Email Signatures

[unixman]

When working on site and using the client's email system, do you append an automatic signature to all your emails ? If so, what do you put in it ?

Your (personal) mobile phone number ?
The name of YourCo ? (not the clientco)
A link to Yourco website ?
Your linkdin details ?
Your contract end date perhaps ?

ie. do you use it for a bit of personal advertising ?

And are there any IR35 implications ? For example, I would like to make it clear I am a contractor working for MyCo, and not an employee of the client. This might also be seen as good practice wrt IR35.

[unixman]

Before the forum heavyweights point it out, I have seen the standard CUK page on this:

Contractors' Questions: Do email signatures affect IR35? :: Contractor UK

But it is just the single view of one person at QDOS.

[DaveB]

When working on site and using the client's email system, do you append an automatic signature to all your emails ? If so, what do you put in it ?

Your (personal) mobile phone number ?
The name of YourCo ? (not the clientco)
A link to Yourco website ?
Your linkdin details ?
Your contract end date perhaps ?

ie. do you use it for a bit of personal advertising ?

And are there any IR35 implications ? For example, I would like to make it clear I am a contractor working for MyCo, and not an employee of the client. This might also be seen as good practice wrt IR35.

I generally go with

DaveB
<subject matter> Consultant
Client Co Email
Client Co DDI
Personal Mobile.


I avoid using Client Co. sign templates wherever possible.

[unixman]

Hmmm. I've been asked to make a sig containing with my (personal) mobile number. Unlike some contractors here, I like to keep my distance from the client and remain strictly independent, even an outsider. I certainly won't be putting any reference to the client in my sig, unless it is along the lines of "<whatever>... contracted to <client co>"

[cojak]

I put myco business mobile in my sig as I never accept a client mobile.

[Contreras]

Never had a problem with the following and it sets just the right distance without rubbing peoples noses in it. LinkedIn, www linky, free advertising? Yeah right like a lead balloon.

--
<fullname>, Contractor.
Tel: <my mobile>


I do use MyCo email address when off-site and used to have a linky in the sig but removed it because a) the site is a tad tired, and b) it doesn't add anything to what people already know about me, and c) anyone who wants to will figure it out from the email domain or just google Myco and get straight to it (and they do, because I have the logs ). That sig is now:

Regards,
<firstname>

MyCo Ltd

--
mob: <my mobile>
email: <me@myco.com>


As for being told to include your 'personal' mobile.... Get a business mobile ffs, or an 0845... and while you're at it a spare laptop bag for when the client issues a laptop without one.

[/rant]

[jamesbrown]

Out of curiosity, is this a security thing, i.e. clients requesting you use their e-mail?

Personally, I've always used my company e-mail account and associated sig. without any queries (and I wouldn't have expected queries as an external consultant). I imagine it's a right PITA to manage different business e-mail accounts, putting aside any (minor) IR35 issues, especially if you have multiple clients.

[SpontaneousOrder]

Out of curiosity, is this a security thing, i.e. clients requesting you use their e-mail?

Personally, I've always used my company e-mail account and associated sig. without any queries (and I wouldn't have expected queries as an external consultant). I imagine it's a right PITA to manage different business e-mail accounts, putting aside any (minor) IR35 issues, especially if you have multiple clients.

Clients don't want their clients seeing emails from strangers when they think they're dealing with clientCo. Clients often don't want the outside world to even be aware know that you;re not clientCo.

[jamesbrown]

Clients don't want their clients seeing emails from strangers when they think they're dealing with clientCo. Clients often don't want the outside world to even be aware know that you;re not clientCo.

Right, makes sense. I can see that would be an issue if you're supposed to be representing the client somehow (e.g. as technical support), as opposed to representing YourCo and simply delivering things to the client.

[Pherlopolus]

The ClientCo I am working at currently very heavily differentiates contractors already, to the point of putting the agency name in the email friendly name. To that end I used the Sig template they provided and added MyCo's mobile number (a PAYG sim I only use for business calls, I have a dual sim phone...)