As most of you know, I recently left my job at Infosys and joined MICA to pursue my MBA dream. My employer id was my primary id for last few years. All my bank accounts, insurance accounts, web site logins were associated with it. When I left the company, my online life became a mess. I have to do manual updating of email address for many sites. Alas! Some of them did not provide this option. There was no way I can change my login information or my primary information and hence Forgot Password became just another useless link for me at many places. And the worst part, I lost many contact details and important mails.
Enough talk, let’s talk some sense! Do not make mistakes that I have made. Always remember these 2 golden rules:
- Don’t use your company’s or college’s email address Are you sure that you would remain with that company or college entire your life? If not, then why choose primary email address with them. yourname@company.com sounds great but some day you will leave them and then you will have to take all the pain to update your email id all over the internet. Instead, be smart. Be future proof. Use a Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail id for all your personal works and company id for strict company related works.
- Use real name in email addresses In the real world out there, no one appreciates james.bond.007@gmailcom or mr.cool.2011@yahoo.com. Its time to be professional. Use a mail id that contains your real name. You can add few numbers if you want to or if your name id is not available but never ever add the 90’s word like rock, love or hacker. A real name email address also brings trust with itself. It doesn’t look spamy and there are less chances of people deleting your mail without reading it. Conclusion – You have to take care of just 2 above said small things and you will never regret. These methods are perfect way to future proof yourself. Email address is part of your life and a medium through which people recognize you. Make them with utmost care. Always remember to choose a primary/login mail address that will be yours forever and it should be such that you can tell it to your potential employer.
