Email communication has become even more important in the last 10 years and it is almost always how all introductions happen. For this reason, getting your email etiquette right is essential to making a good first impression to a potential new employer.
So, what can you do to keep your emails professional? Here’s the advice from Live Recruitment:
1. Quick replies
Above all else, one of the most important things is being very responsive. If someone introduces you to a new contact or potential employer, it is essential that you email immediately. If you have already had an interview, whether that’s face to face or over the phone, you should send a thank you email soon after. You won’t come across desperate but as eager and they are sure to be impressed.
And it goes without saying that if you get an email asking you some questions or inviting you for an interview make sure you are reply promptly. Although be careful not to rush and send an unprofessional email with spelling or grammar mistakes, always proofread your email before you press send.
2. Get to the point
Professional email etiquette states that the first line of your email should let the recipient know why you are contacting them. Be polite and straight to the point, this goes for the whole email too. Recruiters are often busy and don’t have the time to read extremely long emails that don’t need to be that lengthy.
Be detailed but don’t talk about irrelevant matters. It is good to assume that the recipient could be reading this email whilst multitasking and on their phone. Try and keep your email to 10 lines or shorter and keep the font at around a size 12 so they can see it easily.
3. Give the subject line attention
Making the subject line enticing will guarantee that the recipient will be triggered to open it. But make sure it still relates to what the email is about. Depending on the content of your email it might be best to include your name or who referred you. An example of this could be;
‘John Smith following up on Jane Jones’ introduction’ or ‘Marketing Manager Application- John Smith’.
Doing this will also help the recipient find your email quicker if they search for it in the future.
4. Don’t worry but do nudge
It is likely that the person you will be emailing will be very busy and flooded with thousands of unread emails, but if they don’t reply in a few days don’t take this the wrong way and DO give them a nudge. It will show you’re interested and organised enough to be tracking responses.
5. Get professional support
Signing up for a recruitment agency can help you in your search for a job so that you are not sending emails left right and centre to a job opportunity that wouldn’t be a good fit. They can help you with writing emails and give you help and support to land your dream job. This can give you a whole new lease of confidence and whether you are talking to someone via email or in person they will be able to detect your confidence and make a great impression.
6. Use proper grammar
Even if the person that just emailed you was casual, make sure that you compose a professional email with perfect grammar, avoid using any abbreviations. Always use appropriate greetings rather than “What’s up” the same applies to closing the email, always thanking the person you are corresponding with for their time. Most mail providers offer a spell check function.
Take all this into account when composing emails and you won’t go far wrong, whether you’re responding to a client, applying for a promotion you want or asking questions about a job opportunity.
Paul Gordon is a self-employed marketing specialist. He has over 15 years experience in project coordination and SEO.
