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A Tale of Two Resumes: How One Bold LinkedIn Experiment Revealed the Power of Race and Appearance in Hiring

Aliyah Jones created a fictional LinkedIn persona to expose how race and appearance shape opportunities—and the results are a wake-up call for workplaces worldwide.

By WOI+ Editorial Team

Aliyah Jones had it all on paper: a degree from a top design school, years of professional experience in marketing, and a portfolio of standout work. Yet, after months of applying for roles, she remained unemployed. Adding insult to injury, unsolicited feedback claimed she wasn’t “corporate enough.”

For Aliyah, the rejection wasn’t just frustrating — it was suspicious. What did “corporate enough” mean? She had the qualifications, but her identity as a Black woman seemed to be the unspoken barrier. Determined to uncover the truth, she conducted a social experiment that laid bare the biases still shaping modern hiring practices.

The Creation of “Emily Osbourne”

To test her theory, Aliyah created a LinkedIn profile for Emily Osbourne, an AI-generated persona with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a polished corporate aesthetic. Emily’s resume was identical to Aliyah’s — same education, same experience, same skills. The only differences? Name, race, and appearance.

Over eight months, Aliyah meticulously applied to more than 300 roles using both profiles. The disparities between their responses were striking. Emily received six times as many interview requests as Aliyah, and recruiters who ignored Aliyah eagerly responded to Emily’s messages.

Bias in Numbers

Emily was invited to interview for 57.9 percent of the roles she applied for, compared to Aliyah’s 8.9 percent. Recruiters’ engagement followed a similar pattern, with Emily’s messages twice as likely to elicit responses.

Aliyah’s findings aren’t isolated. Studies have consistently shown that candidates with names or appearances perceived as white are more likely to receive callbacks than equally qualified candidates who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color. What’s unique about Aliyah’s experiment is its modern approach, blending AI and social media to directly confront these systemic biases.

The Emotional Cost of Unequal Opportunity

While the data validated Aliyah’s suspicions, the experiment was far from empowering. Watching Emily succeed where she was overlooked was a painful reminder of the barriers Aliyah faced — not just in hiring, but in navigating a system that often requires women of color to prove themselves repeatedly.

“Emily was living the life I wanted,” Aliyah explained in her now-viral LinkedIn docuseries. Recruiters treated Emily as an ideal candidate, while Aliyah often faced rigorous assessments and additional assignments.

Eventually, Aliyah ended the experiment for her own mental well-being. Yet, the impact of her findings has reverberated far beyond her personal experience.

Bias Is Not Just a Moral Failing — It’s a Missed Opportunity

Aliyah’ experiment reveals a stark truth: hiring bias isn’t just unethical — it’s a significant barrier to progress. The intersection of race, gender, and appearance shapes opportunities globally, disadvantaging capable candidates who don’t fit outdated “corporate” molds.

While solutions like blind recruitment and anonymized resumes help, they fall short of addressing systemic inequities. True progress requires organizations to interrogate their hiring systems, implement meaningful anti-bias training, and ensure accountability at every stage.

Bias isn’t just a fairness issue — it’s a missed chance to unlock innovation and tap into diverse talent. Companies that fail to act risk leaving their potential untapped.

Turning Awareness Into Action

Since going public with her findings, Aliyah has become an advocate for equitable hiring practices. Through her platform, Being Black in Corporate Spaces, she amplifies stories from others who’ve faced similar challenges. Her work is not just about exposing bias — it’s about pushing for solutions.

Companies have a responsibility to move beyond performative diversity initiatives and implement meaningful change. Transparency, anti-bias protocols, and inclusive workplace cultures are no longer optional; they are critical.

What’s at Stake

Aliyah’s experiment serves as a stark reminder that the cost of bias isn’t just personal — it’s collective. When organizations overlook talent because of race or appearance, they miss out on innovation, diverse perspectives, and better decision-making.

The data is clear, the stories are real, and the next steps are undeniable. The question now is whether companies are ready to confront the uncomfortable truths Aliyah has laid bare and commit to change.

Sources: Teen Vogue, National Bureau of Economic Research