Email communication is not texting, its old school. As you begin to interact with potential employers, business leaders, customers and professionals, it’s important that your email interaction is appropriate. Just this week, I have been interacting with a Sophomore at Drake University and his style, professionalism and approach was outstanding. He made a great first impression and I called him back.
Few suggestions.
1. Punctuate, but be brief. I work with a lots of executives and some have a 3 sentence rule. This site offers some helpful tips on how to manage email. Being short isn’t being rude. It’s being respectful of the audience. Notice Mitch’s email to me was 4 sentences.
2. Have a professional signature. At a minimum, your signature should include your name, university, department, email address and phone number. If you want to get fancy, you could include your school logo. Later we will discuss the process of creating a linkedin profile.
3. Be specific in scheduling – use time zones. Don’t assume the recipient is in California. For example: Would you be able to meet on Thursday, October 25th @ 10:30am PST?
4. Relevant Closing. Develop your communication style. Is it Sincerely, Warm Regards, Regards? All personal preference but don’t just sign your name.
For further reading, click here. We’ll cover handling conflict in email another day. Also, I’ll do a separate note on legal considerations with email, instant messaging and texting. That’s it for today.
Have a great weekend all. Take Care.
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