Adventures in Recruiting: Part I: The Alias

The other day I had a really funny experience which I posted on Facebook.  It got so much response I thought I would post it here for my readers to enjoy.

I received a resume through my website.  I opened the email, read the cover letter and then opened the attached resume.  I instantly got confused.  The name on the resume, while similar to the one on the email, was not the same.  I emailed the candidate telling him that I was confused.

To be clear (and I am making up the name to protect the guilty), the email name was Joseph Smith.  The name on his resume was: Steven Joseph.  I asked for an explanation.

Before you read the punch line, I have to tell you that in all my years of recruiting, this is a first.  Here is his verbatim email to me:

"Name is [Joseph Steven Smith] - when i [sic] initially put this resume together I was freaked out about having my name out there as looking for a job, since this industry is quite small and incestuous!"

Think about this for a while. 

I have heard of people changing their resumes:  They change their college degrees (I had a candidate once change his college - and he got caught), I have seen people change employment dates, I have even seen people change the accounts that they worked on.  But I have never seen someone change their name.

Would love your comments.