Published: August 2007
JobsPress.com
E-mail etiquette
Stop. Before you push the send button for your next e-mail, consider some of the tips below on e-mail etiquette. From an appropriate greeting and tone to taking care with carbon copying, content and spelling, it's covered. As always, the tips come from women and men working in different fields who are willing to share what they've learned along the way.
- E-mail has overtaken every other form of communication. The concept of 'think before you speak' has been lost in the translation. Emotions communicate through e-mail. Multiple punctuation such as !!! or ??? signify yelling and a sense of anger to the recipient. Would you be using a raised voice if you were face to face? Would you be so bold? Speak to others as you wish to be spoken to. New technology is no excuse for inappropriate manners.
Sandie Currie
Area Director of Marketing, NewCastle Hotels and Resorts
Director of Sales and Marketing, Westin Nova Scotian Hotel
- The very first impression you will usually make with a prospective employer is e-mail contact. It is extremely important to present your e-mail just as you would a cover letter. Properly addressing the recipient with their name and address shows respect - starting a formal e-mail with Hello does not. Make sure that you use correct grammar and punctuation - never use internet "short-speak". If your introductory e-mail is informal, an employer may not even read your resume.
Deborah Loughnan
Owner/Director
WindowWalk Computer Education
- You probably find it hard to resist forwarding pictures, petitions and jokes to colleagues via e-mail, but keep them to yourself. Not everyone is going to share your views or sense of humour. In fact, some material you find amusing may be offensive to others, making you look unprofessional and putting your business relationships at risk. Remember, too, that your colleagues can forward your inappropriate messages to their friends, causing severe, widespread damage to your reputation.
Mark Campbell
Copywriter, Editor, Strategic Advisor
Words' Worth Communications Consulting
- E-mail has become a professional form of communication, and messages are often printed off for permanent records. Check your messages for spelling errors, and don't use casual terms like "u" instead of "you". You don't want to give the wrong impression to a client or employer.
Jim Murphy
General Manager
Maritime Digital Colour Inc.
- Use CC and BCC appropriately. No one likes a cluttered inbox! When carbon copying people, only copy people who are directly involved. Don't cc: someone unless they will know why they are receiving a copy. Blind carbon copy is useful when sending to a large distribution list, so recipients won't have to scroll through a long list of names. Don't use it just to keep others from seeing whom you copied, however.
Kelly Morrisey
Manager, Public Relations
IWK Health Centre
- From my perspective as an employer, the text you put in an e-mail message to me can be just as important as the formal cover letter and the resume you attach. The e-mail is the first piece I read about you, and if it's grammatically incorrect or very casual that sends a message about your orientation to detail and your professional communication skills.
Max Chauvin
Athletic Director
Dartmouth Sportsplex
As suggested above, the impressions we create through e-mail can be lasting ones. A little reflection can mean the difference between being confident in the message we send to employers, clients and colleagues and wishing that we could snatch the communication back from cyberspace. Next month we're on the move as we tackle tips on how to effectively make the transition from one job to another.
Marie Weeren is president of 10th Floor Solutions, a Halifax business specializing in public relations writing and workshops.
|
