"I really don't want to change my email address just to look for a job. That seems like such a hassle. Can't I just use the one I've been using forever?"
Well that depends. If your email address begins with "snookumsforever" or "ihatewhales", you might want to reconsider.
Making up a generic one such as "jasonsmith1" is normally the way to go, but if you can be clever and come up with something that will catch our attention in a good way? You will definitely score some brownie points with us.
Here are two real life examples that made me chuckle: "getrichquick" from a guy named Rich, and "Hopeforthebest" from a lady named Hope. Pretty stinkin' smart eh? I saw those email addresses months ago and I still remember them. Now if you think you're being cute and have put an email address on your resume like "amanda269" or "ilovedoubledeez" you bet your bippy your resume's gonna be shredded like a hot potato. Don't do that.
And if you're still going to argue with me that it's ridiculous to have to create a separate email address and continually log in to check for responses, I have to say this to you: you more than likely already log in to email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and possibly (if you're a smart job seeker and networking like you should be) LinkedIn. You're going to use the excuse that you just don't want to open up ONE MORE site? So that you can get gainfully employed? Come on.
"I had a couple of people tell me they don't like my email signature I set up. I don't see what's wrong with kittens though, they are so cute when they hop around on the screen! Do I really have to get rid of them?"
Ummmm, yeah. And like right away. I've noticed email signatures seem to be a little out of hand lately. If you've put some quote, saying or picture on your automatic email signature that you think is just oh so coy or necessary for the world to read and know about you, chances are you should dump it off. Eliminate it completely; it's not necessary to have an automated email signature. While kittens aren't terribly offensive, they give off an air of childishness and irresponsibility, and they certainly aren't going to land you a job in that corner office with the breathtaking view.
Even more of a hot button with me when it comes to email signatures is religion. Don't talk about it. UNLESS you are applying for a job in a ministry, synagogue, temple etc., don't bring it up. Please. There is nothing more offensive than having somebody email me and then at the bottom of the email they put "Oh by the way, Jesus Saves."
Really?
What if Christianity isn't my bag? One lady sent me an email message with her resume and she had a floating Jesus avatar actively signing me from my computer screen. Up and down, back and forth, he was continually facing me and crossing me. I was so focused on this moving avatar I couldn't concentrate on the words in her message to me. I was too distracted by the Bouncing Jesus.
I don’t know why people think an e-mail address doesn’t matter. It’s part of a first impression. I can only assume that the people who have wonky e-mail addresses are also the ones who show up to an interview in jeans and a tank top and wonder why they don’t get the job.
My signatures;
It’s choice – not chance – that determines your destiny.
Every accomplishment starts off as an impossible dream.
So, do you think I should change my email address to just my name? I just realized I probably should have done this already with all the chatter back and forth with potential employers. Haven’t had to do this job hunting since 1990! And now I am one of those over 50 brackets. Sincerely and thank you. Tani
Absolutely – change your email address to something bland and professional, and take the date out. Let your qualifications do the talking, not your contact info!
Also – don’t send an email to a prospective employer using your current work email address. It’s a great way to get busted for stealing company time and a great way to send a message to your current boss that you’ve already checked out mentally. Even if you’re somehow 100% sure nobody else will ever access your work email account (and really, don’t be so sure of that!), it can cause the prospective employer to wonder if you’ll later be using your new work email to look for your next job.
Great point – that’s a dead giveaway
Thanks for sharing your expertise Rita!
I’m completely with you on this Rita- it absolutely amazes me that people do this, yet I see it frequently. Here’s a blog posting I wrote spouting off about it:
http://resumeroasts.blogspot.com/2012/01/im-unavailable-right-now.html
The only thing that I recall about e-mail addresses is from the Dilbert Comic Strip a few years ago.
A woman was asking the “boss” can she get a different e-mail address then the “company assigned one”… where they use your first initial & last name. Boss says no then thinks to himself, “That Brenda Uthead complains so much”
Ha! Thank for sharing
Okay, I’m going to change my email address or at least use my secondary email address for job hunting purposes. I didn’t realize that email would be a problem, thanks for the tip!
I’ve been with Snagajob services for over 11 years and have updated my email and my resume and I still cannot find a job. So having an updated email and resume does not mean getting a job. It all means who you are and who you know in the system as to whether you get a job or not.
What about using your school email address? Should I change mine?
I think a school email address is fine, and yours is completely acceptable. You should be safe!
I would beware of losing information when using more than one account. It is easy for some info to get lost when trying to synchronize them. Make sure you have a back up storage for files or email that are important.
What about my email address? Do I need to change it?
Does Linda Lou also show up when they reply to my email? My sister made up my email address.
Exactly why I have multiple e mail addresses and use separate ones for separate things. I believe this is true 100%. Your e mail address shows your maturity and how serious you are about looking for work or working for someone else.
I have never used cutesy names for email accounts. I feel that is beneath the professional appearance I’m trying to keep. I presently have five active email accounts and find that is not a challenge to maintain. Someone mentioned trying to synchronize the various accounts. Why would that be necessary? Each account has a specific purpose and does not need stuff from other accounts in it.
if a prospective employer finds it offensive that I have religious values and am not ashamed to express it in my email address then I don’t want any part of them. Now if some icon is bouncing around the screen then the issue is the bouncing icon, not Jesus. I’m sorry, but the writer needs to get her values in order. The issue is being over the top with cutesy sayings or distracting icons. Being tasteful and having some personality does not distract from the goal. And if it does, I would keep looking elsewhere.
Is my email okay? or should I change it.
my last name is Goodbody…No wonder I was getting any replies back from employers.
Hi Stephanie! That is actually a perfect example of when an email address can be misconstrued. Thank you for sharing (and be sure to change your email address)!
is this e-mail address ok?
Hi Matt- While your email isn’t inappropriate, I would get a more professional one for job applications. It is also a little confusing since you have a different name in your email. Good luck!
Hi. I just wanted to say that I totally agree. No employer will look at a person seriously when they have an email address such as “totallythuggin” or “iwantyourbody” or some other offensive type name. I have several email addresses that I use for different purposes, only one of which would be considered “cutesy”. I changed to using my current one exclusively because I realized that that one wasn’t going to get me very far professionally.
I am trying to go back to Ohio to find work. I am currently, getting sites to apply but with going back to N.E. Ohio it doesn’t seem worth it. What do I do to get Snag a job to post me some sites in the resturante field.
Hi Deborah – Good luck with your move! You can use our keyword search to find restaurant jobs in Ohio: http://www.snagajob.com/job-search.
Hello..I stumbled to this article as now I am one of those job seekers and upgrading my old school resume to the modern resume model. The email I used my last name and the last 2 digits of my birth year. Shall I do another email?
Thanks!
Hi! Your email address looks fine. Good luck with the resume re-do. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I was thankful that in school we had a class to help us in getting ready for setting up resumes and interviews. During that time the professor had us give her our email addresses and she decided if we should go with the ones we had or if it would be better to get a more professional one. Mine wasn’t the best so after I changed mine, I was able to get more interviews after having my professional one.
My comment is a little off subject and I am sorry. But, I noticed a lot of people saying they have submitted numerous applications with no response, ever. I registered with Snagajob.com on 04/12/2012, two days ago. I have already been contacted by two employers and gotten interviews with both. Obviously, in two days I haven’t had time to complete the interviews, but if anyone is interested I will post when and if I get the job. After filling out several applications, I checked my e-mail, following up on if the applications had been submitted successfully. I got an e-mail response on behalf of several companies from snagajob.com informing me that I also needed to complete the application on the company website. Be sure to follow up on every application submitted through any job seeking website and make sure you have completed an application on the company website you are interested in. I am new at this. I have been out of the job market for 10 years. You guys probably know a lot more about all this than I do. Just throwing my 2 cents worth out there. Hope it helps someone.
Hi Renee! Congratulations on the interviews, your comment completely made my day! Please keep us posted on your job search status. We absolutely love to celebrate success.
Should I change my email address? I just want to know that I have to before I do, my email adddress is a line from Shakespeare by the way.
HI Gabriela! While your email address is not inappropriate, it does not come across as being very professional. Change it to something more generic. It is better to be safe than sorry!
I made a new email address but before I did I had potential employers send messages to thinkpinkhouses…I did have people like it and as about the meaning (there’s a deep meaning behind it for me) but do you think it has hindered me at all?
Hi Courtney! That is a tough one. I honestly can’t say if you email held you back. While it’s not inappropriate, it isn’t very professional. It is smart that you changed it, better to be safe than sorry!
I have a quote I came up with years ago, I have been using as a signature…
…keep your life in sight and
may your lights burn bright…
It seems a rather inert phrase.
But it is a signature people have commented on as being
to the point and soooo Willie!
I have it on all my emails (4).
Personal, work correspondence, business and mail order…
Even contractors I deal with have mentioned something positive too.
Is my e-mail address ok?
Hi Danielle! Your email address looks fine. Good luck!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! So glad that you stated the obvious here – it really IS important. As a hiring manager, I’ve literally had applicants come in, have wonderful interviews, ace the tests, and perform wonderfully. Then, there’s that *pause* as I begin to email them… is this really their email address? Did I miss something? I started to second-guess the entire process.
The email address should be a confirmation of your professionalism and ability to add to the group, not a distraction. Save the conversation starters for the 15 minutes before a team meeting or at a business outing. Not the interview process.
Great article!
To Chuck and the likes: A prospective employer share the same denomination as you, worship more devoutly than you, laugh with joy over the cute little holy endorsements you included in your email address or message, and even forward to 20 friends in 20 minutes so he/she will be blessed with a “get-out-of-hell-free pass”.
Either way, the employer must consider whether you have the skill and decorum to deliver workplace appropriate, audience-oriented correspondence (to colleagues, customers, prospects) on behalf of that business with little direction. Your professional correspondence is not about your pride or shame in your beliefs-or your personality. It’s about the receiver. Look it up.
Anyway, How would you know the difference between an employer that was offended by your email and one that would’ve been a perfect match, but could only interview the top 10 most professional resumes and yours was the 11th because of your email extras? Either way, you must’ve wanted some part of them or you wouldn’t have sent your resume to-bouncy Jesus or not. Poor rationalization. Now, carry on.