While the content of your automated email signature is certainly nothing to lose sleep over, it does convey something about you, whether you recognize it or not. Perhaps the most important aspect is your valediction – or your sign off – as you have more freedom to make choices.
What’s the strongest way to end a work email? We conducted an informal poll of bankers to find out their favorites, along with those that make their skin crawl.
1. No valediction: This appears the most popular, particularly for more experienced Wall Streeters. No “warmest regards” or any other cliché. You end your email and have it roll right into your signature.
“It says you’re all business,” said one former investment banker, who picked it up from their boss. “It was intimidating and made you move.”
2. Best: The clear second choice, “best” is vanilla enough to not say much about you or your relationship with the email recipient. It’s “safe.” A simple “regards” is in the same camp.
3. Sincerely: “What are you living in the 19th century?” said another banker. “Sincerely” is old, stodgy and overly formal. “Maybe for a cover letter, but not in the office.”
4. Cheers: Only if you’re living in the U.K.
5. Thanks/Thank you: Unless you want to stamp “young and inexperienced” on your forehead, steer clear of thanking everyone under the sun in emails. It’s overly gracious but more so it “exudes weakness,” said one VP at an investment bank. It’s seemingly small, but constantly thanking someone in work exchanges subconsciously places you on the bottom rung. “And whatever you do, no exclamation points,” he said.
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