Our Real Name Policy
One of the most important rules in my interview Slack community is our real name policy:
Include a picture. This community values trust more than anything. Users without a photo or hide behind an avatar can’t be trusted. Convince us that you’re human; otherwise, we will ban you.
Use your real name. First and last name is preferred. First name and last initial will be accepted too. No fake names. Doing so makes you harder to trust. Nobody in the community wants to waste time with people they can’t trust. You may also be banned for using a fake name, initials, and other methods where others cannot deduce your real identity.
Share LinkedIn profiles. As you coordinate interview practice, 1) ASK for your partner’s LinkedIn profile and 2) SHARE your LinkedIn profile when asked. This not only increases trust, but also helps partners find folks of a suitable skill level.
Why We Have It
One of our users, Marco Herzog, put is best:
To paraphrase Marco’s thoughts, we have the real name policy because we’re human. We’re meant to connect…with real people. We can’t trust those who hide behind pseudonyms and fake photos.