Could This Be A Factor Behind The Number Of Immigrants On Benefits?

[sp1814]

It was recently stated on another post that companies might want to think carefully about hiring potential employees with 'African names'.

Do this story support this or might Max Kpakio simply have been lucky on his second attempt?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9839845/Virgin-accused-of-jobs-discrimination-over-interviews-for-Craig-Owen-but-not-for-Max-Kpakio.html

Should all people with foreign sounding names try applying for jobs with British names, just to get their foot in the door?

[Buenchico]

Regrettably, people's names do seem to affect their chances of progressing in life. I used to teach an extremely able student called Fraz Taj, who was unable to find a university place as he was repeatedly rejected. He changed his name by deed poll to David Christopher Parkinson and was immediately snapped up by Oxford University (who had previously rejected his application under his old name).

[sp1814]

buenchico

That sounds (without knowing anything further about the selection process) like a case of pure old fashioned racial profiling - to what end???

The BBC did a survey which revealed this kind of discrimination to be surprisingly common.

Should we be concerned?

[Mick-Talbot]

Give me a list of the names that were offered an interview and I will be able to give a better answer than this one.

[Gromit]

I holiday every year in Turkey and several Turks that I know have 'Anglised' their names. They take their real name and adopt it to a similar sounding English name. They do that to improve their businesses and ££££. If they have a name the English can remember, then they will get returning patronage to their bars and restaurants.
I suspect Virgin are guilty of something similar in reverse. They are reluctant to employ someone whose name their potential customers cannot remember, spell or pronounce.
From the story it is not known if the failed candidate speaks with a 'foreign' accent (which may be difficult to understand) which may account for his rejection.
Or Virgin has a no blacks policy. Except for Mr Bolt.

[Mick-Talbot]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/02/11/article-1355734-0D201F26000005DC-546_634x329.jpg


All Owens?

[douglas9401]

Yes, of course they should all lie on their application forms. And why then should a potential employer believe anything else that they offer later in the process?

[askyourgran]

If its anything like Brian from Bombay, he is always there on the phone when I'm having my lunch.

[sp1814]

Gromit

In the story I don't think the candidate actually got to have his accent judged. His CV was rejected before he could take part in a telephone interview.

[sp1814]

M-T

I don't know how to put this, but here goes...I accidentally marked your answer as best. Please ignore.

I was trying to cut 'n' paste your answer using an iPad and my finger slipped.

Anyway, regarding your post about the names that were accepted for interview - it would be interesting to compare that to all the rejected names and furthermore to check which candidates had better/worse CV than Mr Kpakio.

[Svejk]

I'm thinking of changing my name to Wladyslaw Dziewanowski to get a job on site. What do you think, Sp.:-)

[emmie]

i would like to know what is considered a British name now, seeing as how Mohammed is one of the most popular names here, and besides how many John Smiths do you know, apart from the beer.

[ummmm]

I know lots of Smiths. I don't know anyone (in England) that has the same surname as me.

[Mick-Talbot]

sp1814

M-T

I don't know how to put this, but here goes...I accidentally marked your answer as best. Please ignore.



Oh my bleeding heart :0(



He is (imo) trying it on

[ludwig]

It's not good that we have immigrants on benefits, but if all the vacancies are being filled by people with British names, maybe we don't need the immigrants?

[anotheoldgit]

That is ridiculous, seems to me just another chance to use the race card, to get one's hands on a bit of easy money.

/// "They were in touch with me seven or eight times, and kept coming back to me when I didn't respond. ///

Yeh I bet they did, applicants for such jobs are so hard to come by.

[youngmafbog]

It is a load of rot and we dont have the full facts here. For instance was it the same person judging the cv? People look for different things for instance a mate of mine is very particular about grammar, I am not.

I'm pretty sure as suggested above this is a money grabbing exercise and actually harms race relations rather than helps it.

And just out of interest how to 'British sounding named people ' judge whether or not htey have been turned down because an 'African sounding named person' is looking at the cv's?

Or are you suggesting racism only exists amongst the British sounding names?

[emmie]

wonder if John Smith would get a job cooking in a Indian restaurant, or Chinese place for that matter. You get all manner of discrimination, i have been discriminated against because of my gender, age, and quite honestly i just accepted that i had to prove i was better than the male candidates. It shouldn't have to be that way of course, but to some extent it still is.

[Mick-Talbot]

International Relations lol


He has since been granted British citizenship and earned a degree in International Relations at Swansea University.


sp, I don't know how to put this, but here goes...simply click on
'Mark as Best' by another poster. Sorted!

[bazwillrun]

"He has since been granted British citizenship and earned a degree in International Relations at Swansea University. "

that will come in useful.......another mickey mouse degree

[FredPuli43]

Not unusual in the past. Many a Cohen has become Quinn or Coren or taken some name farther away from a Jewish one.Why would that be?

Occasionally it worked the other way. Max Miller became Max Miller because his wife decided that it was a good name that sounded rather Jewish. At the time Jews were very powerful in entertainment.