When Kim O' Grady was applying for jobs in the late 90s, he was excited. He writes that he had the relevant qualifications, experience and could also show a successful track record in his chosen career path — unfortunately for him, he also had a name that many people automatically assume belongs to a woman.
The rejections poured in, and he was confused. He was an ideal candidate, and to not even get interviews was very odd. He examined and re-examined his CV and couldn't figure out what was front with it.
Then, he had a thought:
I made one change that day. I put Mr. in front of my name on my CV. It looked a little too formal for my liking but I got an interview for the very next job I applied for. And the one after that. It all happened in a fortnight, and the second job was a substantial increase in responsibility over anything I had done before. In the end I beat out a very competitive short-list and enjoyed that job for the next few years, further enhancing my career.
Gender discrimination — it's a real thing, folks.
Interestingly, I talked to a man named Lauren who writes woman-centric comedy stuff and he tells stories of the exact opposite problem. It's obviously an exception to the rule, but when producers call in someone named Lauren who wrote a spec for "Labia Landia", they do a double take when an old dude walks through the door. Names, am I right?!
[What Would King Leonidas Do?]
Shutterstock/EDHAR