Email signature examples (and how to add one)
A good signature tells people who you are and how to reach you in three or four short lines. Here are examples for common situations, and the exact steps to set one up in Gmail and Outlook.
Keep it to name, title or school, one phone number and one link. In Gmail: Settings › See all settings › Signature, then Save Changes. In new Outlook and Outlook on the web: Settings › Account(s) › Signatures. In the Outlook phone app: Settings › Signature.
What to put in an email signature
| Include | Leave out |
|---|---|
| Full name | Inspirational quotes |
| Job title, or school and expected graduation year | Every social media link you have |
| Company or organization | Your home address |
| One phone number (a direct line if you have one) | Large images that show as attachments |
| One link: website, LinkedIn or portfolio | Long legal disclaimers on personal mail |
Your email address does not need to be in the signature: it is already on the message.
Email signature examples for college students
Include your degree and graduation year so a recruiter can place you at a glance. Leave out your GPA unless the message is a job application that asks for it.
Email signature examples for law students
Law students should not call themselves "attorney" or add "Esq." before passing the bar. "J.D. Candidate" or your year (1L, 2L, 3L) is the standard wording.
CEO and business owner signature examples
Senior people usually keep signatures shorter, not longer. A direct line is the one extra worth adding, because it is the detail people actually want.
Small business and employee examples
Adding your working hours sets expectations about when you will reply. If everyone at the company uses the same layout, the business looks more organized.
How to add a signature in Gmail
- On a computer, open Gmail and click the Settings gear, then See all settings.
- Scroll down to Signature and create a new signature.
- Type your signature. Use the toolbar to add a link or an image such as a logo.
- Choose which signature to use for new emails and for replies.
- Click Save Changes at the bottom.
Gmail signatures can be up to 10,000 characters, and images count toward that limit. If an image causes an error, use a smaller one. To switch signatures while writing, click the signature (pen) icon at the bottom of the message.
How to add a signature in Outlook
New Outlook for Windows, Outlook on the web and Outlook.com: click the Settings gear › Account (shown as Accounts in some versions) › Signatures › New signature. Name it, type it, choose whether to add it to new messages and replies, and click Save.
Classic Outlook for Windows: start a new email, then on the Message tab click Signature › Signatures. Pick the account, click New, name it, type it and click Save.
Outlook mobile app (iPhone and Android): open Settings, then Signature under Mail. You can use one signature for every account or a different one per account.
How to add a logo to an email signature
- Size it first. A logo around 200 to 300 pixels wide is plenty. Big images get blocked or arrive as attachments.
- Gmail: use the image button in the signature editor.
- Classic Outlook: Microsoft's method is to insert the picture into an email with Insert › Pictures, copy it, then paste it into the signature editor. A small table with the borders removed keeps the logo beside your text.
- Test it. Send yourself a message and open it on a phone. Some email apps hide images until the reader allows them, so never put your phone number only inside the image.
Questions people ask
- What should be included in an email signature?
- Your name, your title or school, your organization, one phone number and one link. Keep it to about four lines.
- Should a student put their GPA in an email signature?
- Usually no. Degree, school and graduation year are enough; give your GPA in your resume or when someone asks.
- Why does my signature logo show as an attachment?
- Some email apps show embedded images as attachments. A smaller image, and in Gmail an image inserted through the signature editor, usually helps.
- Can I have different signatures for work and personal email?
- Yes. Gmail and Outlook both let you create several signatures and choose one per address or account.
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