If you have a unique name then you can easily be found on most social networks or through a Google Search, but if you have a very common name, then "good luck" as the search results will literally bury you under 100s of others with the same name. There may be more than a 100 others ahead of you even on LinkedIn, Facebook, or any other social online network, and that can be a real challenge if you are self-employed or perhaps, unemployed and looking for work.
Indeed, with a somewhat unique name myself, I've never been challenged by this, but I've heard horror stories. Okay so, let's talk.
The other day, someone had contacted me to work on a project, and it was someone who I didn't know, but they told me they were really good at what they did, and that we should form some sort of partnership, and move ahead on the project right away. I gave it some thought, and then I decided to go online and see if the person was for real. Turns out they had a very common name, and I couldn't tell exactly who they were on all the different social networks.
In fact, they were also from a large city, and there where many people from that large city with the same name, and also folks who had been involved in the same industry, with somewhat similar background from what the individual told me. Since I didn't know very much, I couldn't verify any of it. Because of who I am I can't just do business with anyone, nor would I want too, and I should know who I'm dealing with, I don't want my reputation tarnished, as I've worked far too hard over the years, to be involved with any shenanigans.
Indeed, I've been burned a few times, as I'm sure anyone else that has done business with folks on the Internet has. It kind of goes with the territory, in since you are not meeting face-to-face, you kind of have to play it by ear anytime you are collaborating. Therefore, in this particular case I was quite hesitant in doing business with the individual, strictly based on what he had written on his own website, and what he had told me in an e-mail.
Eventually, I decided to confront him on the issue, and let him know that I was weary, had been burned before, and I didn't know him from Adam, that we'd never met, or done business. He then sent me to his social networking site, the correct page, and I read it, and felt a little more comfortable. Of course, just like his website, people can write anything they want, and I still don't even know if the person he was claiming to be was actually him, or if the resume he had posted on LinkedIn is legitimate.
Indeed, he had the curse of having a common name, and being drowned out by everyone else with the same name on the various popular social networks. Because I had a question in my mind as to his authenticity, it was harder for me to break that prejudgment even once I had the correct information. Do you see how this could be a problem to you in your business if you have a common name? Please consider all this and think on it.
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