When talking to your boss, professors, or other working professionals, you likely speak in a more professional and formal manner than you would with your friends or peers. This is just as true for email communication as it is for in person interaction. But how do you convey yourself in a professional way through email? Can you use emojis? What phrases can you use to close your email with? See our guidelines and tips below!
- Start with a descriptive subject line that also grabs the attention of your reader. Your boss, professors, or other professionals likely have hundreds of emails in their inbox. Some of the people you are emailing may not know or remember your name, meaning having a descriptive subject line is your best chance at making sure your email gets read.
- Always start with a greeting. If you were speaking to the recipient face-to-face you wouldn’t jump right into whatever you need to speak with them about. A few good examples are: “Hi”, “Hello”, “Hey”, or even “Dear”.
- Keep your email as short as possible. Remember, the person you are emailing likely has hundreds of emails in their inbox. Keeping an email short and concise shows you respect the other person’s time.
- Don’t use emojis. Emojis are usually not appropriate in work, professional, or formal settings. Even if your work place is relatively casual there are a lot of people who feel that emojis are unprofessional. In this situation, always err on the side of caution.
- Put what you are asking for in the beginning of the email. Not only does it let the recipient know exactly what you want, but it also makes it more likely you will get a response.
- Format your email to make it easier to read. If possible, use bulleted or numbered lists to make the email easier to read. Use a clear, legible font. Use bold, italics, or highlighting when something is important. But, make sure to not overuse any of these as it can be difficult to read and come off as unorganized and unprofessional.
- If you are ever wondering if something is appropriate to send in an email, imagine the entire world, including your boss, professors, and grandmother, will be reading it. If that thought makes you uncomfortable, reconsider sending it.
- Don’t forget to double check that you attached the documents you said you would and that you didn’t click “Reply All” when you only want to reply to the sender.
- Lastly, sign off the email and use a professional signature. Here are 70 different email sign offs. In your signature include your name, title, contact information, and your company or website.
- Still unsure about how to write a professional email? Check out this article for some email templates.
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