Man Named Kim Gets Zero Job Offers Until He Adds ‘Mr.' to His Name
When Kim O' Grady was applying for jobs in the late 90s, he was excited. He writes that he had the relevant qualifications, experience and could also show a successful track record in his chosen career path — unfortunately for him, he also had a name that many people automatically assume belongs to a woman.
The rejections poured in, and he was confused. He was an ideal candidate, and to not even get interviews was very odd. He examined and re-examined his CV and couldn't figure out what was front with it.
Then, he had a thought:
I made one change that day. I put Mr. in front of my name on my CV. It looked a little too formal for my liking but I got an interview for the very next job I applied for. And the one after that. It all happened in a fortnight, and the second job was a substantial increase in responsibility over anything I had done before. In the end I beat out a very competitive short-list and enjoyed that job for the next few years, further enhancing my career.
Gender discrimination — it's a real thing, folks.
Interestingly, I talked to a man named Lauren who writes woman-centric comedy stuff and he tells stories of the exact opposite problem. It's obviously an exception to the rule, but when producers call in someone named Lauren who wrote a spec for "Labia Landia", they do a double take when an old dude walks through the door. Names, am I right?!