Wacky Email Address May Not Impress

True story: a very qualified, well-trained physician recently submitted a CV to me for a practice opportunity, and the hiring hospital executive cringes and balks. What happened? Believe it or not, the candidate's choice of email address was the cause for pause! I can't share the address, due to confidentiality, but let's just say it didn't conjure up a positive image for any future employee, much less a physician!

Keep in mind, your email address is often situated on your CV directly underneath, or very near your name. Do you really want someone to see "Susan Smith, RN" and then underneath your name, it says "hot-mama[at]aol.com"? That's not an ideal image for a job seeker! Hiring managers do notice, and they do get turned off by silly, unprofessional, or inappropriate email addresses.

Try to avoid any of the following potential issues when creating your email address: anything sensual or sexual in nature, anything that could be construed as politically incorrect, or insensitive to any religion, race, gender, or age. As a healthcare professional, it’s also a good idea to avoid anything about bodily harm, death, or anything that can make you sound particularly mean or evil. (I've seen all of these mistakes in various email addresses, and employers notice.) The wrong email address may not make or break your candidacy, but it could definitely create a negative first impression or image in those first few crucial seconds when the recruiter or hiring manager initially scans over your résumé.

It's so easy to get a new email address, if your current address is not as professional as you'd like, or if it doesn't send the right message to a potential employer. There are numerous free email accounts available online through Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, and more. Therefore, you can easily set up a new, basic email account with a more “normal” email address. It's a great idea to have a separate email address for your job search anyway, so not only will you be professional, you'll be organized too!