In my experience of working in human resources, I've found the process toward getting to the, "you've been selected" phase can be a challenging ordeal for many. For some, it's just a resume, interview, and offer letter. For others it's a resume, then interview #1, a writing sample, interview #2, interview #3, check your references, interview #4, let's verify the salary you wanted, interview #5, and offer letter (this was a real story by the way).
Whenever you are searching for that dream position, the process can be rigorous, annoying, frustrating, yet rewarding in the end. So in this miniblog series, I want to take the time to answer some common questions I get from my clients and career seekers. And while my scope is all about resumes, I get questions about the entire process. And I would like to share some of those answers with you. While I'm not an expert, if you want to go into further detail beyond the questions I answer, I suggest finding a local career coach that can give you great insight into what to do next.
Should I put my full name on my resume even if it’s an awkward or racially labeled name?
It's ideal to put your real, government name on your resume. Go with me on this one. You have to put your real name because you need to verify who you are. Even if your position is not a top security clearance, ideally you go through some basic background check, and your name needs to line up with what you are stating on your resume. So what if your name is difficult to spell or pronounce! So what if it identifies with a particular race! So what if it's considered ghetto! Do you really want to work for an organization that would discriminate and disqualify you simply because you put your real name?
Your answer should be NO! You should be proud of who are you, where you come from, and the name your family gave you. So at the end of the day, it's your preference if you want to initial your middle name or add in parentheses the pronunciation of your name. It's your name! Be proud of it and your resume should reflect that.