I'm not asking what my legal rights are but what is most professional and likely to get me the job. I'm pre-everything but I pass 99% of the time, so much that it would seem odd to use a feminine name but my ID still has my birth name so it could be confusing to put my chosen name on the application.

If they are checking references or school records, you will need to use your birth name. In addition, if you are in the United States they will run your name and Social Security number to see if you are a citizen and have the right to work in this country. You might be ok on the application as long as they don't ask for a Social Security number but once they do, the truth will need to be told. What I was able to get away with isn't possible any longer.

Always use the name on your ID for anything professionally related. Otherwise, it would be grounds for termination, if you did get the job.

This is why I even had my name and gender changed on my school records. If a background check is to be conducted, you will want all your bases covered.

Legal name always.

I put my legal name on the actual forms that I filled out once I got the job, and they have a copy of my passport with my birthname on it, but my preferred name went on the cover letter/ my CV when i applied, and i put in a note about my name change and pronouns. This did mean basically outing myself to my managers but I don't pass very well so it was going to happen anyway.

It also depends on how changing your name works where you live -- i have a deedpoll which is free to make and legally binding in the UK (in fact I didn't even really need to make one of those because i live in scotland and we have our own laws, but most places ask for one anyway) so i could give my work a copy of that if they're concerned. I also put M on the forms and I have no GRC, but no one has asked any questions, but that may be an oversight on their part.

Also, I was pretty confident that the place i work wouldn't turn me down simply for being transgender. I've heard of other people not outing themselves until after their probation period ends - so if you think the place you want to work might not want to deal with you being trans, you could use just your legal name at first and then once you have the job let them know that you'd prefer a different name. That does have the downside that everyone you work with would know your old name though - because i approached my work with my new name, only the people that handled my application and induction know my birth-name.

You could check out the places you're applying to and see if they have any transgender protocols online - bigger companies might. Or, you could email them beforehand and enquire.

Always use your legal name when submitting applications.

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Quote from: Peep on August 04, 2016, 08:23:15 AM
I put my legal name on the actual forms that I filled out once I got the job, and they have a copy of my passport with my birthname on it, but my preferred name went on the cover letter/ my CV when i applied, and i put in a note about my name change and pronouns. This did mean basically outing myself to my managers but I don't pass very well so it was going to happen anyway.

It also depends on how changing your name works where you live -- i have a deedpoll which is free to make and legally binding in the UK (in fact I didn't even really need to make one of those because i live in scotland and we have our own laws, but most places ask for one anyway) so i could give my work a copy of that if they're concerned. I also put M on the forms and I have no GRC, but no one has asked any questions, but that may be an oversight on their part.

Also, I was pretty confident that the place i work wouldn't turn me down simply for being transgender. I've heard of other people not outing themselves until after their probation period ends - so if you think the place you want to work might not want to deal with you being trans, you could use just your legal name at first and then once you have the job let them know that you'd prefer a different name. That does have the downside that everyone you work with would know your old name though - because i approached my work with my new name, only the people that handled my application and induction know my birth-name.

You could check out the places you're applying to and see if they have any transgender protocols online - bigger companies might. Or, you could email them beforehand and enquire.

Really interesting stuff. I'm also pre-everything and also trying to figure out how to proceed now for new job apps. Professionally, everyone knows me by a nickname of my legal first name, and legal last name. They only get the full legal name for an application. But cover letter, CV, resume, etc has my preferred name. I've never had a problem with this. And they do get my full legal name for background searches, etc. But if someone called my references based on my legal name, they wouldn't know who they're talking about.

Now though, I still look more female than male, and I want to go by my male name. Looking into the legal name / gender change stuff in my province in Canada, but will need to find work before all that goes through.

Quote from: Hughie on August 04, 2016, 10:40:29 AM
Really interesting stuff. I'm also pre-everything and also trying to figure out how to proceed now for new job apps. Professionally, everyone knows me by a nickname of my legal first name, and legal last name. They only get the full legal name for an application. But cover letter, CV, resume, etc has my preferred name. I've never had a problem with this. And they do get my full legal name for background searches, etc. But if someone called my references based on my legal name, they wouldn't know who they're talking about.

Now though, I still look more female than male, and I want to go by my male name. Looking into the legal name / gender change stuff in my province in Canada, but will need to find work before all that goes through.

Yeah, I mentioned in my cover letter that the references would be in my old name too.

Legally, you can do either. I applied for things with my new name before I submitted my court order. Had no issues with it.

If they're going to background check, you should let them know that you applied with the name you go by and not your legal name. If there is an issue with that and they intend to hire you, they will just have you resubmit the paperwork.

I do background and credit checks all the time. As long as you give me an ID that I can use to run the searches, I don't care what you wrote on the application. I may run it as an alias to make sure nothing bad pops up, but it's really not a big deal.