Does your e-mail make a difference to an employer? You bet your *&#*! It does! I read an article by one of my colleagues, Rick Sherréll and it got my attention right away. His article entitled: “Your e-mail address is INCREDIBLE . . . and that’s not a compliment” focuses on the impact of your e-mail address. No, I do not intend to recap the entire article, but it got me to thinkin’.
Most people have more than one address, right? If you only have one, you should probably create another. Why you ask? Professional address vs. personal address. (Simple enough) Your e-mail address can KILL your credibility. Using your name is easiest for someone to remember. Consider that the resume begins with your name and address. Next is the e-mail address. You are advertising yourself as a professional, so your material should follow the same. Corporate personnel addresses always end in the company’s tag, hospitals, automobile companies and even airlines use their corporate name.
So, if you see an address that says “shelleysexy10@aol.com” (fictitious) what goes thru your mind? I can tell you that most people would not take this person as the primary candidate for the position – that is if it’s a corporate professional position. Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s a difference between creative and cleaver. You just don’t want to lose your credibility in the process. Believe it or not, people do put a lot of stock in the e-mail (and web address) you choose to use as well. Often people really haven’t considered the impact — or imprint I should say – that it is going to leave on the HR director.
For example, since my area of expertise is employment, info@theemploymentlady.com. Simple, right? Basic rules apply when it comes to a professional image. The question to ask yourself when you send your resume or other credentials: Does my e-mail address represent the professional image to be taken seriously or the ‘you-can’t-be-serious’ image. That’s up to you.
The Employment Lady
PS. also check out dayna Steele’s post – First Impressions: What Your email Says About You
Marja Lee Freeman (aka ‘The Employment Lady’) speaks with authority on the job search process and its pitfalls. She is an expert on employment issues: job search strategies, discovering the right job for you, employment trends, workplace conflict, and dealing with day-to-day employment dilemmas they don’t teach at school.
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Thanks for the feedback Renee and Eric! It’s a simple concept, but that e-mail address says a lot about someone BEFORE even meeting them. If it’s your licenses plate on your car — cool. Your Facebook page — have at it! But if you’re serious in the job market you’ve got to consider EVERYTHING you have as personal advertisement.
The Employment Lady
This article is perfect for my college students, and I am going to have them read it on Tuesday. Personal branding is extremely important, and email addresses often get overlooked in the process.
EC
Thanks for the post! This is such a great reminder to everyone, especially college and high school students. Looking back at my AOL account days it is embarrassing thinking about what names I thought were cool. Best bet is your name…easy to remember and not very embarrassing.