Katie/Katherine or Jim/James?

[munchkin1616]

I'm a grad student beginning to job hunt and finding myself in a bit of a name dilemma... I go by a nickname but my license/diploma will have my full name. For example, I introduce myself as "Katie," I use it on midterms, I've been quoted in professional publications as "Katie Smith," and the like. However, my license will say "Katherine Smith"

Comments

[max_ambiguity]

What exactly is your concern here? Is every man called Jim when his name is James "unaware of the formality of such documents"? Just go look at what other people have done and then do whatever you want.

[munchkin1616]

the concern is what name to use on resumes and other professional materials being sent to potential employers. Is it better to use "Katie" even though a search to make sure my license is valid wouldn't give a result or is it better to use "Katherine" when articles, quotes, and other information I'd want people to find won't show up under that name?

[max_ambiguity]

There is no "better." Your name is your name. If your nickname were "Spike" or "Dumdum" you would want to rethink using it on professional materials. But do you really think anyone cares whether you are Katie or Katherine?

[tx_cronopio]

I do think you are straining at gnats a bit, but I'd keep all formal documentation (resumes, etc) under your formal name. I doubt that anyone will be confused if they see occasional references to Katie.

[owl_of_minerva]

"straining at gnats" --- that is a most wonderful expression.

[ladyshrew]

I think most people can figure out that "Katie" is a nickname for Katherine or something close to Katherine.

[munchkin1616]

but what about for those whose nickname isn't so obvious?

[ladyshrew]

Is yours more complicated than that? If somebody is going by two completely different names in publication, they might consider noting that somewhere on the resume, particularly if you're listing any of those publications.

[themonkeypolice]

I get this a lot, even though my name actually is Vicky and not Victoria :) It's annoying but not something that would ever concern me with work.

As suggested below why not have Katherine 'Katie' Whatever on your CV?

[allyscully]

You can list yourself as

Katherine "Katie" Lastname

on business cards, or even Katherine "Katie" Middlename Lastname. That's how I've seen people list nicknames or names they like to be called...for example, some of my friends have an Asian/given name, and then an 'americanized' name they prefer to be called by for business/school, so their business cards might be something like Jiang-Wei "Amy" Zhu (to use a girl I know as an example.)

[liedra]

I'm in the same position (though I'm a Catie :) and I've been using Catherine for all my official things since I started doing a PhD, and have been getting used to being called Catherine after 28 years of being a Catie. I almost always say "You can call me Catie" when I'm talking in person, but otherwise I stick to Catherine :)

It's up to you though, whatever you feel more comfy with!

[dip_thong]

Yeah, you do have the added bonus of being able to tell people in person that they can call you Katie, and it makes a little bit of a social distinction between formal-you and everyday-you. It obviously lets those people into the informal circle, and they may like that.