Real People with a Real

Language

9

The Workplace and the Judicial System

I am from India. Now a US citizen and live in USA for about 24

years. I had my University education in USA. After my PhD and 6

years of employment now I am unemployed and unable to secure a

job. Recently I applied for a job ... The employer called, told me that

it was a prescreening interview. She told me she likes everything

about me, but she does not like my accent. She said, as a part of the

job I need to do telephone interviews ... She also said she called me

first, because she does not want to waste time ... when it comes to

hiring and promotion, my opportunity for advancement is clearly

based on my accent.

Anonymous commenter, http://www.theworkbuzz.com, October 27,

2010

I never thought about my accent much while I was living in

Mississippi. My family had been there over 200 years ... I moved to

Texas and once again, my accent came under fire. I even overheard

my boss talking to a coworker one day; she said, “If I’d known how

bad her accent was, I never would have hired her.”