Should you hide your identity on a resume? It’s complicated.

Companies talk a big game about diversity. But everyone knows, and research shows, that all the affinity groups, diversity audits and inclusivity presentations in the world haven’t removed bias or discrimination from the hiring process.

This understandably leaves students and recent grads wondering if revealing their gender, sexuality, race, religion, class background, immigration status or ability on their resume could worsen their chances in a job hunt.

We talked to recruiters about how students should approach this issue and whether omitting information about your identity from your resume is ever a good idea.

A stubborn problem

Recruiters acknowledge that they still sometimes see explicit bias at play in the job market. Keirsten Greggs, a recruiting consultant for tech and finance firms, remembers hearing a fellow recruiter question if a Muslim applicant was a U.S. citizen and, therefore, eligible for the job.

“I’ve been both a Black job seeker and a Black recruiter and I know this is a tough question,” says Gregg. ”We know John Cardero is getting contacted less than John Smith. However, a lot of us are focused on adding diversity to our pipelines and making our workforces more diverse.”

In a 2021 study, researchers from UC Berkeley and the University of Chicago found that 23 of all Fortune 500 companies (just under 5%) they studied discriminated against Black applicants. The study also revealed that resumes with distinctively Black names reduced the probability of the candidate hearing back from an employer by more than two percent. Nearly half of LGBTQ people have faced workplace discrimination, and 9% reported being laid off or denied a job because of their gender or sexuality. Women are still more likely than men to be hired for jobs below their qualification level, while men are much more likely to hear back about a gig above their credentials.

It’s not just about what the employer wants

With these kinds of stats, it’s confusing to know if it’s a good idea to include information like your preferred gender pronouns, extracurriculars related to an identity, or even your given surname.

While the recruiters we spoke to agree that bias exists and could occasionally hurt minority candidates, they all agreed that job-seekers must consider what they want to see in an employer, not just the other way around.

“A company that would dismiss a resume because of someone’s identity will not be a good fit for the individual anyway,” says Shirin Esmaili, a lead recruiter at Maven Recruiting Group.

In this sense, your identity isn’t a liability on a resume — it’s a tool. “There’s an upside to leaving your identity on — you are weeding yourself out of processes that would land you in a bad job anyway,” says Kristina Minyard, the founder of HRecruit. “If they don’t like that you were a part of an LGBTQ group, that’s not going to be a welcoming work environment.”

For early career job-seekers, it often feels that we can’t afford to be picky. But young people do have agency in their job hunt. We are desirable, essential members of the workforce who are increasingly setting standards for employers in a way we haven’t seen for generations.

Applicants should run in the opposite direction from anyone who views their identity with bias, Gregg says. She’s even advised applicants of color to drop out of processes where companies show discrimination — or, alternatively, interview candidates simply to check a box.

“If a company can’t meet these basic standards of equality, there will be many other employers that will value you for you,” says Holly Croft of Tiger Recruitment. She suggests, instead of removing information, taking time to research employers’ diversity and inclusion policies before you apply. Then, you can prioritize companies that explicitly embrace diversity as an alternative way of maximizing your chances.

“When it comes down to it, you are most likely to thrive and to feel happy in a role within an organization that speaks for you and aligns with your values,” Croft adds.

Lying or omitting information has downsides

Gregg advises applicants potentially facing bias to “get to the no” as soon as possible. If an employer will ultimately pass on you because of your identity, “Why find out later?” she asks. “Why waste your time?”

Plus, omitting relevant information about your identity or experiences can create a confusing or uncomfortable interview that probably won’t win you any points.

“They are going to be surprised when they talk to you and your name is Won, not John,” says Gregg. “You don’t want to put yourself in that situation in an interview.”

Scrubbing your identity from your resume might also mean removing relevant work, volunteer, advocacy or leadership experience. For instance, if you were the president of the LGBTQ student union or founded a support group for undocumented students, removing information revealing your identity could hurt you more than leaving it on would.

“Personally, I’m looking for people who were members of NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) or SWE (Society for Women Engineers) or got a BEYA (Black Engineer of the Year) award,” Gregg says. She advises against leaving off any significant experience and suggests using the same criteria for deciding if an identity-related experience or extracurricular is worth the space on, as with any other gig: Is it impressive? Is it relevant? Does it display relevant skills to the job?

Removing significant credentials from your resume to cater to companies that might be biased might mean making yourself stand out less in general, especially to companies that do value diversity.

It’s your call, but know the tradeoffs

The answer to whether or not you should reveal your identity on your resume is complicated. But Greggs believes it comes down to the candidate’s comfort level.

“If you think the best way for your resume to get traction is to leave off this or that, that’s understandable,” she says. “If leaving something on is causing you stress, it’s okay to take it off.”

Some applicants choose to use a nickname or preferred name on a resume to hide their ethnicity or gender, which Minyard affirms, is both legal and acceptable. However, she points out that if you do get hired, you’ll need to use your legal name to fill out new-hire paperwork.

“I would say that if you use a different name on your resume, be ready to go by that name at the job,” she says. “Candidates [should] do what they are most comfortable doing. On one hand, if you are trying to overcome this bias by using a nickname then there's a good chance you're going to end up facing those biases head-on in your day-to-day work. On the other hand, someone just may need a job and have to put up with that kind of nonsense in the workplace, so they make those edits to get their resume seen.”

Focus on what you do put on the page

Recruiters stress that the goal should be to create the most substantive, well-rounded resume possible. Offering relevant, meaningful skills and experiences is more likely to land you a job than an extracurricular experience or surname will cost you.

“I don’t advise candidates to change their name or accolades. If you feel you have a better chance of breaking into an industry by not revealing details about your identity, that’s your choice,” Esmaili says. “What’s more important is submitting a professional and concise resume that contains action verbs and is tailored to the role you’re applying to.”

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