We all know them -- those little boxes you check off, indicating race and sex at the end of a standard job application. If you've ever felt even slightly apprehensive about submitting your answer and the effect it could have on your marketability, meet Bianca White. She was a fake, "white" Monster.com applicant, cooked up by unemployed Yolanda Spivey.
Within a week, White began racking up inquiries from interested employers, even though Spivey was rarely contacted. Spivey's account of her experiences appears in Clutch magazine [5]:
First, I created an email account and resume for Bianca. I kept the same employment history and educational background on her resume that was listed on my own. But I removed my home phone number, kept my listed cell phone number, and changed my cell phone greeting to say, "You have reached Bianca White. Please leave a message." Then I created an online Monster.com account, listed Bianca as a White woman on the diversity questionnaire, and activated the account.
That very same day, I received a phone call. The next day, my phone line and Bianca's email address, were packed with potential employers calling for an interview. I was stunned. More shocking was that some employers, mostly Caucasian-sounding women, were calling Bianca more than once, desperate to get an interview with her. All along, my real Monster.com account was open and active; but, despite having the same background as Bianca, I received no phone calls.
Read more at Clutch magazine [5].
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