One of the easiest ways to strengthen your communication with a potential employer is to add a brand-building signature to the bottom or your email.
Having a professional email signature is very important. There is no hard and fast rule for what to include in an email signature because it will vary from person to person. It mainly depends on where you are in your academic or professional career. However, many people ask us what they should put in their email signature, so here are some sound guidelines. Here are some steps to take concerning how to create an email signature and to include information that make’s your email signature look professional.
Items to include in an email signature as a student:
- Full name. All signatures need to start off with the same thing: your name. No matter what type of signature you are creating, put your name at the top. You may want to make it bold so it stands out.
- Email address. Why include your email address? People look to your signature to find out how to contact you, so make it easy for them. Including your email address also helps when someone forwards your to someone in another department, because it immediately associates your name with your email address without having to search through the email header.
- Major. Including your majors is optional but recommended because it strengthens the association between your name and your area of expertise. Keep it simple: one major per line keeps things tidy and easy to read.
- School. Even if you use your given academic email address, it is not always clear where you go to school. Include your full school name for clarification.
- Year of graduation. Keep things simple by putting this on the same line as your school. Choose whichever format you prefer: 20XX or ‘XX.
- Phone number. We suggest including your phone number based on our experience. A job applicant who is not afraid to be contacted in person is regarded more highly than one who hides behind an email address. Most people will not call it, but it shows you are the type of person who can be reached and is confident enough to encourage it. Remember: if you include your number, record a professional message in case you don’t pick up. Your phone message is not the time to be funny when it comes to courting potential employers – speak clearly, confidently and concisely.
- Website. If you have a website where you can display your work, include the address. This is a great way to differentiate yourself and prove why you’re the best candidate.
- Title. If you are club officer on campus, don’t be afraid to include your official title. This lends credibility to your name and drives home the point with every email interaction that you take an active leadership role at school.
If you are not a student, consider including the following:
- Position at your company
- Company name
- Company website
Think of your signature as a quick snapshot of your bio. It is important to make sure that you have a professional email signature that will convey the correct professional image. A person will look to your signature after the communication to contact you. You want the most efficient ways of communication listed there. If you use Outlook, here is how to create an email signature in Outlook. An email signature is a truly effective way to bring together many elements of your brand – do not ignore it.
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