u/Fantastic_Cup_6950

NOTE: If you have seen my reddit name before in a similar post, its probably because I was asking for advice DURING my name-change process. I am now asking AFTER this process because my anxiety is going crazy.

I recently got a great new engineering job with a new company and quit my current startup job. I am starting at the beginning of July. I am an engineer.

Over 8 years ago, I got a DUI with 2 of my 17yo friends (I was 19) and my 20yo friend in the car, so they tacked on "endangering the welfare of a minor" charge. Of course the local news picked this up and put my giant mugshot on the front page with that as the headline. It is NOT one of the first things that pops up when you search my name (its on page 3 or so of google results), but if you go to google images you will see my mugshot near the top, or if you google "my name + arrest" its of course the first thing that pops up. Ultimately the endangering welfare charge was dropped and I only got a DUI on my record. Since then I've been completely sober, got a BSE, an MEng, and worked at a startup as an engineer for almost 4 years.

EDIT: I have tried multiple expensive removal services, a lawyer, and emailing/sending a letter to the editors (and even the governor). The news org has a policy to not remove or de-index any article that was accurate at the time and won't remove it under any circumstance.

I passed the background check of my new job thru HR (the DUI did show up, but they didn't care and didn't even ask about it), and I ultimately decided to do a name-change in the last few weeks because this signifies a new point in my life - I have an actual job with a large company, its been over 7 years since the charge, and I really don't want that information findable in an organization with 8000+ employees when I want to move up/socialize at the company. I also don't think anyone would hire or respect an upper-level manager with that type of article on google about them. Also, having that personal burden of that always being findable with my legal name was killing me over the past 7+ years. There was no question in my mind that this was the right decision for me.

My current manager interviewed and hired me with my old last name, and the executive assistant also knew me and has been communicating with my old email with my old last name. HR has already accepted the name change documentation and has changed my legal name in the system for onboarding with no questions.

This question is for managers/hiring managers - if this situation happened with a new employee, would you get "suspicious" and do your own investigating? Could finding that article lead to my termination? I am getting married soon so my "excuse" is that I want to change my name before marriage, which is what I will tell them if they ask (and nothing more). Any feedback is appreciated, thanks!

Over 8 years ago now I had a DUI which got a pretty negative article with my name on it. When you google my name, that's the first thing that pops up. My name is very uncommon, I have tried the whole removal service and negative result suppression service deals, but they were either unsuccessful or were unsustainable (charging like $300/mo for suppression).

Somehow I was able to get hired to a company of 5000 people (only worked at startups before) and went thru HR and the whole deal. I will be starting in about 1 month.

I have a name change certificate in my current state, which the court case has been sealed from the public, and have been sitting on it for a few months. I have not acted on it yet, but to me its not a question of "if", its a question of "when", because this article has haunted me for 8+ years.

I have been communicating with my soon-to-be manager and the executive assistant under my old name and email address. They read my resume as my old name and my email I have been using to communicate with them is my old name. I am wondering if I should ask HR to use my new name for teams/email and give a brief (true) reason that my fiancée and I want to take my mothers family name to honor her, so I show up with the new name, or if I should wait a few months into the role and do the change. I know in both cases the manager will probably ask about it, but I am asking managers what would seem less "suspicious" and make the most sense, and possibly prevent them from googling my old name.

Over 8 years ago now I had a DUI which got a pretty negative article with my name on it. When you google my name, that's the first thing that pops up. My name is very uncommon, I have tried the whole removal service and negative result suppression service deals, but they were either unsuccessful or were unsustainable (charging like $300/mo for suppression).

Somehow I was able to get hired to a company of 5000 people (only worked at startups before) and went thru HR and the whole deal. I will be starting in about 1 month.

I have a name change certificate in my current state, which the court case has been sealed from the public, and have been sitting on it for a few months. I have not acted on it yet, but to me its not a question of "if", its a question of "when", because this article has haunted me for 8+ years.

I have been communicating with my soon-to-be manager and the executive assistant under my old name and email address. They read my resume as my old name and my email I have been using to communicate with them is my old name. I am wondering if I should ask HR to use my new name for teams/email and give a brief (true) reason that my fiancée and I want to take my mothers family name to honor her, so I show up with the new name, or if I should wait a few months into the role and do the change. I know in both cases the manager will probably ask about it, but I am asking managers what would seem less "suspicious" and make the most sense, and possibly prevent them from googling my old name.

Over 8 years ago now I had a DUI which got a pretty negative article with my name on it. When you google my name, that's the first thing that pops up. My name is very uncommon, I have tried the whole removal service and negative result suppression service deals, but they were either unsuccessful or were unsustainable (charging like $300/mo for suppression).

Somehow I was able to get hired to a company of 5000 people (only worked at startups before) and went thru HR and the whole deal. I will be starting in about 1 month.

I have a name change certificate in my current state, which the court case has been sealed from the public, and have been sitting on it for a few months. I have not acted on it yet, but to me its not a question of "if", its a question of "when", because this article has haunted me for 8+ years.

I have been communicating with my soon-to-be manager and the executive assistant under my old name and email address. They read my resume as my old name and my email I have been using to communicate with them is my old name. I am wondering if I should ask HR to use my new name for teams/email and give a brief (true) reason that my fiancée and I want to take my mothers family name to honor her, so I show up with the new name, or if I should wait a few months into the role and do the change. I know in both cases the manager will probably ask about it, but I am asking managers what would seem less "suspicious" and make the most sense, and possibly prevent them from googling my old name.