A decade or so ago, I would have suggested an outstanding cover letter. Maybe you could even jazz up your CV with an appealing layout and bold fonts. But I've been told by the younger generation that this just does not cut it anymore.
I know a gentleman in his early 30s in Hong Kong who has his heart set on a career in fintech. He knows he wants to be part of a blockchain company, and eventually become a cryptocurrency specialist. Who wouldn’t, given the recent craze in the crypto market?
His selling point? He decided to legally change his name to stand out and show his dedication to the sector. Brandishing his new name, ‘Cloudgen’, he was able to find his dream job fairly quickly.
I know expats in Asia often wonder at the chosen English names of some of their colleagues. I've known people named Dolphin and Happy Man, and even a Sugar. And yes, it is easy to make fun of the names millennials seem to be choosing as they like to misspell them to make them "unique".
But in the day and age of hashtags and personal branding, I must say there does seem to be value in choosing a name that sells you as a professional and expert in your field.
That said, don't expect me to change my name any time soon. I could certainly be a James ‘Bond’, but calling myself ‘Equity’ or ‘IPO’ simply doesn't seem to have the same ring to it.