!@#$%? is not an appropriate email address

While it was once cutesy to dream up a clever moniker to display as an email handle. Now that email has gone mainstream and is one of if not the main form of business communication, email addresses should be professional, proper and identifiable.

Not only is this an image thing, if your address is not traditional, some email blockers will automatically divert your important correspondence to the junk mail or spam folder which you definitely do not want to happen.

To better ensure that your email gets into the intended recipient's inbox, use an email address that is as close to your name as possible. Not only will this be more likely to pass the filters, but it enables the recipient to quickly determine who the sender is when reviewing their inbox which may increase the likelihood of your message being opened, which is the whole point of sending it.

Save the funny labels for informal correspondence or ditch it all together and create a new account for personal use that shows you are capable, reliable, know the ropes and mean business.

Think of your email address as a networking introduction - it may be the first impression you make on a new contact.

Posted by Debra Feldman 12/11/08

Comments

[Alena]

I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Alena

http://www.smallbusinessavenues.com

[reinkefj]

Your email address should be your own domain.

I'd suggest your last name if at all possible. Even if you have to move off the beloved DOT COM. In my case, I have a mantra that says: "Sea Sea me at Reinke dot Sea Sea". People say it's "memorable". (Literally I get anything that they put in front of the at sign. If they get it right, it sorts into priority order. Wrong and it's in the last overflow bucket.)

I urge all my fellow turkeys to use their personal domain for email.

Not your employer's. (They snoop!) Not your ISP. (They change at their whim. And, they seek to "lock" you into them as they raise prices and cut service.) Not your WSP Web Site Provider. (You don't want to tie two eggs in one basket.) Not google's gmail. (What do you do when it goes down. Someone finds a flaw. Or, convinces them that a hacker is you.) And, on and on. Not you hardware provider like Apple or Dell. (You don't want strange sysadmins in your business with divided loyalties.)

Get with the program.

imho!

[David B. Wright]

VERY true! Prospective employers are looking for professionals, and part of that definitely includes using a professional email address. Yahoo and Gmail are OK, but it is definitely best to have your own domain name. A domain name is usually less than $10 per year, and is a small but very worthwhile investment.

For more job search and career advice, tips, tricks, and tactics, see my book, Get A Job! Your Guide to Making Successful Career Moves

To your success,

David B. Wright
Author, Get A Job! Your Guide to Making Successful Career Moves
http://www.thegetajobbook.com
http://jobs.therecruiterslounge.com