The scenario
My name seems to be raising eyebrows among my colleagues - a variation of it has been in the news a lot. I now wonder if it will hold me back in my career. Should I change my name? If so, how? Or, at the very least, how do I adopt a "nickname" and get others to start using it?
The advice
Your name makes up an integral part of your identity, so I can only imagine that this is a rather daunting process you are going through.
Choosing to change your name is a rather drastic option and is a decision that should not be taken lightly. If you decide to change it, you will have to go through a legal process that is both costly and somewhat cumbersome. And going about a legal name change, other than for a change of status (marriage, divorce, adoption), is likely to raise a few more eyebrows among your colleagues than if you simply talk to them about what you are going through.
Identify the proverbial elephant in the room. This will go a long way toward defusing the situation. Talk to your manager and colleagues about your concern but make light of the situation: You may find that your fears are completely unfounded.
If you are not comfortable talking about your name, remember that news does move on. A name that is prevalent in the news today may have no bearing on your career in a few months' time, let alone over your career trajectory.
Let your career speak for itself. Providing that you are doing good work, your performance will be more of a determinant of your success than your name. In fact, your work may already be known within your organization or your field by your name.
If you are doing work-related travel and if the similar name in the news is related to criminal activity, you may want to take a pro-active approach and have company-supported documentation so you can avoid security hassles at airports.
If you really want to make a change, choosing a nickname is the least drastic option. Make sure to select something that is close to your current name, or a name that you may have been called in childhood, so long as it has professional ring to it.
Don't choose something completely out of left field or too cutesy, as this will make it difficult for people to adopt.
Most importantly, make sure that you are comfortable with it. Try it on for size with your friends first. As an example, I started signing my initials at the end of e-mails years ago, simply for expediency sake and now the nickname - TVQ - has stuck.
Regardless of your decision, remember that, along with your name, your character and competence will help to determine your career path. After all, a rose by any other name is still a rose.
Terry VanQuickenborne is an organization development consultant and executive coach in Vancouver. Need some mentoring?
Would you like a second opinion about a potential career move? Don't know where to turn about a perplexing issue? Let one of our experts help you sort it all out.
Send your career questions to: