International Organization for Migration (IOM)

A general finding across the European countries studied is that applicants with non-
European-sounding names (and particularly with Arab/Muslim names) have lower
call-back rates for job interviews than all the other groups, at corresponding levels of
qualifications and experience. To promote equal opportunities for minority groups of
applicants at this initial stage of the recruitment process, anonymous job applications
can be implemented without excessive costs.
At a more advanced stage of the recruitment process – notably during the jobinterview
– a certain behaviour or way of dressing, if not completely conform to the
standard practices in the country, may be perceived as unprofessional. In addition,
cultural attitudes or preferences of the migration candidate may be perceived as
a potential risk for good interrelations with potential future colleagues and the
cohesion of the working team. Although all those aspects can be deemed irrelevant
for the job performance, in practice they do seem to play a role in the job-selection
process involving candidates with migrant background.
In this context, counselling and support measures would be needed – especially for
SMEs – to provide managers and human resources personnel with the capacity to deal
appropriately with cultural diversity-related issues in the hiring process, thus avoiding
biased recruitment outcomes and contributing to improving firms’ productivity as well
as the labour market integration of immigrants. Since discrimination and cultural
diversity-related issues may also have a negative impact on earning outcomes and job
mobility of employees with migrant background, anti-discrimination counselling
and support should be provided not only for the recruitment process but throughout
the human resources management cycle.
eXecutIve summAry – POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
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