Whats in a name?

Jobseeeker

you might think this is silly but i would like peoples thoughts on this:

Since being made redundant, ive applied for a lot of jobs and heard nothing back on any. None of these jobs are above my skills and qualifications and some are well below. I have a mentor who has helped me with my cv etc so thats not the problem. I have good exam results and went to a good uni.

anyway i was speaking to my cousin who works in HR and she thinks that my name is the problem. Dont want to reveal it but its quite chavvy. She thinks that large companies who get thousands of cvs will just disregard based on chavvy name

i had a look and found an article by a newspaper basically saying the same thing. they tested it out by sending fake cvs (similar skills and experience) one with posh name and one with common name and the posh one got all the interviews!

i cant now change it as that will look like ive got something to hide. this is really getting me down and i feel like il never get another job

Dunroamin

I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to know what your "chavvy" name is.

Jobseeeker

ha ha dont want to reveal it as employers might google me but its both first and second name

if i can find a husband soon at least i can ditch the surname

ERICS_MUM

Do you have a middle name that is less chavvy ? Lots of people are called by their middle name and you could fill this in on your application.

Good luck

Linda xx

theoretica

I know several people who use something other than their legal name without people thinking they are tying to hide - whether it is a middle name, mother's maiden name or just something they picked up along the way. I doubt it would be a problem to put in an application with a new name and then tell HR legally I am X, but I prefer to go by Y.

Jobseeeker

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

Do you have a middle name that is less chavvy ? Lots of people are called by their middle name and you could fill this in on your application.

Good luck

Linda xx

theoretica wrote: »

I know several people who use something other than their legal name without people thinking they are tying to hide - whether it is a middle name, mother's maiden name or just something they picked up along the way. I doubt it would be a problem to put in an application with a new name and then tell HR legally I am X, but I prefer to go by Y.

oh really? i had no idea you could put a middle name on applications, i thought it had to be your legal name. Thanks il give it a try

ValHaller

If it is your name (let's say you are Tayla** BenefitGrabber) which is the problem, do a cv using a preferred first name in the main heading eg 'Theresa Jobseeker' and where you give your DOB, put 'born Tayla BenefitGrabber 1st April 1990'

If you do that and start getting interviews, you will be left with the problem of how to get back to your proper name, but

1. You will have proved the point
2. You will be further forward than if you had not tried

** didn't appear in http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-363230/Chav-names-feared-teachers.html but for me Tayla beats all the quoted examples hands down

ERICS_MUM

Jobseeeker wrote: »

oh really? i had no idea you could put a middle name on applications, i thought it had to be your legal name. Thanks il give it a try

I know of 3 people who did this. For example:

Fred Joseph Bloggs. Called himself Joe but filled in his name on forms etc as:

F. J . Bloggs

Whenever anyone queried it, he just told them he used his middle name (his dad was also called Fred so his mum called him Joe to avoid confusion in the household).

blckbrd

Jobseeeker wrote: »

you might think this is silly but i would like peoples thoughts on this:

Since being made redundant, ive applied for a lot of jobs and heard nothing back on any. None of these jobs are above my skills and qualifications and some are well below. I have a mentor who has helped me with my cv etc so thats not the problem. I have good exam results and went to a good uni.

anyway i was speaking to my cousin who works in HR and she thinks that my name is the problem. Dont want to reveal it but its quite chavvy. She thinks that large companies who get thousands of cvs will just disregard based on chavvy name

i had a look and found an article by a newspaper basically saying the same thing. they tested it out by sending fake cvs (similar skills and experience) one with posh name and one with common name and the posh one got all the interviews!

i cant now change it as that will look like ive got something to hide. this is really getting me down and i feel like il never get another job

How utterly depressing. We've all heard the Mohammad Mohammad applying as John Smith stories butthis really??

Out of curiosity, please, what kind of job are you applying for/what industry?

And when did employers become such stupid kn*bs?

Jobseeeker

industry is finance - id like to add i have no real proof that this is the case but its something ive got to consider after no interviews in one year

il try the middle name and the initial thing, if that doesnt get me an interview i really will be screwed as i have a mortgage

blckbrd

Well, good luck!