Questioning 'Ms' on screening

[coldemortreturns]

Am currently undergoing pre employment screening. Filled in my title as 'Ms'. Got an email back this morning asking for further information. It goes
'I notice you've declared your title as 'Ms'. Could you please advise if you have been known by another name and the dates for those name changes'
The assumption I'm assuming is that 1) 'Ms' is divorced and 2) had changed her name.
Theres a section you complete for name changes, so you would complete that. Not sure 'Ms' requires further checking.
Bit

Are you applying for a job in the 1950s?

Would they ask about name changes if you'd titled yourself Mrs? After all, by definition, most Mrs have been known by another name in their past.

Is the whole company this backward or this just the ignorance of one employee?

There's one for the 'Did you have any questions for us?' section of the interview.

As it's a job application, just say 'no, no other names'. And seethe.

Exact wording...

I've already filled in the 'previous names' bit...

Do they ask men the same question?

@Bluesername

Do they ask men the same question?

Well quite. 'I notice your title is Mr, have you... oh no hang on you're fine'

Well they have said 'if any'.

I imagine they ask everyone who has described themselves as Mrs or Ms but who hasn't supplied details of previous surnames.

I'd reply something along the lines of thank you for your message please see section of my application titled 'previous surnames'. Thanks, best wishes, you bunch of twats, whatever. 😁

I'm not sure if titles actually are relevant for security screening. I have various official documents, bank accounts etc in all of Miss, Mrs and Ms and I've been security cleared to quite a high level and no-one's ever taken issue with my title.

The last time I had my own car (I have a company car most of the time), my driving licence was Miss, my insurance was Ms and my car was registered to Mrs.

Sadly, if you want to get the job and not get off on the wrong foot with them, you can't be as WTF? with them as you probably should be.

I've already filled in the 'previous names' bit... Do you mean there was a 'previous names' question on the original application and you did fill it out, and now they're following up again? Either way it's odd. I'd think someone using "Mrs." professionally would be the most likely to have changed name, but anyone could have changed, including a Mr...

Well, if you didn't fill in the section with previous names, it's pretty fucking obvious that they don't need to ask for this. How infuriating!

I imagine they ask everyone who has described themselves as Mrs or Ms but who hasn't supplied details of previous surnames

But seeing as some women who get divorced revert to Miss, the title and last name a woman uses today is no indication of what it has been in the past.

They should ask everyone, male and female, whether they have been known by any previous names, after all, some men also sometimes change their names.

They also shouldn't make assumptions about the implications of a woman's title in relation to her marital status.

Small business?

I once (although it was 20 years ago now) got into a row with someone at the then CRB...

Them: What's your title?
Me: Ms
Them: Are you married? Have you ever been married?
Me: No
Them: Well then you should use Miss
Me:...but that's not my title, so... No.
Them: Well, it'll take longer, then.

It took them six months to process my form!

If it is because the job requires security checks then the will double check as if names are not correctly linked it will fail and you would lose the job and maybe incur expenses.

You may have ticked the wrong box or not believed it to be relevant so yes they are not doing anything wrong by double checking.

I’d go back and say “no problem. You’ll find my titles as follows:
1991-1993 - reverend
1994-96 - baron
96-00 - captain (I enjoyed those years)
00-01 - duchess
02-04 - professor
05-06 - her excellence (just trying that one out)
07-08 - chief rabbi (didn’t work out too well)
09-13 - marquess
14-19 - dame
20-present day - ms

I’m thinking of changing it again, maybe to ‘the right honourable’, what do you think?”

You may have ticked the wrong box or not believed it to be relevant so yes they are not doing anything wrong by double checking.

You're missing the point. They don't check whether all applicants have completed the form properly, they have asked OP because of her title. In other words, because of an erroneous assumption that "ms" must mean that she is divorced.

@Soberfutures

If it is because the job requires security checks then the will double check as if names are not correctly linked it will fail and you would lose the job and maybe incur expenses.

You may have ticked the wrong box or not believed it to be relevant so yes they are not doing anything wrong by double checking.

But they're double checking specifically because I'm 'Ms'. I doubt they go back to 'Mr's and say 'are you sure you filled in this perfectly self explanatory bit of the form'

Really, really pisses me off. I've been Ms Licious since I was 21, since been married and divorced and married again and have never changed it, have always kept my own name. Ms means female and that martial status has no bearing on who you are- tell them that. Alternatively, tell them you'd prefer Mx which is more and more popular to avoid sex and marital status confounding anything. Or, shock horror, just your initial!

We were asked in work whether we'd prefer Mx or just an initial, I went for just the initial.

I am AMAZED by the number of people who think “ms” = divorced. I wonder exactly WHY they even need previous name information at this stage???

Ms = divorced. Really? And why would that matter for a job anyway?

I've been using it since I was 16. No name change at marriage so still using it. In my perspective, 'Miss' is for children and 'Mrs' is for women who have the same surname as their husbands.

Ha I don’t know anyone who’s divorced who wants to go back to using Miss. it’s for old lady spinsters or little girls. I don’t want this person is not married on my post thanks. I’ve tried and failed to get my DL changed from miss to MS but no can do!

Miss. it’s for old lady spinsters or little girls

No it isn't. I'm a proud Miss, and I'm neither of those things. I wouldn't change to Ms if you paid me thousands.

Gross. Did you reply? It’s a difficult position to be in as a job candidate but I’d find it to reply politely!

I've just reiterated what I've already put in the form. Once the screening is done and I've got a formalised offer - or not then I might send them a different email!