For example, if you show up for an interview with a dozen facial piercings, you probably won't be hired for a position that involves selling to corporate executives. Likewise, when the employer phones to ask you to come in for an interview, they may not be impressed to hear you impersonating Rodney Dangerfield singing opera on your voice mail message.

"I have to be ME..." you may argue. "If employers can't accept me the way I am I don't want to work with them either." You can weed out employers that way if you want to. In fact, fabjob.com offers great advice if you want to break into an unconventional career away from the corporate rat race.

Still, even in unconventional careers, an oddball email address may raise red flags with people who could help you get to the top. For example, if your dream is to become a celebrity personal assistant, and your email address is celebstalker@hotmail.com, you likely will not be as successful as someone whose email address is organized@assistant.com.

If you're not sure what kind of message your email address conveys, get feedback from friends and even some employers, if you can. Find out what messages your email address is communicating.

If your "real" email address is one that employers may judge negatively, consider getting another, more professional sounding, address through a free email service. Most employers would almost certainly look more favorably on a basic email address using your name, such as ChrisSmith@yahoo.com, than an address such as worksucks@email.com. back

This article was originally published in www.fabjob.com. Sue Donnem is the pen name of a freelance writer based in Denver, Colorado

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