changing your name in your professional life.

KayD19 · April 2010

I have been working for the same company for sometime now so most of the customers know me by my maiden name. How do I bring up my new name and new e-mail address without being tacky?

salt78 · April 2010

I'm confused as to why that would be considered "tacky".

But anyway for mine, I've just explained it as it's come up. And usually people will be all "Oh congrats on your marriage!"

JessAndTrav · April 2010

Dear Customers:

Please update your contacts list to kayd19gotanewlastname@gmail.com.

Thanks,

KayD19 oldname newname

Brie2010 · April 2010

I just plan to start using mine. I'll probably send out a blanket e-mail to people I e-mail a lot, saying, "Hey, my e-mail address has changed, it's now brienewlastname@email dot com, FYI." Or similar. If people ask, I'll tell them I got married. Not a big deal, happens all the time. I'm going to autoforward my old e-mail to my new e-mail as well.

I'm also ordering new business cards and a new nameplate next week for my office to start using right after the wedding, so there's no confusion about whether I'm changing my name or not.

Moneypenny424 · April 2010

Agreed, I don't see how it is tacky. Explain it as it comes up. Depending on your field, you could also give a head's up email just stating that your email address has changed.

I go by First Maiden Married, so it was still pretty clear who I was, so like Salt, I just dealt with it as it came up.

opalsky007 · April 2010

Yeah, what salt said. My email address has not changed (we choose our user ID for our entire time here), but I've changed my signature and display name to opalsky maiden last, so that people who don't know I've gotten married won't be confused for long.

Most people I interact with are still clueless, and that's ok. If they introduce me by my maiden name or something, I just correct them and move on.

lannerjarv · April 2010

i kept my last name for business reasons only.
it's my new last name everywhere else.. but my maiden name for work.

it's sort of nice to be able to have both :-)

pumpkinpumpkin · April 2010

I don't see why this is tacky either. Just another over-use of the word.

mica178 · April 2010

Are you worried that people will think you're fishing for congratulations or presents by announcing the marriage? No, informing them that your name has changed (and, correspondingly, your contact information) is professional and courteous.

Calypso1977 · April 2010

i usually see folks change their signature to look like one of the following:

(if they intend to use both last names on a permanent basis)
Susan Jones Smith

(if they intend to use only the new name and will drop the old name after a certain period of time once folks catch on)

Susan (Jones) Smith
Susan Smith (f/k/a Jones)

they usually then put a disclaimer:
"please note my last name and email have changed".

Bubbalub · April 2010

I have a relatively unusual first name and at work my email is firstname@company.com so when I change my last name it won't make a real difference. I'll just change my display name to the new last name but since I work at a pretty small company everyone knows who I am and won't be confused. If they ask, I'll just tell them.

The only real annoying thing, for me, is for my resume. In my industry potential employers will look you up online to confirm that you actually did work on the games you say you did, in the position you say you did. So once I change my name none of that info will show up. But, again, if an employer asks, I will tell them I got married and changed my name.

MeaghanandMichael · April 2010

One thing I thought was odd when I changed my name was that almost every one said, "oh is your husband Jewish?" I mean, it is a pretty Jewish sounding last name, but I was shocked almost every.single. person commented on it. That would never occur to me to comment like that on another person's name. Plus, it was doubly awkward because no, he is not Jewish.Then they would ask more questions. It was just a headache.

goheels05 · April 2010

Ditto the others. Also, talk to your IT dept about the transition. Emails sent to my old work email address (firstmaiden@company.com) still routed to my inbox the rest of the time I worked there, so it was never an issue.

changing your name in your professional life.

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