While most recruiters and organisations won’t admit that they have a problem with any individual name on a resume / CV- the data shows otherwise. After reviewing the data, it would appear to be a global problem, and biases because of a name on a resume, do impact how long it takes to secure a job, as well as whether an applicant is perceived to be more competent and hireable.

In 2017, Inside Out London sent CVs from two candidates, Adam and Mohamed, who had identical skills and experience, in response to 100 job opportunities.  Mohamed was offered 4 interviews, while Adam was offered 12 interviews.

ANU economist Professor Alison Booth and Professor Andrew Leigh from the Research School of Social Sciences, in conjunction with researcher Elena Varganova, conducted large-scale field experiments to measure labor market discrimination across minority groups in Australia. By varying the names on the CV’s they were able to estimate precisely the extent of hiring discrimination.

“To get the same number of interviews as an applicant with an Anglo-Saxon name, a Chinese applicant must submit 68% more applications, a Middle Eastern applicants must submit 64% more applications, an Indigenous applicant 35% more applications, and an Italian applicant must submit 12% more applications”.

It would seem the more recent the migrant group, the greater the discrimination.

Whenever I make a presentation on resume writing, I always ask the same question to participants, namely how long should your resume be?

The answers vary from 1 page, through to 5 or more pages, but the prevailing opinion is that there is some sort of rule set in concrete which must be obeyed, otherwise you could possibly miss out on an interview, if your resume is somehow not the right length.

If you are a lawyer / solicitor, then in this article, I outline some key tips to ensure you create an outstanding resume that will win job interviews.

It is all about highlighting the right experience

Unless in general practice, law is a highly specialist area and employers are employing someone that can meet their practice and client requirements. To ensure you are a perfect match:

Profile: Make sure your profile, aligns with the requirements of the specific job. If you are coming from a general practice and applying for a more specialist position, for example in Intellectual Property, it is no good highlighting your skills in conveyancing; you need to highlight your skills in trademarks, patents, IP disputes & enforcement, copyright through to brand enforcement.