To think Asian name may put off customers

[Stcatherine]

I'm prepared to be flamed for posting this. My dp is Asian and is trying to get jobs as a handyman but nobody is responding to him. Do you think that when people see a Asian name in his profile that it puts them off. He is very experienced and skilled. By the way I'm not trying to say that everybody is racist but have been aware from past experience that some people think along these lines.

[CherryPavlova]

Janedoe5000 You’re not serious are you? Not a big deal? Hey it’s OK to overtly discriminate based on heritage or perceived heritage? We have laws to try and reduce racism. We educate our children about the dangers of inequality and blinkered white supremacy but still people see it as not a big deal. Beggars belief. It’s a big deal if you’re a doctor who isn’t offered a consultancy because her name sounds Indian. It’s a big deal if you’re a teacher overlooked for promotion to head because your name sounds like you might be Polish or Chinese. Actually it’s a big deal.

[boomfloom]

It might put me off due to the assumed language barrier. I've had a Czech handyman sent by my landlord and I explained to him what I wanted and he agreed with me. However, it turned out that he didn't understand me at all and didn't do his job the right way.

It's a lesson learnt - next time I will phone the handyman instead of emailing them. Once he was in the house though, I couldn't find a polite way of saying "I can hardly understand you and I don't think you understand me so please just go away".

[Tinkobell]

I honestly think it could be a little off putting but only initially and would depend on what your DP is selling or offering and where he's plugging his trade in this fair land. The response in a surburb of a city might be a lot more positive than that received in a small shire village. IMO, most people who are genuinely good and reliable prove themselves in time and earn loyal customers; irrespective of their name.
DH works in IT. A good 70% of highly paid employees there are Asian; makes no odds.

[Parthenope]

It's not unreasonable to reverse the situation: if John Smith set up a handyman business in Pakistan, would people be put off? The answer is almost certainly. That's just the way it is.

That's hardly a comparable situation. John Smith running a handyman business in Pakistan would probably be in a minority of one, whereas there are 1.17 million British Pakistanis (and if we include all British Asians of South Asian extraction, on the assumption that the average person who wouldn't hire a handyman on the grounds of his ethnicity knows or cares very little about the history of India/Pakistan/Bangladesh etc, it's over 3 million), many of whom have been here since the 1950s/60s/70s.

And I'm still intrigued and horrified that so many people are claiming that they're not racist, they just wouldn't hire a handyman called Rasheed for fear that his English would be poor, or that they wouldn't understand his accent.

[wLuytgNx]

What about using a company name with his initials?

[southeastdweller]

Absolutely yes it's worth him changing his name (sadly). Haven't read the whole thread yet and perhaps others have said, but there's been plenty of studies that evidence prejudice about job applicants with foreign sounding names.

[sizzledrizz]

Well, I'm Asian and am more likely to hire an Eastern European, more than I would hire an Asian. The reason being that when Asian men turn up to work for me, and realise that there is no Asian man in my household, they become unreliable, and do shoddy work. Eastern Europeans work accurately, turn up on time and charge a reasonable rate. And if I want them to come back and put something right, they come as quickly as they can. I think Asian men take the piss with me because I'm an Asian woman. They get very annoyed that I won't make them a cup of tea for example.

[pollymere]

People Iike to have a name they can pronounce so are terribly racist about things without realizing. Maybe use Sam, or Harry?

[Parthenope]

I won't lie. I instantly disregarded subcontinent Asians and Eastern Europeans when using Mybuilder before.

The Eastern Europeans look like escaped war criminals and Asians aren't known for their handy work.

I'm going to assume this was a poor taste joke.

[OnlyaMan]

I have not read all of this post, because it is too long-so maybe I am repeating something that has already been said.
I would happily employ someone with an Asian name, because Asians have a reputation of being determined hard workers who want to "get on".
But in any case, a name means nothing, surely? Personal recommendation is the best way.

[Bluerussian]

I wouldn't have thought anyone would care in this day and age.

[teaandgingercake]

I think that in all likelihood it’s 50 50. All the different nationalities tend to stick together. We aren’t integrated as we should be.

[Parisbun]

I have thought about this question during the day and have to say that hand on heart I would not choose on Asian name as a first choice.
I have asian friends and am comfortable with pronounciation of unusual names etc so thats not the problem. Its more that I know how loath lots of my friends are to do work in the house. They laugh about how lazy they are and Im also wary of the ( rare) type who are patronising towards women and dont take directions from them. My sister had one of those turn up for a job and she had to shout at him to get him to leave job undone. One asian friend opted for an eastern european to sort out his small jobs. All done at a good rate and pace.

So on balance it might be better to have an alternative name for first contact and also some publicity material that shows how much he can do. Once he has a good base then word of mouth should take over .

[Aridane]

I wouldn't be watching any YouTube video!! Word of mouth or Which? Trusted Traders

[pinkstripeycat]

Wouldn’t put me off. I am not from a hugely multi cultural town but I wouldn’t really pay much attention to the persons name. I base my decision on how I get on with the person and what they tell me about the job, their skills and experience and the price.

[akerman]

You're not in Devon, are you? I'd love to know of a good handyman. I hope he voted Remain though - I would prefer to hand my cash over to Remainers than to Leavers.

[Parthenope]

I have asian friends and am comfortable with pronounciation of unusual names etc so thats not the problem. Its more that I know how loath lots of my friends are to do work in the house. They laugh about how lazy they are.

But unless your Asian friends are handymen, this is completely irrelevant, isn't it?

[alreadytaken]

we will always ask a friend who has worked in construction for recommendations. They havent always been white skinned, he goes by skill (and perhaps who will buy him a drink in the pub). Only one had communication issues and he was white British (we'd been warned, he came with someone else). When the friend cant help we might ask someone who has worked for us before if they can recommend someone. So what contacts does your partner have from past work and has he told them that he is looking for work now? Does he hang out with any of them in the pub?

[Jonesey1972]

Only if they’re a racist wanker.

[Marchitectmummy]

Part of the problem is birds of a feather stick together. I have friends originating from various places, given the choice my Polish friends will employ Polish or at least eastern European builders. Never would they consider English full stop whether Asian sounding name or British sounding

We live in a university area and lots of houses are owned by Asian families I am yet to see one being worked on by someone white always Asian people repairing etc. And to be honest seeing how the work is carried out (roofs being repaired from an old ladder, dreadful extensions without a care for matching bricks, just a general lack of health and safety) and the fact so many end up with enforcement notices or building control discovering the works being carried out without issuing building notice etc that it does put me off opting for an Asian 1st generation immigrants to carry out anything structural / major works.

I want someone who has trained in the UK to work for me on my properties, someone who will sign a contract, has correct insurance, understands our health and safety laws, planning laws and what is required by building control, someone who understands every word I use, doesn't work cash in hand and not someone who I need to educate on these while paying them the same as someone who knows. Whether they are then British, white black Asian heritage or what I couldn't give a monkeys.

[Xenia]

May one solution for those of us who have been sent workers who don't speak English and we cannot therefore tell them what needs to be done is to have that worker put up a video who shows their abilities with the english language. I couldnt' care less what anyone's name is or their heritage as long as I can tell them what I want to have done and they understand me. I have a very good Polish worker who has lived in the UK for 20 years and understands every single thing I do and others frmo abroad who even pretend they understand but don't. In one case one poor cleaner spent the first 20 minutes almost crying whilst we helped her with her phone as unless she could log in she did not get paid by her agency and it was so hard just to tell her how to work her phone and show her where to go in the garden for best mobile signal. Then next time they sent a Romanian who had great English no problem and the week after another Romanian who as I think a Roma lady who could only say yes which was then very hard indeed even with lots of pointing.

[Parthenope]

We live in a university area and lots of houses are owned by Asian families I am yet to see one being worked on by someone white always Asian people repairing etc. And to be honest seeing how the work is carried out (roofs being repaired from an old ladder, dreadful extensions without a care for matching bricks, just a general lack of health and safety) and the fact so many end up with enforcement notices or building control discovering the works being carried out without issuing building notice etc that it does put me off opting for an Asian 1st generation immigrants to carry out anything structural / major works.

And you can tell, can you, that these bad builders are 'Asian first generation immigrants' by simply walking past the houses they're working on?

[teaandgingercake]

Tbh I don't see many Asian roofers, plumbers, plasterers etc. I don't think in general it's the kind of work they do. Therefore understandable that people would tend to pass an Asian sounding name by as they aren't prolific in building work.

But it tends to work both ways, they tend to only want their friends or relatives working for them. My Dh has been a builder for 35 years, he's never once had any work from an Asian family.

[PengAly]

it does put me off opting for an Asian 1st generation immigrants to carry out anything structural / major works.

How exactly can you know what generation these Asian builders are? Let me guess, you are making an assumption based on their skin colour?? What does that sound like