Career and Job Search Advice

In 2009 just about anyone who breathes has written or received an email. Email can have a very important role in your job hunt, from networking with your contacts to corresponding with potential employers or asking for references. The key to successfully using your email while your search ensues is to maintain professionalism.

Your electronic communications are a reflection of your personality and intellect. When you send an email , regardless of the recipient, you must always check your spelling and grammar. Let me be clear, adding a disclaimer to your email that it has been typed on a blackberry and as such may contain typing errors is not okay. You might as well just say, “You aren’t important enough to fit into my busy schedule so I’m sending this while I’m running for the train; forgive me if I don’t proof-read.” Sending an email, regardless of the length or content, leaves the reader the task of interpretation. You are not there to make sure it is taken in the correct context; you can’t explain what you meant. Spelling errors, omitted words, missing punctuation all point to laziness. Spell check and grammar check almost eliminate the opportunity to have these errors. Use the tools you’ve been given! Let your words speak to your abilities and personality not the missing period and misspelled tank yous.

Check the accuracy of the information you are including in your email. Emails can be kept forever or passed on to unintended parties. Be sure that the message you are sending is appropriate, factually correct and that you won’t mind your name being attached for eternity. Emails have been responsible for sinking more than a few ships. Do not ever write anything in an email that you wouldn’t want your mother, your boss, or your dry cleaner to read. Finally, be sure that the person you are sending the email to is the intended recipient. You’d think it goes without saying but trust me, it’s worthy of repeating. I think everyone has at some point carefully orchestrated the perfect email, read it a hundred times over to make sure it’s without fault only to then send it to the wrong person.

It’s important to companies that the individuals they hire are professional and will convey the appropriate image to clients, competitors and industry organizations. I’m always surprised by seasoned professionals who have a lengthy, colorful signature line attached to their emails including favorite quotes, moving graphics, a rainbow of colors and sometimes even political opinions. These types of seemingly simple expressions allow the reader to form opinions on the writer possibly without even meeting him or her. You may be an incredibly experienced, well educated job candidate who doesn’t get the attention you deserve simply due to a personal display in your email signature. Limit signature lines to five or less and avoid personal opinions, varying fonts and colors. Less is more is a good rule of thumb.