How distinct is your name?

Have you recently searched your name online? When I searched "Ian Mondrow" using Google, I learned that there is an additional Ian Mondrow in the world (possibly more!). He lived in Canada and was a successful lawyer. Coincidently, he is a distant cousin. However, having this cousin with an identical name could be a barrier for me if I was a jobseeker. Hiring companies will often research candidates on the internet and it can become confusing if their results reveal multiple individuals with the same name. As a candidate, one wants to stand out and be unique.

This situation can be overwhelming if an individual has a fairly common name, such as: James Hope, Jamie Brown, etc.

To overcome this obstacle, either add your name or your middle initial to all your materials. For instance, on my resume and cover letter, it now says, “Ian B. Mondrow." I guarantee that if you Google that, you will only find information about me. This will allow employers to differentiate me from other candidates or individuals that have the same name. It is such a minor tweak but it can be a huge advantage as a candidate because you are creating a unique identity shared by no one else.

If you are interested in knowing approximately how many people in the US share your name, please refer to this website: http://howmanyofme.com/