"Which do you prefer? Your full name or your nickname?"
As you stumble out some explanation about how confusing it is to go by two different names, you come to a decision: you will use your full name in workplace settings. Of course, in that moment you are not cognizant of all of the ramifications of this decision.
1. You don't answer to your full name.
You have always gone by your nickname. You are the first to correct a professor when they read your full name off the class list. No, you don't go by your full name; you have a nickname. Now, whenever your boss calls your name, you forget to answer. It takes you a moment longer to realize that he is talking to you and not another employee. You seem slow and vaguely spacey. You are not off to a good start.
2. You think your boss is always mad at you.
Let's face it - the only time someone calls you by your full name is when your parents are reprimanding you. So even the utterance of the name in the kindest tone causes you to tense up. At first, you don't realize why you are so stressed whenever you're talking to your boss. Then you understand it is an innate reaction. You're certainly not used to this name.
3. You don't know how to introduce yourself to other people.
You stutter over your name when you try and present yourself to other workers. Surely, you should stick to one name, right? But what about your peers? Don't you want them to call you what all your friends do? If you tell them your nickname, you run the risk of your boss hearing and assuming they are calling you the wrong name. If you introduce yourself with your full name, you are stuck with that for the rest of your acquaintance. It's a trap.
4. Your innate tendency is to answer with your nickname.
Maybe it's when you answer the phone. Or maybe it is when the deliveryman asks your name. No matter the occurrence, you often accidentally answer with your nickname. But who is to blame you really? It's how you've answered the question "What's your name?" for the past two decades. Of course, you probably just end up confusing whoever you are talking to and whoever is around you.
Ultimately, you have to stick with whatever name you gave on your first day of work. Maybe you'll find a newfound appreciation for your full name. Or maybe you'll regret every moment of every day that someone does not call you by your nickname. Either way, you'll learn how best to introduce yourself in your next job. Hopefully you will have it figured out by then.
