They're not asking for my last name for social disambiguation purposes. Either for convention, or for web searching. Neither of which I care about. The most searching I'll do on someone I meet is imdb and that's if they bring up their screen history.

So if it's someone you just met, what should they call you when addressing you?

Depends on the situation. In a social situation, first names are fine. Anything else, I use Mr./Ms.

The industry I was in for a while and that semi-relates to my job now is informal enough that calling someone Mr. or Miss/Mrs/Ms, would be thought rude. Higher ups are usually called by both first and last names and more level coworkers and lower by first only.

I wasn't really talking about business though. I meant someone you've just met, but don't know well socially calling you by your first name. There are even people I haven't met, but who have heard of me (just because people tend to know my husband, but may not have met me yet) who call me by my first name, and I prefer that to Mr. Jane's wife.

They're not asking for my last name for social disambiguation purposes.

I imagine that's true. I never thought of the web searching implications.

Sigh. A job where I interviewed, and where I thought I did really well, has started scheduling people for the second round of interviews, and I did not get asked. I didn't get a rejection, either, though.

People to whom I've not been introduced need not to use my name. This is especially important for supermarket clerks reading it off my credit card. I hates that, I does. My name is something that's extended, not something that's taken.

This is especially annoying when you don't go by your first name. Though it does come in handy for screening calls. If someone asks for J-----, I know they don't really know me/are soliciting.

Sigh. A job where I interviewed, and where I thought I did really well, has started scheduling people for the second round of interviews, and I did not get asked. I didn't get a rejection, either, though.

They may be keeping their options open. Or they may be disorganized. Or they may just be pricks you wouldn't want to work for anyway.

The thing I mind the most is when people give me a nickname. I've introduced myself or been introduced as Elizabeth, so don't say, "Hi, Beth!" or "Hi, Liz!" You don't know if I go by a nickname and you don't know which one - nobody calls me Beth, and the only people I want to call me Liz are 1) family, 2) people I've been friends with for a long time, and 3) people I've slept with more than once. Only an established boy/girlfriend would get to call me Lizzie. And then when I say, "It's Elizabeth" they get a little huffy, like I've rejected their friendship and proved myself an elitist bitch because I expect them to pronounce FOUR syllables.

Zen, I hear you. Any shortening of my name makes me wince.

(Ha! Just realized I shortened yours to "Zen"! Oh the irony...)

The thing I mind the most is when people give me a nickname. I've introduced myself or been introduced as Elizabeth, so don't say, "Hi, Beth!" or "Hi, Liz!"

I have the same problem, only inverted. I introduce myself as Steph -- simple, one syllable -- and invariably the person will reply, "StephANIE?"

And all I can think is, seriously? Adding 2 syllables that I didn't originally speak is *easier* for you?

ONE. SYLLABLE.