How Speaking “American” Can Impact Your Wage Potential

EDITOR'S NOTE: The importance of first impressions in job interviews is a universally acknowledged fact. However, a new study indicates that something as personal and intrinsic as an accent could potentially have a significant impact on one's financial prospects. According to the research conducted by the University of Chicago and the University of Munich, job seekers possessing a Southern accent may potentially earn less annually, as compared to those without such a dialect. This surprising discovery suggests an unseen bias in the employment sector that might be costing individuals with strong regional accents up to 20% of their potential wages, as compared to their counterparts speaking in a "standard accent."

This bias isn't unnoticed by job seekers, with 38% admitting to downplaying their regional accents during interviews due to negative stereotypes, according to another study conducted by the Writing Tips Institute. It revealed that applicants with a Southern accent were the fourth most likely group to alter their vocal inflections, following those from Western New England, South Midland, and New Jersey. This linguistic alteration is not limited to any particular industry, with sectors such as real estate, tourism, public service, and information technology experiencing this trend. This unexpected intersection of accents and economics brings to light an overlooked aspect of wage disparity and presents a crucial area for further discussion and investigation.

Another recent study says job applicants with Southern accents are the fourth most likely to change how they talk

A new study found that job seekers with a Southern accent could make less money than people without one.

According to the study by the University of Chicago and the University of Munich, people with a Southern accent could lose out on thousands of dollars per year.

The research revealed that people with strong regional accents face a wage penalty of up to 20% compared to those who speak with a "standard accent."

Another recent study found that 38% of job seekers admitted to "softening" their regional accents during interviews because of negative stereotypes. 

This study by the Writing Tips Institute found that applicants with a Southern accent were the fourth most likely to change their voice. People from Western New England, South Midland and New Jersey were the most likely to alter their accents.

The Writing Tips Institute's study, which surveyed 3,000 people, also discovered the professions in which job applicants are more likely to change their accents.

Real Estate was the most likely industry where prospective employees change the way they speak, followed by tourism, public service, information technology, engineering, hospitality, finance, retail, healthcare and media. 

 

Originally published by: Landon Mion on FOX Business