Wondering how people have approached this aspect of changing your name.
I changed mine last year, but most things on my CV were done under my old name.  How do yo approach the idea of someone wanting to check references and knowing that they will not find anything using your current name?

Hi Nigel,

Are you referring to employment references and qualifications etc.?

If so this is one of the main reasons I haven't changed my name, although I would like to I have a lot of academic certificates that would just make an employer suspicious if the names didn't match up, I would possibly have gone as far as changing my last name but it would still take some explaining unless its religious / marriage etc.

I don't think its possible to have certificates re-issued under your new name neither, so all in all it gets a bit tricky. In most cases I would have thought changing your name is because you don't want your past getting dug up with ex-employers anyway?

I know if anyone called my old boss for a "reference" he would take great please in divulging my past!

I don't know how the UK works now regarding work references. I live in Australia now and here all you need to give to prospective employers is a phone number and email address. Who gives the reference then is the person whose details you give. This will be somebody that will give you a good reference. Nobody seems to check if the reference is actually work related. Maybe you can get away with the same in the UK.
This is one of the reasons I left the UK, so I can start a new life without the problems stemming from my record. So far so good.

I changed my name. Older qualifications under a previous name can have the name changed on them. It is unlikely they will supply a parchment in a new name, however you will be able to request an updated transcript in the new name. This was a very long process for me to achieve.

In terms of references, if you have a positive relationship with your previous employer, you can contact them and let them know that you have changed your name and they should expect to receive a request for a reference in the old name. If you don't have confidence in contacting your previous employer because of your conviction or other reason you could write to HR and notify them that your name has been changed. Your name change is, however, liable to become public knowledge.

You could also try to find employment with someone who won't check references. labouring, factory work etc. are unlikely to ask for references (think companies who hire lots of eastern Europeans). You then could build a reference with them.