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Email Tips For The Job Seeker
by Nathan Newberger
This http://www.WorkTree.com career article by Nathan Newberger will quickly
give you eight MUST know tips on using email effectively in your job
search.
Most people take the power of email for granted. For most people that
is okay, but for job searchers, your email form and content is an
expression of yourself. Its IMPORTANT that you cover the email basics.
FACT
The days of job searching using postal mail are vanishing. Some
experts even say initial telephone correspondence during the job
search process is being replaced by e-mail or "electronic mail".
Mainly because its easy, inexpensive, and you can reach a large
audience with a few keystrokes.
During the job search process you may be using e-mail more than you
imagined. Before you know it you will be e-mailing recruiters,
employers, previous co-workers, sending resumes back and forth, etc.
The following eight tips will help make sure that your e-mail looks
professional and get the attention of the reader.
8 Tips To Make The Most Of your E-Mail
#1 - OBTAIN A SEPARATE (job search only) E-MAIL ACCOUNT:
Use this e-mail address on your resumes and for corresponding with
recruiters, contacts and prospective employers. Do not give this out
to your friends and family or your favorite on-line shopping sites.
The purpose of this career only account is to help you stay focused on
your job search. By setting up an e-mail account for only career
purposes you minimize the potential for distraction.
#2 CHECK YOUR E-MAIL REGULARLY:
This means at a minimum three times a day (morning, afternoon and
evening). It is highly recommended that you log on more often as
recruiters often use this medium to inform you of potential leads and
possibilities. Ignore this rule and you may find that your golden
opportunity has passed you by.
#3 - ALWAYS RESPOND PROMPTLY:
How would you feel if you left someone a phone message and he/she did
not respond promptly? Offended because he/she did not take the time to
respond back? Worried that maybe the message never made it to
him/her? It’s no different with e-mail. The rules of common courtesy
still apply. Whenever possible, reply within the same day. Make sure
that you respond to all e-mail with-in 24 hours at the latest. Do this
even if only to say that you received the original e-mail and will
need more time to do what is requested.
#4 - UTILIZE THE SUBJECT LINE:
The subject line is the first thing that a person sees when he/she
checks his/her e-mail. Make it worthwhile. Best practice is to
summarize the overall purpose/objective of the e-mail in the subject
line. “ACME Brick position” will work. However, “Follow-Up: ACME
Brick Fin Mgr Position” is better. Keep in mind that the person
that you are e-mailing may receive dozens of e-mails each day. When
short on time, he/she will scan the subject lines of his/her e-mails
and answer the ones that seem most important first.
#5 - SPELLING AND GRAMMAR RULES STILL APPLY:
Poor spelling and grammar can make you appear at best careless and at
worst poorly educated. Neither characterization is appealing when
worn by the job seeker. Read over and spell-check each e-mail before
you send it. If you don’t have access to spell-check, then utilize
the services of a friend or your trusty dictionary. The extra few
seconds won’t break your schedule and might make all the difference in
your job search.
#6 - KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET:
Think back to all the English papers you wrote in high school. Now
make sure that your e-mail correspondence does not look anything like
that (except as mentioned in the previous point). E-mail is a casual
and direct form of business correspondence. As a general rule, try
and keep your e-mail under a page. Do not waste time with fancy words
or flowery phrases. Make your point using the smallest amount of
words reasonably possible. Remember that your target audience is
often short on time. If they open up your e-mail and it looks like an
essay, they may become frustrated and not bother to read it at all.
#7 - FORGET BEING CUTE:
Never forget that you are looking for a job. Save the smiley faces,
colored fonts, exclamation points, etc. for your friends and family.
For the most part, they do not belong in your job-search e-mails.
Also, e-mails may be informal business communication, but do not throw
all rules of etiquette out the window. Always be courteous in your
writing.
#8 - Your Sign-off:
You should close each e-mail with a proper sign-off. It may be as
simple as “Thanks-Jeff Smith”. Often times, it is useful to include
contact information as well as any certifications in your sign-off.
Many e-mail services (i.e., MS Outlook) have an auto signature
function that allows you to set up a customized sign-off that can be
inserted at the end of your e-mail.
CONCLUSION
E-mail is indeed a powerful tool for the job seeker, but keep in mind
that the decision to use it or not may depend on your audience. While
most employers have welcomed the technology age and happily accept
e-communication, there are some who may not be as comfortable. With
the latter, it is often a good idea to stick to the phone or postal
mail for your correspondence. How to tell the difference? It’s often
easiest to just ask. More often than not, they will be an e-mail
aficionado.
This article can be read online and shared with others directly at:
http://www.worktree.com/newsletter/email-tips-for-job-seekers.html
Sincerely,
Nathan Newberger
Managing Editor
http://www.WorkTree.com
"Helping You Find More Jobs Faster"
WorkTree Success Story
"I spend so much time surfing the net to find jobs. WorkTree makes
it so simple and saves me time. Your recruiter database had
everything I needed to kick start my job search process. I have
already recommended this site to many of my friends, keep up the good
work"...T. McNeely, Tampa, FL
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About The Author
Nathan Newberger is the job and career expert at http://www.WorkTree.com Nathan has over 10 years
experience in staffing and human resources. He has worked both as a recruiter and career counselor.
Mr. Newberger has been the Managing Editor at http://www.WorkTree.com for the past 5 years and his
articles have helped thousands of job seekers.
Re-Print Guidelines
Permission is granted to reproduce any of these articles but the article content CANNOT be altered and credit must be
given to the author and also an active link to http://www.WorkTree.com.
As a courtesy, please email Nathan at support@worktree.com if you decide to use any of his articles.
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