About that email address…
Sometimes it’s the little details that can get in the way of finding a job. One of those details? An email address. Every once in a while, we will get a message from someone looking for work with an email address that can turn an employer off from even opening up the resume attachment. Here are some examples of that.
Please note: Real names and email addresses have been altered a bit to protect the innocent.
- machoman12@emailaddress.com – to a complete stranger, this may not be impressive.
- mysticaleva@emailaddress.com – the person in question was applying for a higher level/management position and once the employer saw the email address, took a pass.
- mamaof2@emailaddress.com – sometimes people give away discriminatory information unknowingly by their email addresses. While being a mom of 2 is not a bad thing at all, a potential employer cannot ask about your family status (as per the BC Human Rights Legislation). So, it’s best not to give the information out at all.
- Dave1952@emailaddress.com – This also could be seen as giving away discriminatory information to the employer, if, in fact, 1952 is the year of Dave’s birth. Maybe it isn’t. Maybe it’s the year of his favourite car. But, if the person accepting the resumes doesn’t know Dave, he/she could assume that’s his birth year, believe that’s his age, and then perhaps make a decision on whether or not to bring Dave in for an interview based on that assumption.
Consider this a friendly reminder in your job search. If you don’t know the company you’re sending your resume to, consider using an email address with just your first initial and your last name. It could make a difference.
And just one last piece of “advice” – you know the signature lines that some people put at the end of their emails? A good idea for job search emails would be contact info and to leave it at that. I once received an email from a jobseeker (asking me to forward her resume to an employer) who had a signature line which included a link to a personal website. Curious, I clicked the link and found myself looking at a set of photos of the jobseeker in a bathing suit. Since the employer wasn’t looking for a swimsuit model, I suggested we not include that link.
She agreed.
