O J Instead Of Olivia

A question I get a lot is why I go by O.J. instead of Olivia.

It started as a childhood nickname I loved. Then the whole O.J. Simpson thing happened and it wasn't so fun anymore.

I rediscovered it years later when I was applying for software engineering jobs and getting crickets. I switched to my initials and suddenly got callbacks. Inquiries about the name and eventually a job.

I'm still not sure if the initials removed bias or if they were just interesting enough to make someone curious. Either way, it became my work name. I like it. It's fun. And I love orange juice anyway.

Recently someone suggested I start using my full first name again. Their reasoning was that hiring bias isn't really a thing anymore.

I understood where they were coming from. They meant it genuinely and I know they personally don't carry that bias.

But I think sometimes we project our own growth onto the whole industry.

The barriers to entry have lowered. That's real progress. But the barriers to staying are still significant. More than half of women in tech leave by mid-career, not because they can't do the work, but because something about the environment isn't working for them.

I'm not saying everyone needs to hide their name and I'm not bitter about the advice. I just decided I'd rather keep the nickname. It's mine now. It stuck for reasons that have nothing to do with bias anymore.

But if someone tells you the thing that's helped them isn't necessary, it's okay to smile, say thank you, and keep doing what works for you.

#LearnWithOJ #SoftwareEngineering #DevOps #SRE #CareerGrowth #WomenTech #DiversityInTech