General Discussions

**Whathadiv** · 03-29-2011, 03:51 PM

Hi everyone,

This is going to be sort of a story but I'll try to keep it short as I can.

After applying for a job and the employer telling me this:

Quote:

You certainly have some marketable skills. However, I am not in a position to be risk tolerant and the things that are on the internet as it relates to your past raise a lot of questions. The name changes, scam company, other info I am seeing is just too much for me to take on as a potential employer.

I am sure you have reasonable explanations, but it is too much of an uphill battle.

Best of luck to you.

Now as you might imagine this is a big disappointment for me but also helps me realize that my name and career might be over because of my association with a company that turned out to be a scam 2 years ago (however I was not part of the scam in any way). This company has put a bad staple on the names of a lot of people involved whether they were involved with the scam or not. Guilty by association I guess.

Based on this I decided to start using a pseudonym to get away from that company and to also wean myself out from the other people with the same name as me cause there are a lot of them.

I completely scrapped my old web design company and started a new one with all new personal/professional twitter and facebook accounts too. Apparently that wasn't enough and my real name can still be found and associated with my pseudonym.

I don't want to look like a liar because I am not so therefore I don't want to use phony pictures along with my pseudonym... I have nothing to hide.

It's tough to decide whether or not to even keep the pseudonym (I'm the only one with that name on the internet so it's beneficial).

My pseudonym has no effect however on applying for jobs because I have to use my real name, so it's automatic that potential employers will find me and I don't want to legally change my name because I like my name and it's associated with my family.

I'm really stumped here and have no idea what to do anymore. Am I going to have to take down my new website? Am I going to have to stop offering my services period? Do I need to spend a week just taking everything down related to my real name and picture?

It all feels like a dead end right now but maybe someone has some ideas that I haven't thought of yet.

**chrishirst** · 03-29-2011, 04:48 PM

There's a saying
" the man who never made a mistake, never made anything."

Maybe the prospective employer should realise that we only learn to be successful by getting it wrong a few times.

**Giselle** · 03-30-2011, 02:44 AM

If I was in your position, I would seek legal advice from a lawyer, after telling your story a lawyer might have some advice so your career is not ruined or jeopardized anymore.

**Lemonie** · 07:18 AM

yea...ppl made mistake and have to learn from it.
we need to think smart before decided to buy or sell, or get involved with it.

for seller, trust from buyer is the most important.
once buyer know they're a liar...forever they will think that way.
there's no way to fix it.

err i can say this because i have quite alot experience about this as a buyer.
*shrug* once its bad..forever its bad, im not even want to buy from their friends site or fan site or anything that linked from their site..
and the worst is at some case.."maybe" not even want to buy/trading anything from people in the same country with them.

maybe!
everyone learn by mistakes.

i hope you find the right solution. cheers!

**ultra** · 03-30-2011, 03:11 PM

See you have to go through such things because its human nature we dont want to risk ...

Either be really cheap or be really good to get jobs now because ur no longer a normal person looking for a job on the internet ... people can identify you and you cant take it as an advantage as well ... polish up ur skills and seek some one masters in marketing ...

Tell him the "whathadiv" is product with this history and is in this field ... how you should be projected in the market to what kind of people so that u can get business ...

In short u have to analyze ur self and the situation u cant write to everyone that u were not involved ... they have full right to believe that you were ... Instead let your work speak for you ...

**Whathadiv** · 10:21 AM

Well I understand that if noone asks, then don't say anything about it. If it's negative about you then don't post it.

Problem with that is that I'm an honest guy and have nothing to hide from anyone so I don't care if someone finds my name associated with this forum and this post in particular because I think that my talking about it says something in and of itself.

Either way that was a long time ago. There was a short debate that lasted about a 2 months after but since then it's been quiet until this employer told me what he did and then I started to wonder... "How many times has this happened to me and the 'buyer' or 'employer' just never said anything about it."

@Giselle: Thanks for the advice but I don't have any legal issues, they're just reputation issues because of course everyone is going to purge you for being guilty by association until they find out why they should believe otherwise, even then they might still leave you guilty.

After this whole ordeal I wonder if I might find some support and friends in at least one community.

**chrishirst** · 03-31-2011, 10:51 AM

Maybe employers should realise that they don't "own" their staff body and soul anymore.

**Giselle** · 03-31-2011, 11:08 AM

I realize the matter isn't a legal issue Justin, but a lawyer was the only one I could think of at the time for sound advice, to restore your credibility, without a name change or anything else. You aren't the only one nor the last one to get caught up into something unsavory innocently and pay for the unfortunate consequences.

Also I do see the other side (employer) of the issue as well, one came forward and was honest enough to let you know the whys, at least you now know and what you are up against.

Eventually the issue will work itself out, but will be a tough road, which I am sure already has been.

Guilty by association, that's about the size of it.

**Whathadiv** · 04-01-2011, 01:31 AM

[QUOTE=Giselle;1159107]
Eventually the issue will work itself out, but will be a tough road, which I am sure already has been.
/QUOTE]

Yes as I'm sure it will. I've been working on helping out and building a name for myself and if by chance something comes of it and people know who I am this issue will undoubtedly rise again but it won't be any different than it is now. I'll talk about it and share my side of the story... can't please everybody I guess.

Thanks for the sound advice brothers.

**Benmoore47** · 04-01-2011, 03:12 AM

One you are accused, you will always be guilty. That's the reality.