, or some kind of south or east asian. I'm surprised to hear about this discrimination still existing, guess it really depends on location as well maybe.

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