LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 722 million users worldwide. Having a professional LinkedIn profile is crucial for anyone looking to advance their career and build their professional brand. One of the most important components of your LinkedIn profile is the email address you use to sign up and associate with your account.
Should you use your personal or work email for LinkedIn?
This is a common question many people have when setting up their LinkedIn account. Here are some things to consider when deciding which email to use:
Using your personal email
The benefits of using a personal email like Gmail or Outlook for your LinkedIn include:
- You’ll always have access to it regardless of changes in your employment
- You have total control and privacy over your personal account
- It keeps your professional network separate from your work email contacts
The potential downsides are:
- It may look less professional than a work email
- You need to be careful about sharing your personal email widely
- You may miss out on connections and opportunities shared via your work email
Using your work email
The advantages of using your work email for LinkedIn are:
- It looks more professional and credible
- You can easily connect with colleagues, clients, and partners
- You are more likely to get opportunities shared via your work email
The cons of using a work email can be:
- You may lose access if you leave your company
- Your employer may have access to your messages and activity
- It mixes your professional network with your work contacts
Best practices when choosing your LinkedIn email
Based on the pros and cons of each option, here are some best practices to follow:
- Use your personal email if privacy and control are your top priorities
- Use your work email if credibility and company branding are most important
- Consider using both – your personal as the primary and work email on your profile too
- Get a professional looking personal email with your name if possible
- Make sure you can easily access messages sent to either email address
- Set up forwarding if you want messages from one email sent to the other
- Update your primary email if you ever lose access to the one on your profile
Can you change the email on your LinkedIn account?
Yes, it is possible to change the email address associated with your LinkedIn account. Here is how to do it:
- Go to your LinkedIn Settings
- Under the Account tab, click on the option to change your email address
- Enter your new desired email address and click Save
- Check your new email inbox for a confirmation message from LinkedIn
- Click the confirmation link in the email to verify the new address
- LinkedIn will now begin recognizing your new email as the primary for your account
A few things to keep in mind when changing your LinkedIn email:
- You can only change your email address once every 30 days
- Verify your new email as soon as possible after changing it
- Your existing email will remain associated with your account until verified
- Always keep access to old emails in case you need to revert back
Should you use the same email for LinkedIn that you used for your resume?
It’s generally recommended to use the same professional email address across your LinkedIn profile, resume, and other job search documents whenever possible. Here are some benefits of using the same email everywhere:
- Consistency in your professional branding and online presence
- Easier for recruiters and employers to connect your info
- One less thing to update if you get a new job
- Single email makes you easier to find and contact
However, there are some cases where it may make sense to have different emails on your resume vs LinkedIn:
- If you primarily use your personal email for LinkedIn but want your resume to show a work email
- If you are open to opportunities but do not want your current employer seeing your LinkedIn activity
- If you have changed jobs and want your resume to reflect your newest work email
The best practice is to use the same email whenever possible, and customize based on your specific circumstances only when needed. The key is being able to monitor messages and respond promptly regardless of which email potential employers and connections use to contact you.
How to choose a professional email address for your LinkedIn profile
If you don’t already have an email suitable for LinkedIn, here are some tips for choosing a professional email address specifically for your profile:
- Include your full name if possible – john.smith@ or johnsmith@
- Avoid numbers, nicknames, abbreviations in the name
- Use conventional domains like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc
- Avoid overly casual domains like hotmail.com, partyboy69@ etc
- Consider using ‘Contact’ in the name – ContactJohnSmith@
- You can include your profession or industry as well
Some good professional email examples:
And some emails to avoid:
Having an email specifically for your LinkedIn and job search can be beneficial for managing your professional contacts and correspondence separate from your personal life.
Tips for managing your LinkedIn email address
Here are some additional tips for making the most of the email address associated with your LinkedIn profile:
- Set up forwarding to your main personal or work email if necessary so you never miss messages sent to your LinkedIn address
- Use email filters to organize LinkedIn messages away from your regular personal or commercial messages
- Check regularly for new messages and connection requests
- Enable email notifications about new profile views, messages and notifications
- Unsubscribe from any unwanted LinkedIn updates and advertisements
- Consider using a unique password or two-factor authentication for added security
- Make sure your LinkedIn email is up to date in your profile contact info
Properly managing your LinkedIn email will allow you to stay up to date with new connections, opportunities and interest from recruiters.
How often should you check your LinkedIn email?
Most LinkedIn experts recommend checking your LinkedIn email at least once a day or every few days. Here are some best practices:
- Check LinkedIn messages in the morning along with other professional emails
- Set aside 15-30 minutes to review new LinkedIn notifications and messages
- Respond promptly to time-sensitive requests like connection invites and inquiries
- Batch less urgent LinkedIn tasks like messages and profile browsing for once a week
- Leverage email notifications for real-time alerts on time-sensitive LinkedIn activity
- If actively job searching or networking, check LinkedIn more than once a day
The frequency depends on your current career situation and how you use LinkedIn. If you are passive and mainly use it to connect with past colleagues, once a week may suffice.
If you are actively networking, job searching or promoting a business, daily is better to maximize new opportunities. Find a routine that works for you.
Conclusion
Choosing the right email address for your LinkedIn profile is an important piece of establishing your professional brand and presence. Consider the pros and cons, your priorities and career situation when deciding which email to use.
Keep it consistent with your resume and other materials when possible, and leverage email management tools to stay on top of your LinkedIn messages and notifications. With a professional email and regular monitoring, LinkedIn can become a true asset for your career advancement and networking success.