If you’re like most people, you probably have a work email address and an email address that you use for personal correspondence. But did you know that having a separate email address for your job search can be beneficial?
Here are a few reasons why creating an email address for your job search can give you a leg up on the competition.
Avoid Using Your Work Email When Job Searching
It can be tempting to use your work email address for your job search, but most companies have strict policies against using company resources for personal gain, and this includes searching for a new job. Legally, companies can monitor an employees’ email activity (sending and receiving of email communications) to ensure alignment with company policies. If you use your company email to send out resumes or communicate with potential employers (or even engaging with a professional resume writer), you could get caught and be fired.
Not only is it important to avoid using your work email for your job search, but you should also be careful about using your work phone and work computer. Many companies track employee internet usage and can tell if you are spending time on job search websites or sending out emails that are not related to work. If you are caught doing this, you could be disciplined or even fired.
Create a Good First Impression with Your Email Address
In order to stand out from the pack, it’s important to make a good first impression—and a professional email address is a great way to do that.
– Gmail is widely recognized and setting up an account is free. Register for an account and create a professional email address. Consider using your first and last name –‘TomJones’; the initials from your first and middle names + your last name ‘TSJones’; or some variation ‘Tom_Jones” or ‘TS_Jones’.
Keep Your Personal Email Address Private
By creating a separate email address specifically for your job search, you can keep your personal information private and only share it with people who you know. A dedicated email account sends the message that you’re organized and have taken the time to put together a cohesive job search strategy.
Stay Organized with a Separate Email Address
When you have a separate email address, you won’t have to sort through emails from friends and family to find the ones that are relevant to your job search.
– A separate email address gives you the ability to see and respond to job search emails with ease, efficiency, and professionalism and you can establish folders to track correspondence with various companies you’ve applied to.
A professional email address is an important tool in any job seeker’s arsenal. Creating a dedicated account conveys that you’re detail-oriented and take pride in your work, two qualities essential for any successful job seeker. So, if you don’t have a professional email address already, now is the time to create one!
