Author: Franz Malten Buemann

Did you know Instagram has over 1 billion active users? With so many on the platform, it can be challenging to find one particular person or business. Enter the Instagram handle.

You can think of a handle as the address to your Instagram page. It’s also what people search to find you. An effective handle quickly identifies you while being memorable.
Here, we’ll discuss how to find and change a handle, ideas for creating your own, and whether it deserves a spot on your business card.
It’s easy to confuse an Instagram handle with your Instagram name. However, they both serve different functions. The biggest difference is that an Instagram handle is unique — once you choose it, no one else can claim it. An Instagram name, however, can be the same amongst multiple users.

An Instagram handle has several purposes — first, it’s what people use to tag you in photos, videos, and stories. For example, HubSpot’s handle on Instagram is @HubSpot, which users can type to mention the user in posts.
Second, it creates a link to your profile. If you change your handle, the URL to your profile also changes. Keep in mind that when you pick a new handle, you can’t switch back to your old one until 14 days have passed.

How to Find an Instagram Handle

When you sign up for an Instagram account, you will be prompted to create a handle. While you can let your creativity take the wheel, there are some rules you need to follow:

Your handle can’t exceed 30 characters
It can only contain letters, numbers, and periods
It can’t contain symbols or punctuation marks
It needs to be unique

The hardest task is the last one — and may take some trial-and-error. To help, we’ve included four Instagram handle ideas to get you started.
Instagram Handle Ideas (+ Examples)
1. Keep it simple.
For businesses, a good rule is to keep it simple — usually by picking a handle with the name of your business. But if your business name is unavailable, you may need to do some finessing.
For instance, suppose you run a print shop, Mint Prints. The handle @MintPrints is the ideal option — but if it’s already claimed, you can alter it without changing its meaning. For example, you could add your location (@MintPrintsBrooklyn) or a word that describes your business (@MintPrintsDesign).
Later, we’ll discuss more variations to try if your first-choice handle is unavailable.
2. Relate the handle to your niche.
Whether you’re into fitness, photography, travel, dance, or art, a great tip for creating a handle is to include words that relate to your niche. This also adds personality and interest to an otherwise static profile.
Check out the example below from food author Lizi Heaps:

3. Avoid using extra characters and symbols.
When a user performs an Instagram search, it pulls up a list of profiles with the most relevant handles. Therefore, adding extra characters or symbols to your username could make it harder for others to find your profile.
Although handles have a 30-character limit, keeping it short and concise is better. Long handles are difficult to remember and harder to discover via search. For instance, which handle below is easier to remember?
Option 1: @SophiasFoodBlog
Option 2: @SophiasFoodBlogNYC5746
4. Add “The” or “I’m” in front of your handle.
As we discussed above, sometimes your ideal Instagram handle has already been taken. Luckily there are different variations you can try to craft another one.
One variation is to add “The” in front of your handle. For example, Faire Plaisir, a vintage homeware company, uses the handle @TheFairePlaisir on Instagram. This minor modification allows the brand to still use its company name, which helps with discoverability.

Another variation is to add “Im” in the front of your handle. For example, actor Angela Bassett has the handle @im.angelabassett. This modification is better suited for individual or personal accounts than businesses ones.

How to Change an Instagram Handle
Before you pick a new Instagram handle, it’s important to understand what does and doesn’t change once you make the switch.
For one, your handle is a key part of your profile’s URL. If someone bookmarks or saves a link to your profile with your old username, they will be redirected to a page that reads, “Sorry, this page isn’t available.” The same goes for every tagged post, comment, and “like” from your old username,
Also, if you link your Instagram handle in an email signature, blog post, website, or business card, it’s essential to update this information — which can be a hassle.
If you’re starting to get cold feet about changing your handle, fear not — Instagram gives you 14 days to change it back. That said, there are valid reasons for changing your handle, such as rebranding.

Here are four steps to change your handle:

Navigate to your profile and click “Edit Profile.”
Click on your username.
Delete your old handle and type a new one.
Click “Done.”

After you complete these steps, Instagram will automatically update your profile with your new handle.
Should I include my Instagram handle on my business card?

Image source
While social media was once a way to connect with friends and family, it now doubles as a networking tool. So much so, a number of professionals reserve a spot on their business card for their social media accounts.
But is this the best option for you or your brand? Let’s consider the benefits:

It builds and expands your network. Building your brand often goes hand-in-hand with building your network. Putting your Instagram handle on your business card encourages prospects to find and engage with you.

It puts a face to the name. Providing your Instagram handle gives prospects a chance to know you beyond the surface-level details. Having an online presence is also important to gaining trust and credibility.

It provides an additional communication channel. Having social media info on your business card lets prospects know that you’re open to communicating in different ways and contexts.

Of course, you also run the risk of crowding your business card with too much information — which is why I recommend linking Instagram only if it’s a platform that you actively engage with.
Final Thoughts
Although picking an Instagram handle may feel like a minor detail, it’s a key component of your digital brand. And with millions of users on Instagram, it’s essential to pick one that’s searchable, memorable, and relevant to you.

Before you decline a job offer, ask yourself some key questions:

Why are you no longer interested in the job?
Are your reasons for losing interest short-term, or longer-term reasons that you can’t change?
If you don’t accept the offer, will you regret turning it down?

If you’ve answered all of these questions and still feel like you want to decline, read on to discover the different ways to decline a job offer.

Know exactly what you need? Jump to one of the following sections:

How to Decline a Job Offer Due to Salary
How to Decline a Job Offer via Email
How to Decline a Job Offer Over the Phone
How to Decline a Job Offer You Already Accepted

How to Politely Decline a Job Offer
Politely declining a job offer focuses on three key things: being prompt, showing appreciation, and giving a brief reason. We’ll discuss each further below.
1. Be prompt.
Let the hiring manager, recruiter, or relevant individual know as soon as you know you won’t accept a job offer. Putting it off can cause inconvenience, and they may have other candidates that they want to notify of their acceptance to fill the position as soon as possible.
2. Show your appreciation.
It’s essential to show your appreciation to the hiring manager or team responsible for interviewing you and the time they’ve spent communicating with you throughout the process. Showing this gratitude goes a long way in terms of expressing appreciation, and doing this can leave a positive impression if your paths ever cross in the future.
3. Give a reason, but keep it brief.
There’s no need to go into incredible detail about why you’re declining an offer, but it can be valuable to give a brief reason as to why you’re moving on. So, for example, you can say something like:
“At this time, I don’t think I should leave my current position,” or, “After some thought, I don’t think this position matches my current career goals.”

It’s also not necessary to give a reason all the time, especially if it’s due to something like red flags you noticed in the boss or if you didn’t like the company. If you have a reason like this, it’s best to simply express thanks and say you won’t accept the offer.
How to Decline a Job Offer Due to Salary
Sometimes you’ll decline a job offer because the salary offered is lower than your expectations, which is a valid reason for looking elsewhere.
Follow the tips mentioned above about politely declining a job offer and, when giving your reason, you can specify that it is about salary. Without going too in-depth, you can be short and to the point and say that the salary does not meet your desired expectations. Here’s an example of how you can note salary as a reason when declining a job offer:
“While this position excites me, I, unfortunately, must decline the job offer as the salary doesn’t meet my desired expectations. I appreciate the opportunity, and thank you for taking the time to consider me for the position.”

How to Decline a Job Offer Over the Phone
There is debate about the best medium for declining a job offer. While some may prefer one medium over the other, the most important thing is that you’re expressing appreciation. Below we’ll go over declining a job offer over the phone.

First, call at an appropriate time where you can reach the correct person, like when they’re less busy, like right when a workday would begin or after a lunch break.
Try to speak to an actual person versus leaving a voicemail, but if you can’t get through, you can leave a voicemail asking them to call you back.

It may seem nerve-wracking to decline a job offer over the phone as you have to speak to the direct individual, but it shouldn’t bring too much trouble if you follow this template. Also, it’s likely the hiring manager or responsible interviewer won’t want to spend a significant amount of time on the phone, especially if you clearly state your reason.
“Hi, this is [Your name]. I was hoping to speak with [Name of the hiring manager or DRI].
I’m calling today because I wanted to let you know that I won’t be accepting the job offer due to [Reason]. I appreciate the time you took to interview and consider me for the position and extend an offer. Thank you!”
The hiring manager or responsible person may ask questions, so be prepared for the possibility of more conversation.
If you choose to leave a voicemail, here’s a sample template:
“Hi, this is [Your name], hoping to reach [name of responsible individual]. I’m calling regarding the job offer and wanted to let you know that I can’t accept the offer at this time due to [Reason]. I appreciate the time you took to interview and consider me for the position and extend an offer. Thank you!”
Please note that you don’t have to give a reason; you can simply say you can’t accept the offer.

How to Decline a Job Offer Over Email
Declining a job offer over email follows the same practices: be prompt, express appreciation, and give a brief reason. Also, if you’re using email because you made a phone call but couldn’t get through, mention that and say something along the lines of “I hoped to get in touch with you over the phone, but wasn’t able to get through.”
Here’s a sample template:
Depending on your reason for leaving, you can input your information. For example, if you accepted a job somewhere else, or you’re simply just not ready to leave your company.

How to Decline a Job Offer You Already Accepted
Declining a job offer you’ve already accepted can be a bit tricky, so here are some tips.
The most important thing to do is read the contract you signed to see if there is a clause or statement that dictates how you should decline the offer. For example, some contracts state that you need to make people aware of this within a specific time frame.
The best way to decline the offer is over the phone, so you can speak to someone and clearly explain yourself. State the reason you’re going back on your acceptance, express appreciation, and say thank you.
Be aware that you may put the business in a challenging situation so that the conversation may be extremely brief.
Here’s a sample template that you can use over the phone or via email:
“Hi [Hiring manager or DRI], this is [Your name]. Unfortunately, after giving it a bit more thought, I will have to decline this offer. I’ve realized that [Reason], and I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may cause your business. I’m thankful for the time you spent interviewing me and extending my offer.”
Over to You
Whatever your reasoning is, declining a job offer can be nerve-wracking. If you use our templates and can be prompt and appreciative, you may find that it’s not so bad, and you may even end up developing relationships that can help you with your career further down the line.

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