Nowadays, communication in the corporate world rarely takes place in person.  Given the advancement of technology, the primary medium of communication has become email correspondence.  Likewise, the majority of the dialogue in a recruitment process is conducted by email.

In order to sell yourself as a perfect fit to potential employers, you will need to master the art of communicating effectively through emails which is better known as email netiquette.  Just simply follow the tips below:

  • Professional Email Address

First and foremost, the candidate needs to present him/herself as a professional.Given that a potential employer’s first impression of the candidate is their email address account, using a name that includes inappropriate words and phrases, such as “[email protected]” or “[email protected]”, will probably not be the best representation of you.The easiest solution is to create a separate email address account for business purposes only.Just simply combine your first and last name and/or initials and you will be taken more seriously by potential employers.

  • Include a Catchy Subject Line

The next step is to use an effective subject line. In order to encourage the receiver to actually open the email, the subject line needs to be clear and engaging.Make it concise, yet reflective of the contents of the message.For job seekers, make sure to list the job you are applying for in the subject line, including the job posting number if responding to an advert.Keep in mind not to be too generic with your word choices, as some filters may consider your email as “spam”.However, the worst thing you can do is to leave the subject line blank.This is unacceptable and in the event that you do this you may expect the message to be deleted or end up in a “spam” mailbox.

  • Just K.I.S.S

In order to keep the recruiters attention, job seekers need to keep the length of their email short, as well as making sure to make it clear at the beginning of the message why you are writing the email.A good tip is to use the K.I.S.S formula: Keep It Short and Simple.Don’t bore the recruiter with a long message.These messages will be pushed aside and usually forgotten.The majority of corporations utilize Microsoft Outlook as their email service provider.Since the recipient is sent a pop-up “preview” of the email, senders should spend most of the time on the top three inches of the email.Furthermore, if job seekers keep their messages and responses brief and to the point, they will lose the job by using ONLY CAPS, texting abbreviations, slang words or emoticons.This sort of language belongs on Facebook, Twitter, and SMS.Candidates need to keep a formal professional tone with each email correspondence.

  • Create an Automated Sign-off and Signature Block

The last impression in an email is the sender’s closing and signature block.An electronic signature is similar to a name signed on paper.It seals the email. Never send blind emails to an employer.It’s like leaving a voice message without providing the call back number.A handy tip is to set up an automated signature.For the signature block, you should always include a professional closing and your contact information, such as, your full name, email address, and phone number.It makes candidates easily accessible and makes it effortless for the recruiters to get in touch with them.

  • Follow the 24 Hour Rule

If a potential employer or recruiter contacts you via email, make sure to respond promptly.Whenever possible, job seekers should reply within the same day.Simply use the 24 hour rule: deal with any email within 24 hours of receiving it even if it is only to say that you will get back to them later.This sends a message to the recruiter that you are enthusiastic for the position and may place you ahead of slow responders.Emails are immediate and recruiters know this.

  • Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

Last but not least, pay attention to your spelling and grammar.Job seekers need to make sure to proofread the entire email once, twice and maybe three times before clicking the “send” button.It is always a good idea to have a third-party look over the email just to make sure that there are no punctuation or grammatical errors.Not using a proper structure (no punctuation, all caps or lower caps) sends out a clear signal to recruiters of your level of education and professionalism.It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Emails have become a powerful tool in any job seeker’s arsenal and should be used appropriately.  In order to get the job, candidates need to send emails that look, act, and sound professional.  Just take an extra 30 seconds to look over the email to make sure that you have applied these simple tips.  Poor email “netiquette” could cost you the position!