Many prospective job seekers often use a nickname to project themselves in a better light. They want to project the message that they are the perfect fit for the current job. Now here is the thing, when any employer screens your resume or for that matter HR of the particular company you have applied to, they look at your name first.
Why does all of this matter? Well, to put this into perspective, a nickname kind of supports the work you do and presents you as a potential employee in a different light as an employee. Your maiden name is what you get as a birth name. But a nickname is the one you get to keep in job circles to build some gravitas in the area.
Preferred Name vs Legal Name At Work
People might perceive this entire battle differently as many would then posit a question, does such a battle even exist? To which you need to have a mindful answer. Do remember that your legal name is what stays with you and cannot alter. Legal names can be long, for instance, You might be called, ‘Murphy Thomas Jackson’.
Now if you want to build a professional brand out of it you can either use parts of your name as Murphy Jackson/Murphy Thomas/Murphy/Thomas etc. This holds the attention of your recruiter as it determines three things:
- It shows that you have a brand and it’s consistently integrated on all platforms including social media.
- If you have done previous work under the given name, recruiters make it more sure to hire you.
- It gives you a lot of wiggle room to make your mark in the applied industry with the preferred work name/nickname you want to use.
How to Write a Name On a Resume?
Along with a good subject line for resume email, there needs to be a thorough understanding of How to write names on your resume as well. Before that, please also understand that the name you put in your resume will make your work stand out, so please make sure about that too. When we use a name to which we very well relate, it just means that we are being the best version that we want to be. We are being approachable and funny.
Now in these very merged waters, there are certain things to consider as well. Your nickname that you mention in your resume has to be a name that can be pronounced which is too formal. That does not mean you need to put an entire name. For instance, if you are ‘Jonathan Parks 3’ you can be ‘John’ or ‘Johnny’. The name seems good and very approachable. But here is the thing: it cannot be ‘J-Star’ or ‘Jonny Van Dam’.
So please under the extension you can change and play with your name. Nicknames only can exist if you build a brand around yourself. Or else making a name that does not take your personality seriously can backfire and have repercussions.
The other aspect to this on the other end is, it’s perfectly fine if you as an employee want to sound like ‘Jonathan Parks 3’, but the name can be a bit long and it simply does not serve the purpose of creating a brand. But it’s a personal choice. You can also call your brand with that name, just that using a nickname is more personalised and has a greater chance of you succeeding with that.
How to Put a NickName/ Preferred Name on A Resume?
Following are some tips to put your nickname or preferred name on a resume.
Swapping your NickName for A Legal Name is Allowed
If you are still skeptical about the procedure regarding changing names you just need to understand if you are overthinking the risk factor then do not overthink. Rather stay assured all of it is completely legal and also very much in tune with the larger scheme of things.
As far as the legal aspect is concerned, it is true that if you have been accepted to do a job then it is your duty to jot it down on your CV. However, that duty will come off late in your life. In present times including pet name/preferred name/nickname is not an issue. You can use it as your signature workname/ brand name to prove consistency with your work.
Using Quotes for Your Nickname
Many people also like to use their name in quotes, to show people what they like to be called. For instance, Ashley Jenkins can use her name as Ashley ‘Ash’ Jenkins and that is perfectly normal. It just means that you are putting a preference on How you should be called or rather How you would like yourself to be called at your workplace.
Hard Local Pronunciations Replaced with An Easy Name
The English Vocabulary can only help you to an extent to How an employer should call you. If you are ‘German’, ‘French’ or ‘Spanish’, there is a tone to which the name has been said. For instance, ‘Francois’ written in the English language is pronounced as ‘Francoi’ in French with ‘S’ silent, simply you can write, Francois ‘Fran’ Bonaparte.
So, this is how you can use nicknames to ease saying aloud your local names. This can be used for a host of names, for instance, ‘Xavier’ in Spanish is also pronounced as ‘Havier’ in English.
Your Preferred Name should be Abbreviated
Many people do not want to be taken as male/female candidates. They either want to be taken as a male/female candidate. They do not like to exist as a personality that requires recruitment rather they want that their work should speak out for themselves.
If that’s the case for you as well, use abbreviated prefixes of your name like Mr. W.H. Mortimer instead of ‘Willian Henderson Mortimer’. This is a great take for people who are gender-neutral, bisexual, and follow a no-discrimination policy and that can make your recruiter understand your sociological stance and also the preference of your name.
Alter your Suffixes
Altering suffixes and modifying your generation code have become more important. Suffixes denote and rather present the issues of generation sophisticatedly. But please do remember that your qualification makes it more worthwhile than using a generation suffix. If you are referred to as John Kelly III, then simply change your name to ‘John Kelly Ph.D.
Professionalism is the Key
Nicknames make you approachable and show you off as this relatable person. But being aloof and turning all things into haste is not. You have to have a name that sounds good off professionally. For instance, if your original name is ‘Dustin’, and friends call you ‘Dusty the heavy hunter’ then it’s just too much exposure to your name.
It might sound good if you want to fill in as an MMA athlete, not in a professional space like law firms, insurance companies, sales and finance departments of big companies. You should rather stick to legal names.
Be Consistent with The Name in Your Job Application
Now your name does make a hell of a lot of difference as a job application prospect. You need to very much be aware of the name that you have used on the initial application to apply for the job. You need to know about the cover letter. If you have applied through a third-party online ‘job’ portal you need to know what’s the name you have forwarded to the recruiters.
If consistency is altered in any shape or form it can be a problem in the long run. So, it’s very very important that you understand the importance of consistency.
Free Pass If You Want to Change Your Sexuality
So, here is the thing: it becomes a free pass for you if you are transitioning your gender. This is important since getting a new identity even calls for a change of names. You can use your preferred friendly name as opposed to using your long legal name.
Final say
A preferential name change can be seen sometimes in a bad light but it’s completely fine if there is consistency and being used as part of your business identity. The only exception to this is, not using informal nicknames that are common in your family/friend circles. And it’s also a matter of choice if you want to use your nickname it’s completely okay.
