Branding Tips: Can Your Email & Phone Numbers Tarnish Your Brand?

Yes, the email address that you choose and how you display your phone numbers on your resume and webpages reveal a lot about who you are.  It also contributes to your brand.  Your brand is how others perceive you.  If your email and phone number suggest that you are outdated or not a serious professional, that can tarnish your brand.  Consider these three ways your email and phone numbers can help or hurt your brand.

Are Some Email Service Providers Hipper than Others?

The answer is yes.  It is not about status.  This is about the brand of the email service provider.  Think carefully about attaching yourself to a brand that is displayed with every incoming and outgoing email. Assess your email address.  The effort to change to a new email is nothing compared to a lost career opportunity.  For example, AOL and Earthlink email addresses are seen as old-fashioned. Nostalgia is nice, but not in this situation.  Avoid using your work email for your job search.  In the strictest sense, it is stealing.  In any case, it does not make a good impression. Gmail is the email of choice.  Plus, Gmail has easy integration with many smart phones.  Gmail also has superior security controls. Your alma mater email is another wise selection.

Is Your Email Handle a Turn Off?

Think before selecting an email address.  Avoid inappropriate names, such as HotPhillyBabe@hotmail.com, DodgersRule@juno.com, and Beiber4ever@gmail.com are inappropriate.   Names like Larry1952@aol.com hints that you are may have a short work horizon. Nobody needs to know your age.  Try adding a hyphen between your first and last name or try a first name initial and last name. 

Can Phone Numbers Block Interview Invitations?

How could your phone number possibly affect your brand?  In this case, it is not the number you are given (or select).  It is your decision as to which numbers to display on your resume.  First, do not include a fax number.  Nothing evokes, “Did you get that new Backstreet Boys album?” like a fax number on your resume.  Employers will not be faxing your interview requests via fax.  If they need to send you any materials, it will be by email.  Listing a fax shows that you are out of sync with today’s communication standards. 

Beyond that, the trend is for people to drop their landline and only use a cell number.  That does not mean that you should only have a cell number on your resume. However, from a branding perspective, it is better to appear to be ahead or with the trend, rather than lagging. So, ideally you should include just one phone on your resume.  Also, be sure that you have an appropriate outgoing voice message.  Do not label your phone number and emails; it is not necessary. 

Your brand carries the power to sway a hiring employer to eliminate you from the candidate pool or push you to the top of the list for an interview.  Pay attention to every detail, including your phone numbers and email, to be sure that your brand presents you in the best possible manner.