Employers should not see candidates' names when deciding who to interview

[RoseDeGambrinus]

This would be tricky for very small businesses, but for everyone else, why is it not regular practice to have a separate page of the application form with personal details on which is then detached (as an equal opps form often is)? Bit of a TAAT but why is a system accepted that means employers will often discriminate against those which are 'unusual' (inviting class judgements), Muslim, or even female? Obviously there could still be discrimination at interview but that first hurdle is so important.

Agree 100%. My husband did this actually when applying for a job once. He changed his african name to an english one.

Nhs already does this. All they see until interview has been offered is qualifications etc and personal statement etc.

Good idea actually.

Totally agree. TBH I can't see a reason NOT to do it. Minor amount of administration required for genuine equality of opportunity. Same with dates exams were taken to avoid age discrimination.

Good idea.

I've never seen names when short listing. Now Nhs, but in companies before that too.

Likely to happen:www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34636464

Sorry. www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34636464

PegsPigs, good idea in theory but the name of your exam will be a big clue. I took O-Levels, so any savvy employer will realise I'm no spring chicken.

Can't see that being a problem. We recruit mostly through agencies and it would be easy enough for them to send cvs through with no name. Or HR could strip them out.

I saw one place suggesting recruitment should be university blind and that was a bit bonkers IMO - not all 2:1s are created equal.

It is at the Salvation Army. Applications are received by HO and identifying details removed before they go to the recruiting manager.

Agree that your qualifications, interests and experience give plenty of clues for people inclined to discriminate though.

A few companies do this.

I spent 4 days editing applications so they could go to senior management.

Our company actually started it so people couldn't complain they had been rejected for internal promotion interviews because they weren't mates with the right person. And went from there

Names do influence people. I remember when I was studying for psychology A-level, reading that a child's name on an exam paper influenced what mark they were awarded. Examiners were asked to mark various papers. The names of the candidates were changed. When the same paper was given a "nice" name, it consistently achieved higher marks than when it was assigned an unpopular name.

This already happens in the nhs and has for along time. It's a good thing and should be across the board IMO. The less bias the better.

I agree 80sMum. Names contribute to people's opinions everyday. They won't have it on the baby names thread though

I work in the civil service which is a major employer across the country. We already do this. We have no name or birth date on applications. We do have educational establishments though and girls/boys school names often reveal gender and religious school names reveal likely religious background.

It's a good idea. It wouldn't work in every situation though - where I work we get a lot of applications who were educated up to 18 abroad. Even without a name I would guess that someone who did the Chinese equivalent of A-levels would is probably Chinese.

What would work is if there was some form of grid so that education up to 18 from every country in the world could be translated into a points score. Currently I have to go and find someone from that country and ask them their opinion. It is not very scientific though as they don't know what they are comparing with!

Good idea.

mumoftwo i think there is a grid for eu educations. Ects i think its called.

I whole heartily agree.

We do this (approx 10 employees).
Separate sheet with all personal details incl name and dob), CV and application form for discussion. Our manager knows the names and contact details, otherwise it would be hard to invite shortlisted candidates for an interview , but we don't when we discuss who we want to know more about.

Not a bad idea. Although I do use names to filter in respect of have they applied before (I.e they are keen and just missed shortlist last time) and also filtering out people I have seen before recently and not made the grade. Other than that I don't pay much attention to name.

As others have said the NHS hides names and dob but you can often still tell people's nationality and age from the names of their educational establishments and when they attended. E.g. Someone who studied in Lagos or Pakistan is unlikely to be a British national. Equally some one who went to university in the 70s/80s/90s is going to old like me I never let age or nationality influence me and have shortlisted people of all ages, nationalities and sexes but the potential for bias is there.

This is only annacdotal, but my friend had a 'forrin' surname. She's been looking For a new job for ages. Just got married, took her husbands very common English name. And has now had a rash of interviews...

This is a really good idea. My boss often harps on about how he'd never employ another woman of childbearing age or a foreigner. I'd be delighted to see him have no choice.