How many emails do you receive on any given day? As your career progresses, you will likely develop a love-hate relationship with your email. Today, nearly 1.1 emails are sent per second. The average office worker receives 120 emails per day, and that number is expected to rise to 140 in the next two years. With so many emails flying around, it is necessary to take any and every measure to ensure yours actually get read.
Remember To KISS
When sending any email to a prospective employer, a coworker, or colleague, remember the acronym KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid. Today, everyone is pressed for time. They don’t have the extra minutes to read a lengthy dissertation. Do whatever you can to get to the point quickly and keep the email to three lines or less.
Use The Subject Line Wisely
Think of your subject as a headline on a news article. It should clearly state what the content will be about and it should make someone want to open it. “Hello” doesn’t cut it. Let the recipient know want’s in it for them if they choose to open your email.
The subject should also be searchable. For example, if you are emailing a coworker about the Purple Cow Project, be sure to include the words “Purple Cow Project” in the subject so when she runs a search for project-specific messages, she can find it.
Format Emails Professionally
Watch the fonts, colors and text sizes of the emails you send. Keep in mind that many people read emails on their smartphone, so the simpler, the better. Stick with an 11 or 12 point, crisp font like Arial. Always make sure the caps lock is off, as well.
Be Specific
Rather than asking, “Do you have some time later today to talk?” Be very specific, “Which of these times works for you? Today at 3:00 PM, Wednesday at 9:00 am or Wednesday at 2:00 PM.” Vagueness always leads to multiple back-and-forth emails, bust specifics gets the conversation closed quickly, and with your desired result.
If It’s Urgent, Skip Email All Together
If you need an immediate response from someone, don’t send an email, call them instead. Many people chunk out time during the day to sort through email and it could be hours before they notice you sent them anything.
If you are a recent college graduate looking to start your career in accounting, finance, technology, sales, marketing, or HR, the recruiters at CSS want to hear from you. We can jumpstart your job search and set you on the path to achieving your goals. Contact us today to get the conversation started.