Effective Emails can Impact Your Job Hunt
In today’s society, major business decisions are often based on the communication conducted over emails. The job hunt process is no exception. Sending a well constructed email will not likely be the reason a company chooses to hire you. However, an inability to communicate well in writing can lead to disqualification from many jobs. To increase your odds of landing your next job, it may be wise to review your email etiquette.
Grammar and spelling – Writing an email should not feel like a homework assignment, you will not be graded. However, grammar and spelling are important. Before sending any emails to a potential employer, be sure to use the build in spelling and grammar checker. Then re-read it to be sure no mistakes slip past the automated check.
Get to the point – Long rambling emails will not likely be read. Keep your email correspondence short, sweet, and on topic. This will ensure the point you are trying to make is established with the reader.
Don’t mix your message – If you want to make several points to the reader, think it through. The reader will likely never make it past the first paragraph. It may make sense to create separate emails for each message.
Subject lines – A good subject line is like a good newspaper headline. Try to keep your subject line under 140 characters. Keep it short, but also keep it very specific. There is nothing worse for a hiring manager than trying to find one email title “My resume” or “Interview”. A short subject line that includes your name, a meeting time/place, or maybe even the topic of the meeting is much easier to find in your inbox.
Don’t be afraid to ask – If you expect an answer or response from the reader, don’t be afraid to ask. If you are sending the email because you want to know what to expect from the hiring process, you have to ask. Including something simple at the end of the email will express your interest and ask the question. For instance, “I am excited about this opportunity. What do you see as the next step of your hiring process?”. This expresses continued interest and asks the question. If you don’t ask the question, the reader will not likely be compelled to provide the answer.
The ability to structure an email well is essential to the success of any job hunt. With luck these tips and a little practice will help you become an expert. Just remember, keep it professional and keep it simple and you will be on your way to mastering proper email usage.
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