Email Etiquette For Career Success
Email Etiquette at Work
Email is a big part of business and career success. It’s also a very common communication medium that’s used for business opportunities, friends, and family. However, in the business world, it’s best to keep it professional.
There are simple guidelines to follow professional email etiquette at work. Do you break any of these rules?
Have a Clear Subject Line
Always include a subject line and make it identifiable at a glance. In a world of overflowing inboxes, it helps to have a clear, yet a professional subject line.
Here are some examples:
For Review: 2019 Planning Calendar
RSVP Required: Friday’s Lunch & Learn
Ideas for Next Month’s Project
Warm Up & Introduction
Your professional emails should address the person you’re emailing, include an introduction and a wrap up.
Start your emails with, “Hello [name],” or “Dear [name],”
Also, consider including an introduction to soften the tone of the email and keep things professionally cordial.
“Happy [day of the week],” or “Hope you had a great weekend,” are two great examples.
It’s a professional and friendly way to start the email conversation.
Get to the Point
Long emails are not necessary. Get straight to the point using concise language, and break up your thoughts with white space and bullets. You can also bold action item language to call attention to it.
The recipient should not need to sift through paragraphs of text to find the main points. State them up front with 1-2 sentences to explain.
Wrap Up
At the end of your email, include a brief summary of deliverables needed or restate next steps.
For example, “See you at the meeting on Thursday.” Or, “Please let me know if you need assistance with [xyz deliverable].”
Similarly, be sure to sign off appropriately using, “Thanks,” “ Best Regards,” or “Sincerely.”
Proofread
Grammar and spelling are important in presenting yourself in a professional way. It’s especially important when it’s the primary communication method you have with a prospective employer or business opportunity. Proofread your emails and pay special attention to spelling and grammar.
Help catch typos as you type with the Google Chrome extension, Grammarly. You don’t want the hiring manager to be distracted by the wrong use of “their” instead of focusing on the value you would bring the company.
Add the Email Address Last
As a precaution, add the email address in the “to” field of your email program after writing the email. This helps avoid sending an unfinished email to the recipient.
Need more professional presence tips? Our team of career coaches can help prime your online communication to put your best foot forward in the workforce. Learn more about our services and how we can help you gain the competitive edge.
These are the tips and rules for appropriate email etiquette at work.