If you’re out there looking for work in 2022, chances are some part of that application process will involve computers and emails. And when it comes to email correspondence in the business world, the first thing that potential employers will see is your email address. So, in today’s e-bulletin, we are going to look at the most important do’s and don’ts for when it comes to setting up a “professional” email account.
DON’T – Use the “cool” email address you created as a teen, unless it happens to simply be your name. E.G. ilikeblink182@hotmail.com. This will give a potential employer the impression that you are not serious about the position, and you may not even make it past the initial screening process, even if you are fully qualified for the position.
DO – Stick to the top email services when creating your account. Outlook, iCloud, Gmail, and Yahoo are all fine to use, and especially with so many businesses using Microsoft 365, an outlook.com email address will probably be the most familiar. If you are a small business owner, it’s a good idea to opt for a paid service that includes a custom domain name. This will make you appear even more professional, organized, and legitimate. For example, if your company is called “Dave’s Woodworking”, then having an email address like dave@daveswoodworking.com would be ideal.
DO – Aim to use your name as simply and completely as possible. E.G. If your name is Tom J. Smith, the most ideal email address for you would be something like:
1. tomsmith@outlook.com
2.tom.smith@outlook.com
3.tomjsmith@outlook.com
4.smith.tom@outlook.com
It’s important to note that especially if you have a common name such as the one above, it might take a few tries to find an email account name that is still available. The idea is to get as close to the examples given above.
DON’T – Add numbers or years (especially your year of birth) to your email address. There’s a couple reasons for this. First off, adding numbers to your email address makes it appear less “serious” and will be more likely to be ignored by screeners. This may seem like a minor issue, but many job postings often have hundreds of responses, and oftentimes employers are forced to narrow down to only a few interviews. Not only that, but it’s often admins or other staff members who are tasked with this narrowing down process, so it’s important to not give them any reason to not consider your application. And if you’re considering adding your date of birth, don’t! Once again it gives potential employers one more reason to screen you out of the process entirely, and it creates an opportunity for potential employers to judge your worth based on your age and not your skillset.
