How to indicate, when applying for a job, that my legal name is my deadname?

Question

I'm a trans woman looking to get back into actively job-searching. As of currently, I've fully socially transitioned and use my preferred (female) name for most purposes (and it's what all my references know me as), but (since changing legal names is complicated) my (male) deadname is still my legal name (although I'm working on changing that state of affairs).

When applying for a job, how do I indicate that my legal name is different from my preferred name, indicate what my preferred name is, and request that my preferred name be used when interviewing so as to avoid causing undue distress?

Not a dupe of this question, which asks about introducing one's preferred name after applying, interviewing, and being hired; nor of this one, which asks about a situation where the preferred name is the legal name; nor of this one, which deals with a situation where simply abandoning the preferred name entirely in favor of the legal name is a viable option.

Answer 1

Putting your preferred name on your CV and signing it to the (if applicable) cover letter and anything other than a field to fill out your information for legal reasons should be sufficient. In my experience interviewers will generally refer to you by the name on your resume, or at least notice the discrepancy and ask about your preferences during any following communication. If they don't, or if they disqualify you off the bat for that discrepancy, then it might not be somewhere you want to work.

Answer 2

Legal vs. preferred name will cause a problem if you are a EU citizen, and your legal name is in some database saying that you have the right to work, but your preferred name isn't. If you are a UK citizen, that shouldn't be a problem. They have to check your passport at some point (because having a UK passport proves you have the right to work in the UK), and at that point you can tell the person checking and nobody else that this is your legal name, not your preferred name.

If HMRC has you under your preferred name, fine. Otherwise again, at about the time you start your job someone needs to know your legal name to make sure all your taxes and pension contributions are paid correctly.

And then you have to tell for example IT so they get you the right email address etc. You don't want [email protected] but [email protected] obviously.

So nothing is needed really at the time you apply, but make sure everything is done correctly when you start. About the differences: I worked in a company that was purchased by a larger company, and their IT changed all email addresses according to what your passport said. About 25% of employees had changes, some harmless (Ed changed to Edward), some changed to an extent where I didn't have a clue where that person was.

Answer 3

You don't, if you want to get hired.

Simply put, you don't tell anyone anything about you being transgender until you've gotten a job offer and the contract has been signed, if you want to get hired. If you tell them about it, you run the risk of getting written off as a potential source of drama (e.g. female employees complaining about a biological male using their toilets), and then getting your resume thrown in the trash. It's easier and safer for the business to just pass you over and hire someone else, and claim that you weren't a cultural fit if anyone asks.