I struggled to find a job after college, so I changed my name on my résumé and landed one almost immediately

• Growing up, Mukhtar Kadiri felt like an outsider because of his Arabic name. 
• After struggling to land job interviews out of college, he added "Mark" to his résumé and got hired.
• Kadiri found himself job hunting again years later and refused to reject his real name and identity.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Mukhtar Kadiri, 39, from the greater Toronto area, about how he decided to go by a different name in the workplace. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

My dad named me Mukhtar after his friend from high school. It means "chosen one" in Arabic.

I've come to really like my name — it feels special and mysterious — but it took me a while to get there.