Dear Diane,
Questions have come up around the designations in my email signature from time to time and I am wondering what best practice is. Should I add my degree or credentials to my email signature line? Thank you in advance for your help.
Tonya
Hello Tonya,
That is a great question. It all depends. Credentials are important to show education and credibility, however, when the designation is irrelevant to the job, or outreach, it can easily backfire, coming across as pompous or affected.
Most of us receive upwards of 100 emails per day, scanning through the subject line to determine if we should open the electronic correspondence, or browse over it. While there is a great deal of thought put into the subject line, little attention is paid to the email signature, which sends a variety of subtle messages, based on how it is worded.
First of all, a formal email signature is not an option. When you are conducting business, your signature is a substantial part of your overall brand and identity. Professionals often rely on your signature to gain valuable information, including how to reach you and where your office is. It’s very much your online business card. Less is most often best when creating an email signature. Whether to add professional credentials is worth putting some thought into before proceeding.
While each signature line has variations, there is some information that is standard:
- Name: First and Last
- Title
- Company
- Street Address (optional)
- Phone Number: Both Office and Cell
- Website/Blog (when applicable)
When your credentials support your position, such as a doctor (MD), or an Attorney (Esq.), you should include them in your email signature. When you hold specialized training or knowledge in the field you are representing, it’s a sign of credibility and authority, and cues the receiver you are a trusted source. When you see “J.D.,” which stands for Juris Doctor, and the person’s job position is something in a completely random and unrelated field, far removed from anything related to the law, it comes across as conceited. In other words, a title of any kind can work for you or against you, and you should be careful not to include a degree or title, which holds no merit or obvious link, which could easily be viewed as egotistical.
What to Avoid in an Email Signature:
- Long Quotes
- Religious Scripture
- Personal Views on Politics
- Animated Gifs
- Colorful Fonts
- Images
- Out of Date Links
- An Overabundance of Social Media Contacts
Good luck,
Diane
