A Quick Guide to Effective Email - Formality

A Quick Guide to Effective Email - FormalityI will confess to being an overly formal emailer. I stick with professional titles and last names longer than I need to, I continue using salutations and closing phrases even in a conversational chain, and I cant seem to stop signing off with best or regards and second guessing my use of exclamation points. This has all been exacerbated by teaching college students as an adjuncttheir instant informality, use of text-speak, and round the clock emails make me want to crawl inside a mailbox and never come out. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Lucky for me, the folks at Social-Hire.com have some guidance for the overthinkers among us who are composing job application emails. Come across as too stiff, and youre a bad fit for the office culture. Too informal, and you lack the poise and polish they expect from an employee. What to do?First ContactLook carefully at the website of the company that youre applying to work for. Have employees contributed bios? Does it sound like a person or a marketing firm drafted the copy? Does anyone link to their social media profiles? Let the formal or relaxed tone of your email match what you see on their site.SeniorityThough many companies encourage an informal persona, a more formal approach is always preferableif youre writing to a senior employee or a hiring manager. Play it safe by starting with Dear and using whatever professional title youre aware of (Dr., Mr., Ms. dont get cute with Miss or Mrs.). You never know how that might rub someone the wrong way. Use their full name, and end with Best, Sincerely, or Thank you.RepliesOH THANK GOODNESS, any reply thats not outright dismissive tells you that you did something correctly Let their attitude guide yoursmatch your responses relaxation to theirs. Dont overdo it My students make the misstep of taking a brief, speedy response from me as a sign they can write back with emojis and sup and Than k uuuuuuuu.Keep in mind this is American-centered advicecompanies in a variety of cultural context may approach their email communications very differently.So to sum upErr on the side of formality.Let them take the lead.Dont drop your guard too quicklyHappy emailing Now take that inspirational quote out of your signature.Job Application Advice How Formal Should Your Email Be?Read More at www.social-hire.com