You know it’s important to make a good impression through your resume and in the interview process, right? But did you know that you must also impress employers throughout your email correspondence?
To develop your career, you need to master the art of correspondence. Here are email tips about professional etiquette and 5 things you should never do when applying for an internship or job opening.
Details Matter
At every stage of the employment process, there are boxes you must check off. Especially when you are responding to job openings on your phone, be careful to follow all the steps of the process. Employers are not likely to follow up with you and remind you if you forgot something. They will move onto the candidates who did follow every step.
Even if you send professional emails with your polished resume, you also need to fit the job description. Do your skills apply to this role? Does your past professional work align with this position? If not, why? Fill in the gaps with your correspondence or application answers.
Emails Say a Lot About You
Employers pay attention to your email correspondence and communication skills for more reasons than job fit. Your emails will show them if you can be trusted to communicate professionally with clients. Can you handle yourself under pressure? Are you clear and concise? With that in mind, here are five things you should avoid with your emails when applying for a position.
- Don’t send emails without proofing – Get rid of bad grammar, misspellings, too many commas or sentence fragments. If necessary, have a friend proof your email before you send it.
- Don’t just send a resume – Most job sites allow you to email a follow-up note or to include a nice note with your resume attachment. Even if the application doesn’t require it, use this opportunity to introduce yourself and share any details about why you are interested in the position. Be clear about the position you are applying for! The only reason you would not do this is if the application specifically requests no follow-up correspondence.
- Do not apply before researching the position – Your email and your resume will be tossed quickly if you didn’t do your homework to make sure that it’s the right fit for your skills. Research the company. Research the key contacts. Follow the process carefully and show some understanding of the job role in your email.
- Don’t ghost the employer – Even if you take another job or decide you no longer want to apply for a position, do not ghost an employer who follows up with you. You never know if someday you want to reapply. Keep communication lines open. Be respectful of the employer’s time. Send a respectful email declining the opportunity.
- Do not leave negative remarks – We get it. It isn’t fun when an employer does not respond quickly to your application or if the employer rejects the application. Do not follow up with a negative review and do not send a negative email. This will only hurt your chances for future employment. Instead, thank them for their time and inquire about opportunities to apply in the future. You might be their second choice, and their first choice might reject the offer or leave! Keep your options open with respectful correspondence!
We hope these tips were helpful. We’re always looking for new ways to improve our application process and help our team members enjoy their careers here at LvHJ.
Are you looking to make a move? Develop your career? View our open positions and apply here today.
