What’s in a Name/Email Address?
While it’s true that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, when it comes to email addresses and your job search, the email address you’re using may need some refreshing.
Some mixed messages I have noted in job applicants email addresses are these:
- using your college email address
- using an email address you’ve used since you were 13 (your AIM Handle)
- using your current work email address
- using an archaic server like AOL
College email address: When I see someone’s LinkedIn profile picture with a cap and gown on I automatically assume they are a very recent graduate. The same might be interpreted if you use your college email address on your resume. Even though most institutions of higher education encourage their alumni to use their alma mater’s email address, it’s probably a better idea to set up a new one once you graduate.
Teenager-you email: Maybe it was cute when you were in junior high, but email addresses like “Ilovemonkeyssomuch” and “TacoTuesdayEveryDay” just aren’t professional. You really need to create a new email address to use on your resume and in professional correspondence. Even emails that use a nickname should be made more professional.
Current Work Email: Common sense would tell you that if you’re looking for a new job do not use the email address from your current job. But you’d be surprised how some people don’t use that common sense. You need to think of your resume as a document that hangs around for a long time. (Because they do.) Even after you leave a job and take a new one, hiring managers and recruiters will still have your resume on file And if you’ve used an email address from your former job, they will have no way of reaching you when that next great opportunity comes along.
Archaic or Vintage email addresses: It may sound biased but when I see an email address ending with aol.com or hotmail.com, I assume the user is behind the times, stubborn, or just too lazy to create a new email address in the last twenty-five years. I’ve read AOL is alive and well – even thriving – but I know I am not alone in this thinking. In fact, others have shared similar sentiments (see the discussion: “Not so Hotmail: What your vintage email address says to potential employers”). It may not be the case at all, but if you’re applying for a job in the automation industry using an AOL email address, you may be sending the message that you aren’t current with other things… like technology.
So if you approach the act of finding a new job as what it is: A JOB, you may want to consider creating a new email address before starting your search.
Follow our email address best practices and you will be set for success.
Just don’t forget to check your new inbox!
About the Author:
This article is written by Dyann Ivey, Recruiter at Automationtechies.
