How to choose a Professional Email Address

Your email address says a lot about you as a professional.  It is a mistake to use an old email address from your high school or college days.  Though you might cherish your old email address, this does not mean it should be on your resume or used to interact with other professionals.  Hiring managers who receive a resume with an unprofessional email address are inclined to toss it in the trash or simply click on the next submission if submitted digitally.

The Basics of a Solid Professional Email Address

Aside from not using an old email address, there are countless other mistakes people make when choosing an email for their communications as a professional.  Do not put an email address on your resume that has the potential to look like an eyesore.  Though it would be nice if you could use your first and last name as the initial part of your email address, there is a good chance someone else has the same name and the email is taken.  However, professional email addresses do not have to be strictly limited to first and last names.  There are numerous other options that will make you appear professional.

If the email address with your first name and last name is taken, try using a combination of the names before the domain address.  Consider shortening your first or last name to create a completely unique email address.  You can also add a hyphen between your first and last names to distinguish your email from others.  Some professionals get around the name problem by adding in their middle name between the first and last name.  Some even use two hyphens: one between the first and middle name and another between the middle name and last name.

If none of the ideas detailed above appeal to you, consider using the first initial of your first name followed by your last name and the domain address.  Some people use the first initial of their name followed by their middle name and their surname.  Another option is to use your first and middle initials followed by your surname.  As an example, a professional named Sarah Julie Morris would have an email address of sjmorris@domain.com.

Additional Ideas for Professional Email Addresses

Consider shortening your name to make your email distinct from others yet still present yourself in a professional light.  It might be possible to shorten your first name and keep your full surname.  Alternatively, you can shorten your first and middle names followed by your last name and the domain address.  Regardless of the approach you take to creating your email address, the end result should be professional in every regard.