Email Etiquette

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 25^th @ 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.

Dress for Success

Dress for Success.  Obvious, right?  Simple, right?  Well not exactly.  Business casual means different things to different people.  In the summer in the technology industry, that could mean shorts and flip flops.  At least that’s what our developers think.  Formal could mean a tux or a suit and tie, it depends on the situation. 

If you’re going to a business meeting on campus, ask a few questions.  Suit or not suit?  Tie or no tie?  I will cover interview dress code separately as that is a bit more complicated.  For meeting alumni on campus, always wear a sport coat.  I am on campuses around the country lecturing on my field of business analytics and amazed the diversity of dress for students.  I remember those who dressed for the occasion. 

Dressing for success takes advance planning as I’m sure most of you aren’t very good at ironing.  My suggestion is take 1-2 shirts to the dry cleaners on or near campus and have them ready for the next occasion.  The last thing you want is to borrow your roommates shirt which doesn’t fit so well.  With regards to sport coats, a navy blazer which many of you have from DECA is ideal.  If you don’t have one, get one and be sure to cover it in your closet so it’s looks sharp and isn’t wrinkled.  Nothing looks worse than a wrinkled sport coat.  Bad first impression.    If your shirt has stays in the collar, be sure to have them in.  It looks dorky to have wings flying from your collar.  I know you that but it’s the small details that matter in first impressions. 

One other quick secret on ironing.  Steaming them in the shower works magic.  This is the first thing I do when I pull my suit out of my bag after travelling.  Hang it in the shower and it will save you time, frustration and energy. 

Would love your feedback on this short tips.  Are they too pedantic?  Are they helpful?  What?

For more reading on the topic, this is a must read.  This is also a quick read. 

A Firm Handshake

A firm handshake is a sign of self-confidence.  Recognize that some cultures keep the handshake going for longer than others.  Texas has long handshakes while New York tends be fast.   

Be cognizant of how you shake a woman’s hand.  There are plenty of non-verbal clues on what to expect when shaking a woman’s hand.   

Japan is completely different – you must know the seniority of the person before engaging.  If you’re not first in shaking hands with the people you’re meeting, pay attention to their approach.  Some like to talk while holding your hand, others don’t.   

If you're nervous or you have sweaty palms, dry em off before engaging.  Sounds funny but no one likes to shake a sweaty hand.  

At all costs, avoid the fishy handshake as it speaks volumes about you.  Don’t forget to smile.

For more information, here is a great article on the topic.
http://saleshq.monster.com/careers/articles/3505-the-abcs-of-handshake-etiquette.