Email signatures?

[that redhead]

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I have a friend in vet school who recently sent me an email. He has an automated email signature that is rather detailed including his status as a vet student at X university, the year he is in school, his TA/tutoring positions, etc. If you are currently a vet student, do you have some sort of signature that includes DVM candidate or veterinary student or whatever? If you're incoming 2015, do you plan to include this? I know some students at my undergrad included their major/expected date of degree as part of the signature, though I did not.

I guess I'm not sure if it's common and I should make one or if it's seen as pompous. Input please 🙂

 

[StartingoverVet]

3rd and 4th years who always have a signature indicating their status since they often send e-mails in a professional capacity.

Most 1st and 2nd years who have some significant position (class or club office) have that in their signature.

Otherwise most other 1st and 2nd years do not have a signatures, but some do.

This obviously only applies to my experience here at Penn!

 

[heylodeb]

I've considered making a signature but not until classes actually start. Nothing fancy and if people think it's pompous, I'd like to know now! 😳
I was just thinking my full name, the school's name, and my class year. When we choose our stream in 3rd year, I'll probably add that in. Interested to know everyone's opinions as well! 😉

 

[skittles12]

I include my class year and that I am the SCAVMA communications coordinator. I thought that it could be helpful. Most of the emails that I get include the class year and usually any officer positions as well.

 

[Mizzou2014]

As a professional student you should have a signature but I wouldn't add it until you actually begin classes. I would say at least 90% of our class has one. Simple is good: Name, class year, school, phone number (if you want). Only add important things like club officer positions or other leadership besides that. Please don't list every club you're a member of in your signature! Drives me crazy when some of my class mates do that...

It wasn't so important in the beginning of first year but now that I have several major leadership positions the email signature is important for when I need to contact speakers, clinicians and professors. Even more important when you get into communications with outside clinics/organization reps/other important people outside the school. It looks more professional and lets them know who you are/why you would be contacting them in the first place.

ETA: Also please please please please resist the urge to indulge the inner Lisa Frank obsessed 8 year old in you and limit your fonts/colors to simple and basic black. In my opinion it's extremely unprofessional to have turquoise, purple and retina burning pink in a signature with 8 different fonts. That could just be the ex collegiate newspaper editor in me though...

 

[Armymutt25A]

I had a sig file in my professional capacity. As a student, I'm conflicted. On one hand, it's probably good practice for those who haven't been exposed to professional life. On the other, mine will change depending on who I'm emailing. I probably won't bother with it while a student. My title/position would come across as pompous in school - raise your hand if you care that I'm a captain in the signal corps. I certainly don't care if someone is the president of the surgery club - it's not going to change my view of you, nor how I would address you. Since we have so many guys in my class with the same name, I might put whatever call name I end up with - we can't all go by the same name.

 

[Coquette22]

ETA: Also please please please please resist the urge to indulge the inner Lisa Frank obsessed 8 year old in you and limit your fonts/colors to simple and basic black. In my opinion it's extremely unprofessional to have turquoise, purple and retina burning pink in a signature with 8 different fonts. That could just be the ex collegiate newspaper editor in me though...

A million times this (though I'm sure no SDNer would ever do this!). Last week, I sent some e-mails back and forth with the organizer of a kids' biology club that I was interested in volunteering with. Her emails had about 3 font colours, several sizes, and liberal use of bold and italic. I was convinced she'd be about 17 when we met. Nope. She's probably in her late 30s, early 40s and a very accomplished professional.

 

[that redhead]

Also please please please please resist the urge to indulge the inner Lisa Frank obsessed 8 year old in you and limit your fonts/colors to simple and basic black. In my opinion it's extremely unprofessional to have turquoise, purple and retina burning pink in a signature with 8 different fonts. That could just be the ex collegiate newspaper editor in me though...

People actually use different fonts/colors/sizes!? That's scary. Thanks for the input 🙂

 

[breenie]

People actually use different fonts/colors/sizes!? That's scary. Thanks for the input 🙂

Yeah, that terrifies me too.

 

[lareinesoleil]

People actually use different fonts/colors/sizes!? That's scary. Thanks for the input 🙂

I dunno, I think one different font and/or a different solid color would be alright, so the signature is differentiated from the body of your email. I'm not talking Lisa Frank, I mean like having a royal blue signature if you usually type your e-mails in black, or whatever. I don't think that screams "unprofessional". That's just my opinion, but I've seen similar in professional contexts and not thought much of it. I do agree that having every line in a different flourescent (sp?) color and different whimsical font would be inappropriate for a doctor .Might as well just type "I'M UR DOCTOR LOL"

 

[Minnerbelle]

Please don't list every club you're a member of in your signature! Drives me crazy when some of my class mates do that...

This! It's totally obnoxious and unprofessional. No one really cares if you're the freshman rep for 5 different orgs... I feel like it's important if you hold a position where people are likely to contact you for your role in said position, but otherwise I personally feel like it's tacky. But that's just me.

I usually don't use a signature for my email unless I'm contacting someone in a professional capacity (mostly for external peeps).

 

[pooter]

Oh, great, more technology for me to fail to figure out.
(grouses like an old lady)

 

[nyanko]

I usually don't use a signature for my email unless I'm contacting someone in a professional capacity (mostly for external peeps).

Same here. When I was sending emails to shelter reps inviting them to an adoption event we were having I included my office title in the Feline Medicine club and my year of graduation. But usually I don't sign emails except with my first name.

But speaking of signature etiquette, my PI, who is pretty prestigious in her field, brings in a lot of grant money and is obviously very intelligent, has this giant atrocious ASCII cat in her email signature that half the time gets all mangled by email readers. It's terrifying, tbh... 😉

 

[Cautionary Tail]

But speaking of signature etiquette, my PI, who is pretty prestigious in her field, brings in a lot of grant money and is obviously very intelligent, has this giant atrocious ASCII cat in her email signature that half the time gets all mangled by email readers. It's terrifying, tbh... 😉

 

[libster06]

I just have my name, SVM C/O 2014, and my office held in the club I'm in. It sometimes helps people to know who you are or at least associate you with that club in case they have a question or need to contact you. I definitely don't colorize/bold/bedazzle it in anyway because obviously I'm not 12 anymore...

**Disclaimer**: I am referring to main office positions- President, VP, Treasurer, Secretary.... not "class representative" or "2014 social chairman"

 

[primatevetjess]

I have my name, school, class year and the two clubs that I'm president of. I don't think that it's tacky at all. A lot of the e-mails I send out from my school e-mail address are professional and it helps the recipient to know who they're communicating with. But yeah, it's the same font, size, and color as the body of my e-mail (basic black). I think that close to 100% of my classmates have a similar signature.

nyanko - The first time I communicated with your PI regarding the class she teaches I was like "What the... is THAT?" Haha.

 

[libster06]

But speaking of signature etiquette, my PI, who is pretty prestigious in her field, brings in a lot of grant money and is obviously very intelligent, has this giant atrocious ASCII cat in her email signature that half the time gets all mangled by email readers. It's terrifying, tbh... 😉

I have to laugh when I see professors send out emails with super quirky signatures or make nerdy goofball jokes... scientists are a rare breed.

 

[JumpHigherLivie]

I'd avoid the: Firstname lastname, BS --> personally I think we're in vet school and I'm not that impressed that you got your BS and think it's unnecessary.

If I'm sending out an email in the capacity the club that I'm president of, I include that in the signature along with my school and year ... if I'm just sending out an email then I don't have a pre-set signature. <shrug>. I don't mind the ones that I see that say your name, shcool, year and anything your president/VP of ... but I as others have said when we're exceeding 10 lines becuase you list every club you are a member of and every class you are a liason for ... I'm not really impressed and am not sure if it's done because I'm supposed to be? If you're sending out an email as our class liason that's fine, add it, but if you're sending out an email as the IM president I'm not sure the rest of the school cares that you're the class of XXXX's course liason for parasitology. JMO.

 

[elefante7]

I have a simple signature with my name, class year, and school. If I am sending something out on behalf of a club, I add my officer position in that club. If I send out something more personal, I delete the signature. This seems to be a pretty common way of doing things at my school.

 

[Silvane]

I think I know who you're talking about. I did some work with her for my job and I distinctly remember the gigantic cat in her signature. 😛

Same here. When I was sending emails to shelter reps inviting them to an adoption event we were having I included my office title in the Feline Medicine club and my year of graduation. But usually I don't sign emails except with my first name.

But speaking of signature etiquette, my PI, who is pretty prestigious in her field, brings in a lot of grant money and is obviously very intelligent, has this giant atrocious ASCII cat in her email signature that half the time gets all mangled by email readers. It's terrifying, tbh... 😉