Ask HN: How do you handle name discrimination?

2 points by level87 1 year ago | 3 comments

My name is difficult to pronounce and is Arabic in origin, I am western in all other ways. I get the feeling that people avoid saying it because they are afraid of mispronouncing it, or when they read it they make a judgement about me.

Have you ever used a different name on job applications, or cold emails to avoid any sort of discrimination and get your foot in the door?

Feels disingenuous, but also how can someone with a name that people make judgements on get past the fact that discrimination exists.

GianFabien 1 year ago |

I had a work colleague with your problem. In overseas travels he found himself subjected to harsher treatment. He gave up and anglicized his family name and changed to it by deed poll (new passport, drivers license, etc). Even though he retained his Arabic given name, the problems were much diminished. I know it is an extreme case, but it is an example of how desperate the situation can become.

Maybe it isn't as common these days, but in the 1950s and 1960s lots of Italian, Greek and other European immigrants anglicized their names to mitigate discrimination.

Of course, I am not suggesting that you need to follow those examples. But having an awareness of such extreme measures might give you ideas for changes somewhere along the spectrum.

raxxorraxor 1 year ago |

People from China usually give themselves new names for westerners if they receive them as visitors. At least this is very common in industy. But if these are your colleagues you might want to think about an easy nickname perhaps?

sparkie 1 year ago |

Having been in the other shoes - the employer or recruiter is worried that you'll be offended if they pronounce your name wrong - they're not discriminating - it's just that they're not wizards and they won't know how to pronounce it if you don't tell them. If you speak good English this shouldn't be a problem.

Sometimes you get someone whose English isn't great and you have to ask them to repeat their name 3 or 4 times, and sometimes their accent is just so foreign that you give up asking. Trust me - it is more embarrassing for the person asking than the person telling, and is awkward for the both if the person telling looks visibly upset at having to repeat themselves or having their name mispronounced.

The best thing to do is make light humor of it and maybe take on a shortened nickname that anyone can pronounce. If someone pronounces your name wrong, just try to say it again more clearly and laugh it off. If you take offence, that's your issue. People aren't deliberately trying to offend you.

Humor breaks through cultural boundaries. You should show that you have a sense of humor because it makes it much easier to talk to you. If an employer feels like they have to walk on eggshells to talk to you, you'll be much less likely to get the job.