Can we celebrate the fact that I remembered I was going to call these pieces on business "Career Corner?". Today, on this episode of Career Corner, we are going to talk about email etiquette. Something I've noticed lately is a lack of effective communication when it comes to emailing and it's due to:
Poor spelling and grammar
Inappropriately informal writing
Aggressive verbiage
Poor Spelling and Grammar
Nothing makes me cringe faster than seeing misspelled words or improperly formatted sentences. This is the most basic effort you can show when composing an email. Your computer even helps you with the spelling. When I read an email with more than one spelling or grammar mistake, my respect for that person's work ethic drastically declines. If the person is young, I can already tell they're not committed to hard work. If they're older and more experienced, I question if they value how they engage with those around them. Do a spell check, review your formatting - if you don't have time to do this basic task, you're not setting yourself up for success.
Inappropriately Informal Writing
I'm not a formal person. Not at work, not in my personal life. But I take the way I represent myself very seriously. Know your audience, understand how you're writing your email. Don't add a bunch of emojis to your signature, do not use slang, when in doubt, go more formal. It's ok to incorporate your personality into the way that you write at work, especially between same ranking colleagues, but if you're young or informal in general - if you write too informal, you're going to be seen as young and immature. There's also something to be said for not trying too hard and going way too formal. Don't bust out the thesaurus in an attempt to sound smart if these aren't words you're using in your everyday life. Understand the company culture, the person you're writing to, and how you want to represent yourself before you hit send.
Aggressive Verbiage
I've been victim of this before and I'm especially cognizant of it now. I've gone too formal and come off extremely aggressive. Do not use the "per my previous email." Don't utilize language that feels like it's pointing fingers. I'm a big proponent of picking up the phone in situations like these and summarizing in a follow up email to diffuse any unnecessary tension. The point is, when you're angry or you're trying to get a point across and you're really in a passionate moment, slow down. That's when you should be especially aware of how you're writing your email in order to avoid any ruffled feathers for no reason.
The art of the email is very difficult in a world that is growing more informal by the day. Millennial tech companies are encouraging the relaxed lifestyle and way of engaging. Be mindful and aware that while it's perfectly acceptable to forego the suit and tie way of life, don't let your guard down so much that your communication becomes sloppy. Review everything before you send it. When in doubt, ask for advice on how to manage a difficult email.
Often times we spend about 80% of our business relationships in the digital space. So who you are in email, is who people see you as in a professional setting. Emails are in fact a huge part of your brand. Do you want that image to be of someone who is sloppy and difficult to communicate with or do you rightfully want to be seen as a team player who cares about the details?