Don't Let Employers Assume the Worst About You By Your E-mail Address

Insider secrets - I'm not in HR anymore, I can tell you the truth. It might strike a nerve with some as you say, "How dare they judge me on my email." Whether the assumption is true or not, you should know what the assumptions are. Now that I am on the other side of the negotiating table...on your side, I share this with all the love in my heart in service to you. So here goes...

@aol - they'll assume you are over 60 years old and very very untech savvy

@yahoo - they'll think you aren't very tech savvy and over 50

@hotmail - they'll think you are getting up in age and might not know how to manage tech

If you have any one of these three on your résumé, I recommend you create a new email address now. It is one of those small and important things. And it won't take a ton of time to do. The best free?

@gmail. It is the 800 lb. gorilla in the tech field. However, if you are targeting Microsoft, this could be a killer. Did you know Microsoft and Google are arch enemies? If you were in the field, you'd know this.

The best paid? A vanity email address. It looks like this: first@firstlastname.com. My vanity email was free. I created it with relative ease and connected it to my @gmail account so that it was seamless. I didn't need to learn a new email service provider. That was five years ago. I couldn't tell you today what I did. I'm old, and I don't remember! :-)

However, with a quick online search using this string, FREE VANITY EMAIL ADDRESS a bunch of new players have entered the market.

It is unfair as heck that employers assume things about us. It is totally untrue because with our wisdom and experience we can save them from costly mistakes. We know how to lead teams with grace and brilliance. We are smart. We learn quickly and we adapt. And adapting our email account to one that proves that fact.