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How to Use Your Email Signature Line to Stand Out in Your Job Search

By U.S. News & World Report

If you are one of the 51 percent of employees considering a new job in the new year, you are probably wondering how you can stand out from the rest. It is difficult to be one of the few candidates chosen for an interview, so you need to ensure that you follow all of the instructions carefully before submitting your materials.

However, it’s often the very first impression you make that can make all the difference. Even before seeing your resume, a hiring manager, human resources professional or networking connection may see your email. Too many job seekers overlook the importance of having a professional looking email address and signature. They skip this step, and it can be a critical error. So how can you leverage your email to make a unique impression that can land you an interview?

[See: 25 Best Business Jobs for 2017.]

Create a professional email address. This is a given, but it is also surprisingly overlooked. If you haven’t changed your email address since high school, take a few minutes to create a new professional-sounding email address for your job search. It is a good idea to use this email address exclusively for your job search endeavors to stay organized.

A professional email address is simple, usually a combination of your first and last name, and not too long. Whatever name combination you choose, you want it to inspire confidence so that the hiring manager won’t feel unsure opening the email.

Leverage your signature. This is the next way to take your email to the next level. There are several elements you can adjust in your signature line to make your email professional and unique.

For example, consider including your branding statement. Your statement is a combination of your skills, your work experience, how you stand out from your peers in your industry, your values and the results you provide to your customers or clients. It should make clear what you bring to an employer that most people don’t.

Don’t have one yet? Don’t just quickly write something up to put in your email signature. Take time to ensure that your branding statement will properly represent your unique skill set and make your value to an employer clear. Ask a trusted family member or friend to be a second pair of eyes.

[See: The 10 Worst Jobs for Millennials.]

Include your LinkedIn profile link. If you have a personal website or an online portfolio, include them here as well. This will make it easy for the hiring manager to learn more about you. However, to use these elements, you will want to make sure they represent you properly. Review them carefully before inserting them into your signature line, update and clean them up if needed and if you’re not actively participating with your network, set a goal to start doing so in the new year.

Make sure to list your email address and phone number. Make it easy for a hiring manager, recruiter or human resources professional to get in touch with you. If they are checking your email on a phone or tablet, your email and phone number will appear as live links, making it easy for them to tap to respond or call you.

You could also include a small headshot in your signature. This is a great way to give the recruiter a face to put with your name and resume. People connect with people, not just a piece of paper. Make sure that your headshot is a professional photo with good resolution. Consider using the same headshot you have on LinkedIn to standardize your professional image.

Finally, prioritize which elements best represent you as a professional. Just because you can include all of these elements in your signature doesn’t mean that you should. Having too long of a signature can also seem unprofessional and overwhelming. For example, if you have a personal website, but haven’t updated it in over a year, while you are active on LinkedIn regularly, it would be more useful to include your LinkedIn profile link instead of your personal website.

[See: Tips for Surviving a Career Transition.]

Once you’ve decided on each element, use live icons or buttons in your signature. This allows you to include several links on one line of your signature without it looking cluttered. If you are going to use live icons, make sure they are easy for a hiring manager to identify what they are.

Ultimately, your email signature should look something like this:

— Professional headshot

— Your name

— Your branding statement

— Your email and phone number

— To view my online portfolio, click here

— LinkedIn profile/website link

Good luck with your search!

More from U.S. News

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The 25 Best Social Services Jobs of 2017

10 Ways Social Media Can Help You Land a Job

How to Use Your Email Signature Line to Stand Out in Your Job Search originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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