[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XcRSl1Zm6w&feature=feedu[/youtube]
What does your e-mail address say about you, your business, and your professionalism? You might say “nothing” — it’s superficial, just a way to be contacted, like a phone number. But unlike a phone number, which is assigned to you, most people get a hand in creating their e-mail address. Here’s something to consider. Could your e-mail address be the reason why you’re not getting work?
Thanks a lot for the great post on Why You Should Have A Professional Email Address. This is very helpful for a newbie like me.
Thanks Vince
Again, this is excellent advice from two proven professionals in the field, which is why I think Hucky is the most influential person in the industry. Information like this is what helps put those just entering the field years ahead of where they would have been if having to have learned all this by trial and error or the ‘school of hard knocks.’
This is the solid information that the industry needs
In my AO free email providers get used by companies and recruiters, never mind EP guys. The account is either set up for the only purpose of receiving responses to an ad (untraceable to a given employer) or because the company is lazy/new. At first you suspect fly-by-nighters but eventually you resign yourself to the fact that it’s how things are done these days.
I also use free email myself, but it’s at least a professional-sounding, encryption-enabled service (I sure don’t want “yahoo” next to my name!). And I use separate accounts for my personal and professional lives. Image is important for us, as emphasized in the clip.
About image and wrong signals, I used to work with a guy who signed his emails (even to our boss) with “luv” followed by a bedroom-only nickname and used Steve Langford’s profanity-laden phrase (“who gives a…”) as a ringtone! He never took seriously my advice to clean up his act until his phone rang while our client’s personal assistant was talking to us…
LOL.. bob the destroyer……too funny……..although point well taken; while i think its ok to use free webmail your title should be be conservative at the very least. Even if you work for a company that allows internet/email access I would still keep that separate and not entertain other business while at your job. If Ep IS your only job, then this is different and you can do what you want at your home computer,
Devin,
Glad you enjoyed this episode,and you make several extremely valid points that I’m sure many will take to heart. We use the 2 Minute Tips as a launch pad for candid discussions of topics related to the Executive Protection Industry and welcome valuable input such as yours.
Great tip. I agree with you guys 100%. New guys need to understand that we read the email address first to decide if we even want to open the email. Another issue I have is people telling me to reply back to them at “CEO or President at a gmail, AOL, yahoo.
It would be great if you did a “two min Tip” on resumes and the photo. I think photos should be attached to the resume. This way it is quick and easy for an employer to read and see the agent. ALSO the importance of sending a professional looking photo and not one in street clothes or out at a club. First impressions are everything in this business. I receive tons of resumes and pics that don’t make the “short list” because of the pic. Most of the time I come across these people on other details and come to find out that they are good agents but because of their photo choice they left a bad first impression.