If you’ve been looking for a job for a while and keep striking out, you’re probably frustrated and wondering what’s going wrong. One thing that you might not be thinking about is your name. That’s right, something as simple as your name might be hurting your chances of landing that job.
If your name is inconsistent from meeting someone in person and your online profiles, your potential employers are having a hard time finding you online. For example, if you walk into an interview, and you introduce yourself as Bradley D. Wilde, your interviewer is looking for that name online. If your Linkedin is under Brad Wilde, you’re harder to find. This has the potential of giving the impression that you’re hiding something or you don’t have the professional history to show off. Your chances of getting the job increase slightly when your interviewer can easily find you online when they type in the name Bradley D. Wilde.
Next time you go into an interview or create an online profile, think about your name consistency between real life and online. The second thought just might help you get that job you’ve always wanted!