When you’re using email to job search or network, it’s important to include a professional email signature that has your contact information. This makes it easy for hiring managers and recruiters to get in touch with you.
First, make sure that the email account you are using for your job search is professional. You should have a simple, professional email such as [email protected].
The best email signatures go beyond just your name and contact information by showcasing you and showing off your brand. At a minimum, an email signature should contain your full name, and your phone number, so that hiring managers can see, at a glance, how to contact you.
You might also include a statement of your professional identity, and your full address. Including a link to your LinkedIn profile is a good way to give the hiring manager more information on your skills and abilities. You might also link to your Twitter account if you are using it for job search and/or career-related purposes.
For applicants in creative fields, such as writers or designers, adding a link to an online portfolio is an excellent idea, or if you have your own professional website, you can add a link to it.
Don’t get too carried away and be wary of including too many links in your email signature. Just link to the most important information. Before you add every possible URL where you appear online, consider where you’d most like people to click. Don’t included your email address – it’s redundant and unnecessary.
To add visual interest, try using 1-2 colors, more than two colors start to clash and become distracting. So, unless you have a particularly good eye for design, stick with one or two colors.
Jane Doe
Project Manager |
Production Engineer
918-123-4567
www.linkedin.com/in/janedoe
Simple Email Signature with Address
Jane Doe
Project Manager | Production Engineer
1234 Street
City, State 12345
918-123-4567
www.linkedin.com/in/janedoe
You can add a photo to give you email signature more impact, personality and memorability. People remember visuals better than text, and research shows that the most memorable photos are those that contain people. Psychologists have also found that color images are more memorable than black and white. Consider putting a face to your name if you want to stand out from the crowd.
In a recent study, a team of Stanford researchers found that when emails use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation, the sender is perceived to be very credible – regardless of whether they’re writing from their phone or computer.
However, study participants attributed higher credibility to the person who wrote a sloppy email signed “Sent from my iPhone.” They were more forgiving of errors. This doesn’t give you a free pass to write sloppy incomplete emails, always write the most concise and professional email, but it may give you a reprieve for any unintentional faux pas.
If the standard “Sent form my iPhone” doesn’t sound right to you or you use a different mobile device, you can always create your own sign-off that follows the same general logic.
How to Set Up Your Email Signature
Each email server has different steps you must take to set up your email signature. Typically, you can click “Settings” on your email account and find a tab that tells you how and where to add a signature.
Once you add a signature, this should automatically be added to all your outgoing messages. This means you do not actually have to write in the signature every time you send an email – it will automatically be added to the end of your email.
Rick Christensen: Director, Career Transition Practice Rick has been a career consultant for over 25 years, serving a very broad-based and diverse clientele. His specialties include effective group facilitation, one-on-one coaching and consultation at all levels including senior executives.
Rick’s passion is coaching individuals through career transitions, developing career management strategies and in identifying and sharpening competencies to open doors to new opportunities. His efforts have assisted thousands of individuals achieve their full potential.
Contact Rick at: [email protected]
