Despite the popularity of texting and social media, email remains the primary mode of communication within the professional setting. Incidentally, it is also one of the most misunderstood and misused. While it may be difficult to switch from having casual conversations over text to writing professional emails, the importance of portraying yourself well over email holds significant importance in the age of technology. But whether you are wondering how to start an email or are questioning whether or not it’s appropriate to add a smiley face emoji to an email, here are a few tips to help make sure you are always putting your best face forward:
Write a meaningful headline
I have heard professors complain time and time again about the unprofessional emails they receive from students and the unprofessional image students paint for themselves by neglecting the few basic principles of appropriate online discourse. One of the main mistakes students make is putting vague meaningless email headlines. It’s important to remember that professors, employers and other people you may be conversing with over email are busy people too and likely have inboxes overflowing with messages, so receiving emails with vague headlines makes it difficult to remember and respond to emails effectively. By writing a clear, concise headline, your recipient knows the content and nature of your email before they open it, making it easier for them to identify and subsequently respond to your inquiry.
Be succinct
Another tip for writing professional emails is to make sure you keep the body of the email clear and organized. Rather than rambling on before going to the purpose of your email, start off clear so the recipient doesn’t have to scour through the text to find out how to respond. If you are emailing about missing a class, for example, tell them that you are missing class first before giving an explanation or elaborating on the situation.
Read your audience
One of the most important things to keep in mind is your audience. The tone, style and structure of your email may vary depending on who it is intended for. While displaying yourself in a positive, respectful light is always important, there are levels of professionalism that can be used for different situations. If you don’t trust using your own discretion to decide how professional an email needs to be, make sure to run it by a coworker or friend who can help you decide.
Proofread
This one speaks for itself, but sadly, it is most often overlooked. Using a word processor to make sure your grammar, punctuation and word use is correct should always be a first step, but there are often mistakes that word processors don’t catch. A fail-safe way to ensure your email reads the way you want it to is by reading it out loud before sending it. Reading your email aloud before sending helps you catch mistakes that make it seem like you didn’t put much time or thought into your email. You always want to ensure that the recipient of your email feels like they were worth the time and effort it takes to write a well constructed email.
Sourced: A. Distel
