Have you ever gone for a job and been tempted to anglicise your surname, remove your female pronoun or delete your birth date in case it cruels your chances?

For the first time in Australia, the Victorian government will trial removing personal details - such as name, gender, age and location - from job applications to rule out discrimination or unconscious bias.

The Victorian government will trial removing names, ages and genders from job applications

Unconscious bias - when hidden beliefs or attitudes influence our behaviour - has long been a bugbear for those championing workplace diversity.

It's a very personal project for the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Robin Scott. His wife, Shaojie, has a Chinese background but has occasionally used her anglicised name, Jade Scott, for job interviews.