email signature mistakes

10 silly email signature mistakes highlighting to recruiters you’re OLD SCHOOL

Almost every email sent from your mobile, tablet, laptop or even the old fashioned desktop contains an email signature of some sort. And some are weird, some are funny – some are shocking. We all use them, but here are the Top 10 email signatures bloopers and blunders that may give away that you are OLD SCHOOL – maybe even a dinosaur or perhaps just don’t really pay attention.

  1.  Including your email address

Seriously? Are you for real? Are you telling me this is how email works?

Welcome useless info!

  1. Including a fax number

Oh wow, how cool – you still have one of those – is your Nokia 3210 still working?

  1. Listing every social media profile

HEEEELLOO POSER: Most people really don’t care!  Instead, why don’t you focus on the social profiles that truly represent your personal brand or business? Do you want me to see that your last twitter update was in February 2014?

  1. Using a large image that takes forever to load

Enough said. Go to your email signature settings and fix that up!

  1. Copying and pasting an image into your signature 

By pasting an image into your signature, it will appear as an attachment, instead of being embedded in the signature as it should be.

  1. Leaving “Sent from my mobile model such and such” as the default signature 

This is what it potentially tells me and other viewers of your message about you.

You’re using your mobile and you don’t care that much. So, if I call you a dinosaur instead of Gen X, that’s my AutoCorrect. You just created another ‘age discrimination SELFIE’ – sent from your Samsung Note II. I hear complaints about age discrimination daily. Stop feeding it with your actions.

Guys, I suggest that you always proofread before you send business or Job hunting stuff, just like you would on when you work from your laptop, and change your default signature to something more professional.

 7.  Not including your phone number

If you want the job, the interview or maybe even my business, then there are two professional ways to get in touch with people:

  • Email
  • Phone

The people out there obviously have the first. Don’t forget the second.

  1. Sloppily inserting the full hyperlink into your website or social media accounts

I know this might be a bit nerdy guys, but please use the Gmail keyboard shortcut, use “Command + K” to insert a link. Everything else is just tooooooo long.

  1. Including every service or academic title

HEEEELLOO POSER:  You’ve done it again. I am not impressed. I am actually annoyed unless you are my GP or your professional designation expects it. Don’t tell me about.Get it?

10.    Not testing your signature in multiple email clients 

Just because it works in Gmail, doesn’t mean it works in Outlook. Test your signature in all of them.

Email is still the leading communication tool for job hunters, hiring managers and any other professional. So if you use it, and you discover that you are guilty of two or more of the above blunders , get on it and fix it, and go back out there to do your thing but remember to hunt wisely!

Uli