Maybe Me Too?..."Difficult Names Lower Employment Chances," US Study

Steven Woo, Professor of Economics at Hamilton University, USA, Research
Difficult-to-Pronounce Names Linked to 10% Lower Employment Chances in Academia
Professor Woo: "Names Should Be Removed from Resumes and Evaluations Based on Ability"

On June 29, 2022, at the Tmark Grand Hotel Myeongdong in Jung-gu, Seoul, a job seeker is waiting for a recruitment interview at the '2022 Tourism Company Mini Job Fair in Seoul.' Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] "If you are preparing for employment, have an easy-to-pronounce name."

Recently, an economics professor in the United States published a paper containing this message. The study explained that people with difficult-to-pronounce names were about 10% less likely to succeed in academic employment over the next year compared to those with easy names.

According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), a research team including Professor Steven Woo of Hamilton University’s Department of Economics divided about 1,500 economics PhD candidates into two groups and collected and analyzed their resumes. These candidates were seeking positions as assistant professors or jobs in government agencies or the private sector during the 2016?2018 academic years.

First, the research team used official undergraduate websites or personal homepages to verify the subjects’ first job or employment status.

Then, they compared the employment outcomes in the job market between people with difficult-to-pronounce names and those with easy names. Other variables such as nationality and degree were controlled.

The study was conducted in three stages. First, the subjects’ names were selected subjectively. Next, the research team measured the time it took for readers to read the names and move on to the next name using a computer. The time ranged from 1.5 seconds to 6 seconds. Finally, the team used a computer algorithm to rank the difficulty of the names, according to the researchers.

As a result, people with difficult and complex names were found to have about a 10% lower chance of getting a job within the next year compared to those with easy names.

Additionally, the researchers found that within minority groups, people with difficult-to-pronounce names could have up to a 50% lower chance of receiving interview invitations compared to those with easy names. This suggests that the complexity of names combined with racial factors leads to greater bias.

In response, Professor Woo emphasized, "To reduce bias, names should be completely removed from resumes, and applicants should be evaluated solely based on their abilities."