Should Students Change Their Names for the Job Search?

A new working paper confirms and expands what we know about discrimination in the job search. Applicants with names that are difficult to pronounce are less likely to be called for interviews and may suffer career loss down the road. The researchers describe related studies about racial bias: within minority groups, which already face discrimination, those with less “fluent or familiar-sounding names” are 50% less likely than those with “white” names to get called for an interview.

Students make difficult decisions about whether to change their names or “whiten” their resumes in other ways. In Chapter 13 of Business Communication and Character (11e), we explore the advantages, such as more callbacks for jobs, and the disadvantages. Understandably, students may want to keep their given name, which they feel is an important part of their identity. They also may resist because of moral reasons or because of concerns that, even if they get the job, they might not feel as tough they belong. Chalice Randazzo’s Business and Professional Communication Quarterly article, “A Framework for Résumé Decisions: Comparing Applicants’ and Employers’ Reasons,” offers useful guidance for all resume decisions.

Of course, the real onus is on employers to reduce bias by changing attitudes and hiring practices, for example, with blind hiring. In the meantime, students bear the brunt of a discriminatory system.

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Netflix's New "Culture Guidelines" Push Back on Employees

Netflix is letting employees know—before they’re hired—that they might find some content “harmful.” In the website “Jobs” section, the company writes “Culture Guidelines” to promote its culture and help applicants see whether the company is a fit.

Recently, Netflix added a new section called Artistic Expression. As a Wall Street Journal article explains, the company faces pressure that all technologies face and had a recent reckoning with comedian Dave Chappelle’s “The Closer,” which caused employee protests (and the CEO to regret his handling of the situation). Netflix is also facing subscription cancellations and increasing competition, so maybe the leadership team believes it can’t afford to censor content that maintains current and attracts new users.

The language, below, is probably innocuous enough, although “harmful” is a strong word. Trouble ensues when specific situations arise. How the company handles those in the future will be interesting to see.

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Artistic Expression

Entertaining the world is an amazing opportunity and also a challenge because viewers have very different tastes and points of view. So we offer a wide variety of TV shows and movies, some of which can be provocative. To help members make informed choices about what to watch, we offer ratings, content warnings and easy to use parental controls.

Not everyone will like—or agree with—everything on our service. While every title is different, we approach them based on the same set of principles: we support the artistic expression of the creators we choose to work with; we program for a diversity of audiences and tastes; and we let viewers decide what’s appropriate for them, versus having Netflix censor specific artists or voices,

As employees we support the principle that Netflix offers a diversity of stories, even if we find some titles counter to our own personal values. Depending on your role, you may need to work on titles you perceive to be harmful. If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you.

What New Grads Want

A Wall Street Journal article raises questions about how employers communicate jobs and whether new grads are realistic. The survey results of this graduating class are not surprising, for example, that they want to move up quickly. For as long as I remember, young, new hires have expected to advance in an organization as they have advanced through their school years. This study revealed that “40% of respondents want to earn a promotion in their first year on the job,” and the author suggests ways for employers to sell promotion opportunities during the interview process and on its website. But that percentage of students will not advance as quickly as they hope: the organization chart narrows at the top.

Two other results are mildly interesting: that 80% of students want to work in the office, and that they want to feel that they belong at work—that they can be themselves. Both make sense considering that this group was isolated during the pandemic and spent some of their precious college time alone.

Career management offices may need to counsel students to prioritize what is most important to them. For example, they may need to sacrifice upward mobility for a supportive, inclusive work environment. This, too, is nothing new.

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Business Attire Trends

A New York Times article describes new approaches to what people wear to work, which could influence what students wear on interviews and on their first day at the office. Since the pandemic, new language has emerged: “business comfort,” “workleisure,” and “power casual.” Dress is more relaxed, with more elastic waistbands and stretchier fabrics. The article author says that trends follow the economy: in bad times, people dress up to impress recruiters and managers, while in good times (tight labor markets like today), people tend to dress down.

This advice for recent grads seems reasonable for now:

J.T. O’Donnell, a former human-resources executive and founder of the career coaching platform Work It Daily, said she would not recommend that job applicants or recent graduates automatically buy interview suits these days. While that may work for some industries, like banking and consulting, she said, job candidates should research potential employers on social media to get a sense of how people at the company dress, then “dress slightly higher than what their proclaimed style is.”

“It can be very easy to say right now that they’re lucky to even have me walk through the door, so I just don’t care about my appearance right now,” Ms. O’Donnell said. But “you do want to not be wrinkly, have stuff tucked in, look like you made an effort.” She advises job hunters to wear clothing suitable for visiting their grandmothers.

In addition to reducing stress, the new attire may reflect students’ authenticity—who they are and what they like to wear. Both are good results of new clothes instead of the black/gray/navy suit-costumes of the past.

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LinkedIn Gives Options for Employment Gaps

In a new feature, LinkedIn gives users 13 ways to describe reasons for employment gaps. In a blog post, a senior product manager at LinkedIn explained the rationale:

“According to a recent survey, more than half of professionals have taken a career break. Yet for far too long, the possibility of embarking on a career break has been overshadowed by stigma, which 60% of people believe still exists. . . . 46% of hiring managers believe candidates with career breaks are an untapped talent pool.”

Recruiters have business reasons to be more open-minded about time away from work. The “Great Resignation” and tight labor market left openings that employers need to fill.

LinkedIn’s survey found that 51% of employers are more likely to contact candidates who “provides context” about a gap. Of course, what LinkedIn doesn’t say is that 49% may be less likely or just as likely to follow up. Still, we may be seeing more compassion about personal challenges, including breaks for mental health reasons, family responsibilities, and illness.

If this feature is used widely, it could normalize work breaks and reduce the stigma of taking time off. Personal reasons are personal, but revealing them may encourage applicants to be more vulnerable and authentic—to trust that employers won’t judge them harshly and to present themselves genuinely, “warts and all.”

To explain a gap is to take a risk but so is not explaining a gap. In this case, an employer may think the worst, and applicants have no chance to include their own voice.

Advice for Resignation Emails

A Wall Street Journal article suggests ways to resign from your job gracefully. With a wave of post-pandemic departures, we’re seeing all sorts of resignation messages, some more appropriate than others. The string of emails can be disheartening for people who decide to stay, and leavers should be mindful of burning bridges they may want to walk across in the future.

A law career coach advises that people “Let it rip. Let everything out”—in a document that you don’t send. Then, send an email that respects the workplace and the people you’ll leave behind:

“For the real deal, be gracious and express gratitude. Include up to three career highlights. (Any more and you risk being seen as a braggart.) And skip the passive-aggressive jabs.”

I hadn’t thought about including career highlights, and I wonder whether coworkers would appreciate reading them. Instead, I suggest observing what other resignation emails include and following suit. Every workplace has its own norms around these types of messages.

I do agree with this advice:

“By giving your notice, ‘the power dynamic has been leveled.’ Use that new sense of control and confidence to share more authentically about yourself, not torpedo your relationships on the way out the door.”

The coach is right: you made your decision and are burdening your manager and coworkers who will pick up the slack. Now’s the time to demonstrate humility instead of rubbing it in and causing more hurt feelings.

Deception in the Hiring Process

A New York Times article surprised me. During a video job interview, someone else answered “technical questions while the job candidate moved his lips onscreen.”

All applicants present themselves in the best light. We describe our accomplishments and may push the limits of our expertise. We also “cover” parts of ourselves that we fear may be undesirable to an employer.

But having a friend interview for a candidate is out of bounds. In this example, the interviewer wondered, “What did he think was going to happen when he moved across the country and realized he couldn’t do the job?” The article concludes with a quote from a deceptive candidate who felt relieved when she didn’t get the job. Of course, that’s a better outcome than suffering the embarrassment of failure.

This situation is a clear example of integrity—misrepresenting oneself, claiming to be someone they (intentional plural) are not. Today, we have a particularly strong job market; I would hope that candidates can find a job for which they’re qualified.

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A Resume for Remote Work

A Wall Street Journal writer offers good advice for adjusting your resume for a remote job. The author of Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work . . . Wherever You Are, Alexandra Samuel suggests five ideas to incorporate.

Some suggestions may be obvious, for example, including remote work experience and tech skills, such as Slack or Basecamp proficiency. But Samuel also recommends describing “facilities” or “affiliations,” for example, if you have dedicated space in your house or a private remote office. You might write, “ergonomic home office with excellent soundproofing” and identify special equipment you own.

Of course, these distinctions might disadvantage people who don’t have private spaces or the luxury of buying high-end technology. Employers may decide to properly equip new hires.

All this is to reinforce what we know about employment communication: applicants need to find ways to differentiate themselves in job search. If an employer reviews 20 resumes for a remote position, maybe yours will stand out. Convince the employer that you are accountable and can be trusted to work well independently.

New "Jeopardy!" Host Resigns

Just nine days after he got the job, Mike Richards resigned as the new host of ”Jeopardy!“ The Anti-Defamation League revealed comments that the host made on a podcast, “The Randumb Show,” between 2013 and 2014.

Although Richards was selected as a host without too much personality to overshadow the show, his reputation is now tarnished by these remarks.

What surprises me is that the show producers didn’t uncover the comments themselves. Or did they find them benign? Did they also discount litigation against him when he was a producer for “The Price Is Right” and “Let’s Make a Deal”?

Regardless, this is yet another warning to students and others to consider carefully what they say and post online; everything becomes a permanent digital record.

Below is Richards’ email to “Jeopardy!” staff about the previous litigation, including a version of the now-classic, “This is not who I am.” Below the email is his apology about the podcast comments, including versions of the old classics, “I’m a father” and “It was a joke.”

Team Jeopardy!

Recently, Jeopardy!, our host search and the possibility of me hosting has been all over the news. I want to take a moment so that you can hear directly from me. The last year has been the most challenging in the history of the show. I know we are all still dealing with the loss of our hero, Alex, while at the same time continuing to produce amazing shows for our millions of fans through the pandemic. Our success over that time with our guest-host rotation, including the more than $3 million we raised for charities, is a singular achievement and a testament to your talent and dedication. I’ve produced a lot of television over the years, and I could not be more impressed with team Jeopardy!

It is true that I was asked if I would consider hosting the show. I was humbled and deeply honored. No final decisions have been made and discussions with me and other potential hosts are still ongoing. I know I have mentioned this to you all before, but the choice on this is not my decision and never has been. Throughout this search, Sony’s top priority has always been to continue the incredible legacy you and Alex built. As you know, Alex always believed the game itself and the contestants are the most important aspects of the show, and that will continue to be the guiding principle as the decision is finalized.

I want to address the complicated employment issues raised in the press during my time at The Price is Right ten years ago. These were allegations made in employment disputes against the show. I want you all to know that the way in which my comments and actions have been characterized in these complaints does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on The Price is Right. I know firsthand how special it is to be a parent. It is the most important thing in the world to me. I would not say anything to disrespect anyone’s pregnancy and have always supported my colleagues on their parenting journeys.

I am very proud of my time on The Price Is Right and Let’s Make a Deal. During my tenure, our female cast members welcomed seven beautiful children. We embraced and celebrated each pregnancy and birth both in front of and behind the camera. It was a joy to watch their families grow and highlight their happiness as part of the show.

For us, I realize there is a lot going on right now as we ramp up for the new season. Please do not hesitate to reach out of you have any questions or concerns.

It is truly an honor to get to work with all of you to produce this amazing show, and I look forward to the days ahead as we get back into production.

Mike

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"It is humbling to confront a terribly embarrassing moment of misjudgment, thoughtlessness, and insensitivity from nearly a decade ago. Looking back now, there is no excuse, of course, for the comments I made on this podcast and I am deeply sorry," Richards said in a statement to the Ringer. "The podcast was intended to be a series of irreverent conversations between longtime friends who had a history of joking around. Even with the passage of time, it's more than clear that my attempts to be funny and provocative were not acceptable, and I have removed the episodes. My responsibilities today as a father, husband, and a public personality who speaks to many people through my role on television means I have substantial and serious obligations as a role model, and I intend to live up to them."

New Research About Remote Work

A new study identifies advantages and challenges of working from home (WFH). A New York Times article cites little research in the area, but a recent paper published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics provides insights for companies and employees considering WFH arrangements.

The study was at Ctrip, a Chinese travel agency. The abstract follows:

Call center employees who volunteered to WFH were randomly assigned either to work from home or in the office for nine months. Home working led to a 13% performance increase, of which 9% was from working more minutes per shift (fewer breaks and sick days) and 4% from more calls per minute (attributed to a quieter and more convenient working environment). Home workers also reported improved work satisfaction, and their attrition rate halved, but their promotion rate conditional on performance fell. Due to the success of the experiment, Ctrip rolled out the option to WFH to the whole firm and allowed the experimental employees to reselect between the home and office. Interestingly, over half of them switched, which led to the gains from WFH almost doubling to 22%. This highlights the benefits of learning and selection effects when adopting modern management practices like WFH.

Remote employees seem to suffer bias. A study author put it simply, “They can get forgotten.” Informal conversations and other face-to-face interactions increase belonging—they create “in groups” and “out groups.” As a result, some people are better known and trusted, particularly by senior leaders, who are more likely to be in the office. These relationships lead to more mentoring, sponsorship, and promotion opportunities. With more women wanting to WFH than men, this issue could increase gender inequality at work.

WFH employees should aim to increase their social presence—reducing the perceived physical distance. A Forbes writer offers good advice for building relationships from afar:

• Share openly.

• Assume goodwill of others.

• Stay in close proximity.

• Be predictable.

• Be easy to read.

• Support others.

• Be selective about your relationships.

• Hold others accountable.

• Demonstrate integrity and tell the truth.

In the coming years, as more companies offer the option and more employees choose to WFH, we'll learn more about how to successfully WFH.

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Millennials Talk Openly About Salaries

According to a Wall Street Journal article, millennials don’t carry the salary baggage of previous generations. Growing up in the open world of social media, this generation is used to sharing information about themselves that older people might consider taboo. In addition to salaries, millennials talk about credit card debt, savings, and other financials.

The transparency is helpful to other people their age. Employees can negotiate for fair salaries and, in some cases, not feel shame around money because they know that others are either in similar situations or have advantages that they don’t enjoy. The article also cites examples of people feeling better about their circumstances knowing that others carry a lot of debt, while they choose not to.

The article reminds me of the idea of “radical transparency” practiced at Bridgewater Associates and, to a lesser degree, some other companies. Being open about employees’ performance and compensation can cause hard feelings but may encourage a greater degree of fairness.

Resume Gaps

A Wall Street Journal columnist tells us, “Don’t Sweat Your Pandemic Résumé Gap.” High school students have gotten a reprieve from taking some standardized tests for college applications, and that generosity seems to have extended to prospective employees. People faced all sorts of challenges during the pandemic, and this reporter argues that employers will let it slide.

A survey of recruiters found that 49% believe a gap is now acceptable instead of a red flag. Recruiters say you don’t need to over-explain a gap, which could be due to family obligations. Instead, have a concise statement prepared such as, “I was glad to spend time with my family, and now I’m excited to get back to work.”

It will look good if you attended classes or earned a certificate during your time off, but that isn’t essential. At the same time, the optimistic article offers a warning: more than two years out of the workforce makes it difficult to re-enter.

I’m glad to see this article and hope the sentiment extends beyond pandemic times. I am a bit concerned about the survey response. If 49% of recruiters will make allowances for time off, what about the other 51%? Of course, the news affects women more than men because women were more likely to be home during the pandemic.

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Waitlisted Student Markets Himself

George Joseph White V was waitlisted from Cornell’s Dyson School, and he decided to promote himself. He advertised on the outside of a local bus with a photo of himself and his website. On his website, georgecantwait.com, White lists his hobbies, interests, and other information. He also includes quotes from a few of his teachers.

The approach certainly is creative and gutsy, but is it appropriate? From a business communication perspective, we consider the audience and the message. White describes his qualifications, but he doesn’t say much about how could contribute. What would he bring to the school that might differentiate him from other students on the waitlist?

White also is interviewed by a local radio station, which is posted on his website. He says he believes he’s qualified, and the only reason he wasn’t accepted is that the number of applicants increased. The number did increase, partly because of the pandemic and students taking a gap year and partly because Cornell dropped the SAT/ACT requirement.

Still, perhaps other students were simply more qualified than White, and that’s why he didn’t get in. White also chose an approach that isn’t available to all students: spending money on ads and a website.

When I asked students about the situation in class, they were mixed. Some respected his perseverance, while others thought his approach was too self-promotional and unfair. As one student wrote in chat, “It’s a WAIT list.”

Viral Spotify Resume

A college student created a resume that mirrors the Spotify app, and she got a lot of attention. Included in the more 300,000 views is a manager at Spotify who encouraged her to apply for a product manager internship.

Emily Vu’s creativity paid off: she got the job.

Emily was looking for a creative job. I’m not sure this same approach would work for, say, a data analyst position at a hedge fund. She also posted it with the “f” word (with an asterisk and redacted here). Not every employer would appreciate this either.

But Emily took a risk, which worked for Spotify—and for many others who admired her resume.

Beware of Overtalking During Zoom Interviews

People seem to be talking too much during video interviews. A Chronicle of Higher Education article describes two possible reasons.

One is that job candidates want to build relationships and may overtalk in a somewhat desperate attempt to connect. After a year without intimacy, we might be overcompensating. I can imagine this applying to other types of meetings and presentations as well.

Second, visual cues are tough to see on video. The void isn’t quite as cavernous as during phone interviews, but still, it’s difficult to see subtle gestures. Imagine that an interviewer is leaning forward, changing a facial expression, or raising a hand slightly. These could be missed, particularly if a candidate is meeting with a group of people.

Next time you have an interview, try to pay attention to cues and allow people to interrupt you. You might also keep your answers a bit shorter—just in case. Allow time for follow-up questions.

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Google’s XYZ Resume Formula

A Ladders article offers good advice from Google for writing resumes. Some information is basic, such as tailoring resumes for each job and skipping the objective. The company also suggests the XYZ format for bullets to focus on accomplishments: “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z].”

The author provides this example:

• OK: “Won second place in hackathon.”

• Better: “Won second place out of 50 teams in hackathon.”

• Best: “Won second place out of 50 teams in hackathon at NJ Tech by working with two colleagues to develop an app that synchronizes mobile calendars.

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Discussion:

• Does your resume follow this format? How can you improve the descriptions?

• Check your resume bullets for the start of each. The first words next to the bullet will be read most often. Do they emphasize your main point? How can you reorder text within bullets?

Judge Requests Professional Attire

I’ll admit it: I’ve been wearing leggings or jeans for the past five weeks. I’m guessing that’s common, but some people are taking attire for online meetings to an extreme. Stories of people showing up shirtless or in bed for Zoom meetings are causing leaders to provide more guidance for what to wear on video.

A judge in Broward County, Florida, ordered lawyers to dress for video meetings as they would in court. Judge Dennis Bailey laments the current attire and attitude:

“It is remarkable how many ATTORNEYS appear inappropriately on camera. We've seen many lawyers in casual shirts and blouses, with no concern for ill-grooming, in bedrooms with the master bed in the background, etc. One male lawyer appeared shirtless and one female attorney appeared still in bed, still under the covers. And putting on a beach cover-up won't cover up you're poolside in a bathing suit. So, please, if you don't mind, let's treat court hearings as court hearings, whether Zooming or not.”

The judge also offers advice for Zoom hearings, which he says take longer and require more planning to present exhibits.

In response, the chief judge for the district sent his own letter, softening the tone and direction:

“As Chief Judge I was unaware of this letter going out until I started to receive inquiries. As far as decorum in zoom hearings we have not seen the need to establish hard and fast rules. We certainly appreciate everyone being polite, professional and not disruptive during the hearings. Please remember most all of these hearings are open to the public and thus everyone, including judges and general magistrates, should dress and behave accordingly.“

Judge Bailey image source. Zoom in bed image source.

Discussion:

• Read the full original letter and the chief judge’s response. How do the messages compare in terms of audience analysis, tone, content, and organization?

• What’s your view of Judge Bailey’s letter: appropriate, off-base, or something else?

• What do you observe on Zoom meetings? Are people presenting themselves less professionally? What’s your perspective on this topic?

Best Places to Work: Facebook and Google Slip

Glassdoor published its annual list of the Best Places to Work, and HubSpot is the winner. Glassdoor uses the following criteria for their ranking:

• A mission to believe in

• A strong culture

• People focused

• Transparency

Facebook fell to 23 after placing first in three of the past 20 years. Google feel below the Top 10 for the first time in eight years.

Here’s the 2020 list:

1. HubSpot

2. Bain & Co.

3. DocuSign

4. In-N-Out Burger

5. Sammons Financial Group

6. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

7. Intuitive Surgical

8. Ultimate Software

9. VIPKid

10. Southwest Airlines

Discussion:

• Why do you think Facebook and Google have slipped in the Glassdoor rankings?

• What surprises you about the Top Ten? What doesn’t surprise you?

• Is your favorite company on the full list? How does the ranking affect your view of the company?

Research About Befriending Your Boss

A Wall Street Journal article describes the positive and negative effects of being friends with your boss. Research shows that managers do give preferential treatment to employees they consider friends.

However, a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology demonstrates that managers may favor others when decisions are public. To avoid perceptions of bias, Alex Shaw, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, offers three solutions for managers:

• Recuse yourself. I’m skeptical about this because a manager’s job is to make such decisions, but I see the point: if you can get out of being the final decision maker, that might be best in some situations.

• Make the criteria public. This is a good practice, anyway, to ensure transparency in decisions, particularly those that are sensitive and affect people personally.

• Ask for opinions. This could work, for example, when peer feedback may be as relevant—or more relevant—than the manager’s point of view.

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Discussion:

• Have you considered a boss a friend? How might the relationship have affected decisions?

• What’s your view of the strategies suggested here? In what types of situations could each work or backfire?

Graphical Resumes

Are employers becoming more open to graphical resumes? The boring, standard resume format hasn’t changed much despite some attempts at infographics and video.

A Wall Street Journal article indicates that acceptance may be increasing for resumes that look more like a social profile:

The stodgiest of business documents is in the midst of its most extreme makeover yet—whether employers want it or not. Gone are the utilitarian, black-and-white documents covered in bullet points. As Gen Z enters the workforce, companies are seeing digital CVs filled with artistic flourishes, including illustrations of college mascots, logos of past employers and icons to denote hobbies such as home renovation and watching movies.

Particularly for jobs in fields like marketing, graphical resumes are more common. Candidates might include an avatar or a section called “By the numbers.”

For more traditional fields, it’s a bigger risk: a visual resume might get you noticed but not for the right reasons. For any jobs, bitmojis and other images that seem childish don’t represent candidates in the best light.

Resume image source.

Discussion:

• How traditional is your resume? Would you consider adding graphics? Why or why not?

• In addition to marketing, which fields might be more open to a graphical resume?

• What’s your view of the resume shown above? What about this Microsoft template resume?