Indrayani Mundada and Lauren WIlliams - Student Research and Creativity Forum - Hofstra University

Beyond The Curriculum Vitae

Rebecca Grossman, Ph.D, Comila Shahani-Denning, PhD, Indrayani Mundada & Lauren C. Williams

Background

● Resume audit studies involve a systematic analysis examining specific patterns to gain insights into factors like hiring biases or discrimination.

● Research shows there is a mismatch in the minority faculty-student ratio and we hypothesized that it could be owed to decisions made early on in the hiring process, i.e. when screening resumes.

● Most faculty hiring studies are qualitative; we were looking to add quantitative findings to the literature using the resume audit method that allowed us to manipulate and capture compounded discrimination (e.g DEI statements and salary considerations)

Hypotheses

H1: White-sounding names are more likely to be perceived as suitable for a role in academia and receive higher salaries than those equally qualified with Black-sounding name.

H2: CVs from male candidates are more likely to be perceived as suitable for the role and receive higher average salaries than their equally qualified female counterparts.

H3: CVs from White-male candidates will likely be perceived as most suitable and receive higher average salaries for the role.At the same time, equally qualified non-White female applicants will be perceived as less suitable and receive lower salaries.

H4: Diversity Statements will have an effect on the hireability ratings received and the candidates selected as top priority for the job in academia.

Methodology Design & Measure:

The design of the study was a 2x2x2 mixed-model design. Data was analysed using a mixed-model ANOVAto examine whether race and gender have an impact on the suitability ratings that the CV summaries received and if diversity statement had an impact on hiring decision.

Participants

:

Manipulations:

Black-sounding and White-sounding Names

Results

Analysis showed that there was a significant difference in the suitability ratings for male and female i.e. F(1, 77) = 4.02, p = .049

Discussion

Only Hypothesis 2 was found to be significant i.e., despite the CVs’comparable nature, women tended to receive lower hireability ratings than men for the position in Academia. White and Black candidates were perceived to be similar in their hireability. D&I statement did not have an impact on hiring decisions made by people.While data was in the expected pattern, they were not found to be significant.

Practical Implications

● Compounded discrimination experienced by individuals who belong to both minority groups, may receive fewer opportunities. It's imperative for institutions to acknowledge this intersectionality.

● Research has shown that having a diverse hiring panel or making joint evaluations about the applicants reduces biases in hiring.

● Practitioners must pay attention to ‘where’ they are recruiting (e.g. will it provide a diverse population in an attempt to focusing on the available pool instead of just the applicant pool.)