Hey guys! I am a ftm that has been on testosterone for almost a 9 months now. "Passing" is a hit or miss with me but I've mostly been passing as a male ever since I started growing facial hair. I haven't legally changed my name or sex on my Id or birth certificate.

Well my question is, when applying for a job do most of you use your preferred name on the applications? Or do you use your legal name and then explain later that you do not answer to that name anymore. Is it legal to put your preferred name? I'm not too sure how it all works. I was hired a year ago at a new job and used my legal name on the applications and it's such a hassle to tell everyone that I do not like to be "dead named". I'm applying for other jobs right now and want to use my preffered male name.

What are some of your experiences with this situation?

Resumes and applications aren't legal documents so you can put anything you want. If you  get a job, you need to fill out tax forms. That requires your legal name.

Hugs, Devlyn

Changing your name is just the beginning. You'll then need to contact all former employers, references etc about your name change.

When I had transitioned and changed my name, I called the HR department of my former employer, told them the changes, they were more than happy to change just in case a prospective employer called for references.

Bottom line, I would try to change your name ASAP, makes it less awkward in an interview.

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on February 03, 2017, 07:00:27 AM
Resumes and applications aren't legal documents so you can put anything you want. If you  get a job, you need to fill out tax forms. That requires your legal name.

Hugs, Devlyn

Oh yeah I completely forgot about taxes. Thank you!

Be careful here.  Lying on an application is grounds for being fired.  I suggest submitting initial contact with preferred name but talk to HR if they send you any documents. 

I realize that changing your name in the US isn't quite as easy as it is in Canada.
All I had to do was go to city hall, some old guy asked why I'm there, stamped my form, mailed it along with $135...six weeks later my name was changed.

Quote from: Nina_Ottawa on February 03, 2017, 08:09:58 AM
I realize that changing your name in the US isn't quite as easy as it is in Canada.
All I had to do was go to city hall, some old guy asked why I'm there, stamped my form, mailed it along with $135...six weeks later my name was changed.

I live in San Diego California and directly on the government website it says we no longer need court orders and doctor approval to change our gender and name on all legal documents. I'm just hoping they honor it. I know some people will give us a hard time no matter what the law is

Hey! I was so lucky to apply at a very inclusive and accepting company. I am a non-passing transwoman, but applied with my female name and came to interviews dressed female and got the job! Everyone there are so friendly, although very male dominated -I am one of two females. This was the first one I applied to too, so just full score on the luck there.. I'm sure there are many employers that will not be as easy going and accepting, so I don't know what I would recommend to  you. If you mostly pass it may be easier for you and certainly more comfortable to present male. Name change was super easy in Norway but idk about the US..

Whatever may happen, best of luck <3

Quote from: Nina_Ottawa on February 03, 2017, 08:09:58 AM
I realize that changing your name in the US isn't quite as easy as it is in Canada.
All I had to do was go to city hall, some old guy asked why I'm there, stamped my form, mailed it along with $135...six weeks later my name was changed.

Basically the same process here in Massachusetts except the old guy is at Family Court rather than City Hall. Took a bit longer, around three months, and cost $180. That will vary because I was doing a last name change and the judge wanted a legal notice posted, which was an extra $160 for me.

Hugs, Devlyn

Quote from: Lordmasterflex on February 03, 2017, 08:30:37 AM
I live in San Diego California and directly on the government website it says we no longer need court orders and doctor approval to change our gender and name on all legal documents. I'm just hoping they honor it. I know some people will give us a hard time no matter what the law is

Nice to see there's been real progress since I changed my name a decade ago

Wow, you all have it easy.  Here in Wisconsin you have to file a petition for a court hearing.  Then you're required to run an add in the newspaper once a week for three weeks notifying the public of your court hearing. Then in the court hearing you have to present to a judge your name, new name, reason for change and an affidavit confirming that you publicized the hearing for three weeks.  The judge then decides whether or not to grant your name change.  If granted you then have to mail notices to multiple records' offices to have it changed.

Not looking forward to that process.

The last few companies Ive worked for have a seperate heading on the orientation and payroll forms for 'preferred name.' This practice might be across the board now in Canada.

Quote from: lisawb on February 03, 2017, 10:54:30 AM
Wow, you all have it easy.  Here in Wisconsin you have to file a petition for a court hearing.  Then you're required to run an add in the newspaper once a week for three weeks notifying the public of your court hearing. Then in the court hearing you have to present to a judge your name, new name, reason for change and an affidavit confirming that you publicized the hearing for three weeks.  The judge then decides whether or not to grant your name change.  If granted you then have to mail notices to multiple records' offices to have it changed.

Not looking forward to that process.

Actually, I could have faced all of that. Each judge has absolute discretion over what is required in each case. I wasn't required to attend (nor even notified of) the hearing.

Hugs, Devlyn

In the UK a legal name change is easy - the other side of it is that it's rare anyone does it with their first name so you get a lot of questions and sometimes resistance.

Even my GP was like "you're changing your name?" as if there'd be no reason to, even though she knows perfectly well why. Only the GIC staff seem to think it's a given most of us want our names changed.

I would always use my preferred name on my resume and any applications I put out. If there is a background or credit check to get the job, it would come after you've been interviewed and conditionally offered the position. And that's usually just another form you'd fill out, so the only person who would potentially know would be HR. And they would also find out when you go to fill out tax information and whatnot.

I regularly hire people and I also do freelance background investigations and credit checks. You could put on your resume that your name is Princess Unicorn Jones and as long as you put your legal name and it matches with your SSN for the forms that actually matter, no harm no foul. If anyone asks why you used a different name on your resume (assuming it's not immediately clear), just tell them that's the name you go by and it didn't even cross your mind to use another name.

My name change was stupid easy. $41 check and a notarized court petition hand delivered to the city clerk's office. Two weeks later, name changed with several certified copies. Virginia is surprisingly decent to trans people for being in the technical south.

You're all lucky... for changing your name in Spain you need to wait for 2 years after starting "treatment". The initial psychological evaluation does not count as treatment. But we should be happy, at least SRS is no longer required!!</irony>

In order not to be totally offtopic, I don't know for resumes out there but here it's usual for people to put a "Other interesting facts" section at the end with things like "Immediate availability" or "I have my own car". So I'd try making a resume for "Natalia" and then in the Others section I'd put "Legal name: Deadname".

California has something called common usage. You may use any name you wish as long as there is no intention to defraud anybody. I started using Dena and applied for work and other activities without anything official. The hitch was I couldn't change my drivers license until after surgery but I was able to change that and my social security account with my surgeons statement. The only  thing I couldn't hand haven't changed yet is my birth certificate. That needed and still needs a court order for the state of Wisconsin. Some of the rules might have changed in the last 30 years but it's one way of handling it.

The job I currently have is at a super conservative garage. I put the first initial of my first name and then my preferred name.

J. "Green" Doe

I told the boss that my parents had given me a weird first name and I was in the process of changing it. (I was 6 months on T and passing pretty good.) They had to put my legal name in the computer system for signing in and out of jobs, which was visible to everybody. I thought for sure someone would figure it out but I work with two guys that have old school guys names that are now considered girls names like "Leslie" and "Marion" so nobody even thought twice about it.

They happily put my preferred name on my uniforms, so that definitely helped too.

Almost 2 years later and I'm still stealth at work.

One more piece of advice is that if you use an employment agency they do all the checking of references and stuff and then just tell your prospective employer if it was good or bad, some of them even handle the paychecks and stuff so if you could find an accepting one to work with you could really cover your tracks good. Plus they usually have a good line on better than average jobs.

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Why can't you just use "AKA" Also known as?

Quote from: green27 on February 05, 2017, 01:06:29 PM
The job I currently have is at a super conservative garage. I put the first initial of my first name and then my preferred name.

J. "Green" Doe

I told the boss that my parents had given me a weird first name and I was in the process of changing it. (I was 6 months on T and passing pretty good.) They had to put my legal name in the computer system for signing in and out of jobs, which was visible to everybody. I thought for sure someone would figure it out but I work with two guys that have old school guys names that are now considered girls names like "Leslie" and "Marion" so nobody even thought twice about it.

They happily put my preferred name on my uniforms, so that definitely helped too.

Almost 2 years later and I'm still stealth at work.

One more piece of advice is that if you use an employment agency they do all the checking of references and stuff and then just tell your prospective employer if it was good or bad, some of them even handle the paychecks and stuff so if you could find an accepting one to work with you could really cover your tracks good. Plus they usually have a good line on better than average jobs.

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this is also what i did. they just asked what the initial stood for and i told them i was trans. they had no issues what so ever. for my punch clock, they ended up just using my initials so not to out me. when i punch in now though, it shows my now legal name. however, on the schedule it still says initials which is ridiculous (my birth initials are different from my now legal name initials) but people don't question it or they just don't care. also most places have it where they have 'preferred' name on applications.