Unprofessional emails and voicemails
Laugh if you might at this article but let me assure you the little things we are about to reveal can have a profound impact on your credibility when looking for a new job. Your first communication with a potential employer or recruiter is highly likely to be via phone or email, it’s important to get the basics of these communication tools right.
Emails: Personal email addresses with crazy names like cutekitty@email and beerchampion@email can be fun when you are using that as an address to contact your friends. Using that as an address on the top of your resume or to submit a job application from can come across as incredibly unprofessional.
If these quirky emails addresses are all you have then it’s time to set up a new professional one for your job search. Using your name is your safest bet, if your name is taken then add numbers or symbols to the combination to increase your chances of securing your name.
Avoid using a work email address at all costs, using a resource owned by the company you work for to look for another job is incredibly unprofessional and will likely be judged that way.
Voicemail: Not having one, having an overly personalised one with music or funny sounds, or having someone else record it for you can all give off the wrong impression. Along with shooting off an “I can’t talk now” text whilst the caller is leaving you a voicemail.
It’s vital you have a clear and confident recorded message. When a potential employer or recruiter call they are going to get a first impression of you from this message so ensure it’s a professional one.
Returning a voicemail the same day regarding your work search is also advised, being careless around call backs can give an impression that you’re not overly interested in the opportunity.
