Email etiquette

Email is one of the most powerful tools you will use to get a job or grow your business. Often, it is the only way you will have to interact with people and opportunities, many of whom will be in countries far away from your own. Remember that the email you send may will be the first contact and impression someone, perhaps an employer, has of you. If your CV/ Resume and covering letter are sent by attachment then the email will be the very first impression of you. Before the attachments are opened. It is vital to make that impression a good one and remember that in email communications it is never truer that it isn't what you say, but how you say it. If you do not show good email etiquette, your first, and perhaps only chance to make a good impression will be ruined.


Follow these ideas and suggestions for effective email communication which will earn respect and make that good first impression.

1. Make it clear, concise, as brief as possible and to the point. Email is not meant to be a letter, but a message.
   
2. Read Email carefully and answer any questions, e.g. directions, it looks disorganised to have to send further emails about such things later on.
   
3. Do try to make it personal. For one thing in an office it makes it clear who the email is for and secondly people like to see their name and that you have bothered to personalise it .
   
4. Make the subject line stand out to get attention, use a snappy but business like one. But do not use capitals,it is considered in email etiquette to be shouting.
   
5. Use, check and proofread for proper spelling, grammar & punctuation. Use the programmes spell and grammar check but it is also a very good idea to do your own check for misuse of words which have a double use and spelling, but a different meaning e.g. weather or whether..the electronic check will probably not pick them up as mistakes.
   
6. Try to lean and use the skill of using active rather than passive language..Google for some tips. I do not fully use this to its effective advantage myself, so could so with learning. I tend to fear being abrupt, so maybe my language is passive, I have noted that my grammar checks pick it up...But there is a difference between active and rude, abrupt language.
   
7. Try out some business email templates for real professionalism...I Googled Business email templates free and while there found the suggested search Proper way to write a business email.
   
8. Don't allow yourself to get Email overload. It is so easy when job hunting especially to get swamped with replies and downloads and things to upload such as CV templates. Adopt an Email and II organisation system like you would for your snail mail, bill paying etc. and stick ruthlessly to it, if not you can easily miss deadlines
   
9. 9. Use proper structure & layout. Do not be tempted to skip on this and be shoddy just because it is email. Your image and possibly the first impression you give may well depend on the impression your email gives, treat it like a letter. Make it easy on the eyes. Put some space between sentences or paragraphs
   
10. Bullet points are very effective ...but like everything else do not overuse them
    
11. Take care with abbreviations and emoticons...in business emails I would advise not using them, it is not the place for smiley faces
    
12. Avoid long sentences
    
13. Write like you speak....but watch your language !!! Use plain, easy to understand English.
    
14. As already mentioned. Do not write in CAPITALS. This is the equivalent of shouting at 
    
    someone online
15. Try to always speak to only one person, i.e. address the email in the singular as you write. Further recipients will receive the email according to the list of whom you send it to In Group Mailings, use the bcc: field or do a mail merge
16. Add disclaimers to your emails regarding SPAM
17. Do not overuse the high priority option. If used too much, it will lose its effectiveness. I never use it. Those I email are busy people and I know they are well organised and know if my email is urgent or not when they read it...trust your readers !!!...and don't email too often which also damages its effectiveness as does too much texting....Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
18. Don’t leave out the message thread..include it.
19. Do not attach unnecessary files, and watch the size of what you do send, because huge files can get stuck.
20. Do not forward chain letters. Just don't do it. It can be tempting to send a friend an amusing round robin/chain mail joke etc. thinking it will give them a laugh at work..,t a professional email address is not the place for it, and they often have bugs and viruses ...on the subject of viruses....
21.  Be sure to have and keep updated good anti virus software
22. Do not request delivery and read receipts....like number 17, it just looks like you are drawing attention to yourself.