A noticeable problem is the lack of proper grammar and etiquette in many of these emails. College students and recent grads are sometimes very careless when it comes to this. Therefore, here are some points that you need keep in mind so you can write professional, impressive emails.
Cute acronyms are not for professional emails.
Do not use inappropriate acronyms (“LOL,” “OMG,” etc.) when writing emails to potential employers. Aside from the fact that you don’t know whether they are familiar with the abbreviations that you’re using, it is simply not proper to use unsuitable acronyms.
Don’t forget to use proper capitalization, spelling, and punctuation.
Writing in an all-lowercase or all-uppercase or intentionally misspelling words, like saying “thanks” as “thnx” or “good” as “gud,” is highly unprofessional. It’s not cute; it’s irritating. All lowercase letters will make you look like you didn’t put forth any effort; all caps will make you look like you’re yelling; and misspelled words and improper use of punctuation marks will make it seem like you should go back to elementary school.
Go easy on the exclamation points.
Aside from all caps, too many exclamation points is a total turnoff. It will make you look angry or just obnoxious. One or two in an email is more than enough, so please try to avoid using exclamation points because trust me – it’s annoying and totally unnecessary.
Do not leave the subject line blank.
Since you are basically entering a competition where the inboxes of hiring managers are loaded with messages, you should always remember to fill in the subject line. Potential employers tend to overlook or delete any message that looks like spam, so you’ll definitely want to put something in the subject line. Moreover, make it interesting by coming up with an action-oriented line such as “Networking Request from a Young Applicant” or “Internship Application Attached.”
Don’t rush, and be patient.
You are the applicant, so you need to adjust to the time frame of the employer. There’s no need to make a big deal over an unanswered email; sending an “urgent” message isn’t going to help you get hired. Just be patient and wait until the employer responds.
When you’re done writing, review your message and check for signs of unprofessionalism. Be mindful of the tips we’ve mentioned, and double-check the spelling of the recipient’s name as well as the overall tone of the message. These are the crucial steps in writing an email that gets you a job.
