Email Etiquette

If you work in an office, you probably write emails every day to colleagues, to your boss, to clients. Even if youre still at college, youll need to email your lecturers once in a while (maybe to plead for an essay extension, or to ask for help) and many employers now expect resumes and cover letters to be sent by email. So, being able to write a professional, business-like email is a crucial skill. Daily Writing Tips has already covered the email subject line, but the body of your message also matters. 1. Start with a salutation Your email should open by addressing the person youre writing to. Sure, you can get away with leaving out the salutation when youre dashing off an email to your friend, but business-like messages should begin with: Dear Mr Jones, or Dear Professor Smith, (for someone you dont know well, especially if theyre a superior) Dear Joe, or Dear Mandy, (if you have a working relationship with the person) Its fine to use Hi Joe, Hello Joe or just the name followed by a comma (Joe,) if you know the person well writing Dear Joe to one of your team-mates will look odd! 2. Write in short paragraphs Get straight to the point dont waste time waffling. Split your email into two to four short paragraphs, each one dealing with a single idea. Consider using bullet-points for extra clarity, perhaps if you are: Listing several questions for the recipient to answer Suggesting a number of alternative options Explaining the steps that youll be carrying out

Put a double line break, rather than an indent (tab), between paragraphs. 3. Stick to one topic If you need to write to someone about several different issues (for example, if your e giving your boss an update on Project X, asking him for a review meeting to discuss a payrise, and telling him that youve got a doctors appointment on Friday), then dont put them all in the same email. Its hard for people to keep track of different email threads and conversations if topics are jumbled up. 4. Use capitals appropriately Emails should follow the same rules of punctuation as other writing. Capitals are often misused. In particular, you should: Never write a whole sentence (or worse, a whole email) in capitals Always capitalise I and the first letter of proper nouns (names) Capitalise acronymns (USA, BBC, RSPCA) Always start sentences with a capital letter.

This makes your email easier to read: try retyping one of the emails youve received in ALL CAPS or all lower case, and see how much harder it is to follow!

5. Sign off the email For short internal company emails, you can get away with just putting a double space after your last paragraph then typing your name. If youre writi ng a more formal email, though, its essential to close it appropriately. Use Yours sincerely, (when you know the name of your addressee) and Yours faithfully, (when youve addressed it to Dear Sir/Madam) for very formal emails such as job applications. Use Best regards, or Kind regards, in most other situations. Even when writing to people you know well, its polite to sign off with something such as All the best, Take care, or Have a nice day, before typing your name. 6. Use a sensible email signature Hopefully this is common sense but dont cram your email signature with quotes from your favourite TV show, motivational speaker or witty friend. Do include your name, email address, telephone number and postal address (where appropriate) obviously, your company may have some guidelines on these. It makes it easy for your correspondents to find your contact details: they dont need to root through for the first message you sent them, but can just look in the footer of any of your emails. Putting it all together Compare the following two job applications. The content of the emails are identical but who would you give the job to? ive attached my resume i would be grateful if you could read it and get back to me at your earliest convenience. i have all the experience you are looking for ive worked in a customer-facing environment for three years, i am competent with ms office and i enjoy working as part of a team. thanks for your time Or Dear Sir/Madam, Ive attached my resume. I would be grateful if you could read it and get back to me at your earliest convenience. I have all the experience you are looking for: Ive worked in a customer-facing environment for three years I am competent with MS office

I enjoy working as part of a team Thanks for your time.

Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)

At some point in life, youre almost certainly going to have to write a reference letter for someone. It might be a former employee or student, or even a family friend. Heres what you need to know about the purpose of reference letters and how to write the most effective letter possible. Note: I will be using candidate to refer to the person who the reference letter is about, you to refer to the person writing the reference letter, and recipient to refer to the person receiving the letter. Ill emphasise here, though, that reference letters are not only for job or academic candidates, its just a handy term to use to keep this article straightforward!

What is a reference letter and when are they used?

A reference letter is usually written to testify to a person or (occasionally) a companys skills, character and/or achievements. Sometimes a reference letter is known as a recommendation letter. It is a formal document, and should be typed and written in a serious and business-like style. Reference letters are used in a wide variety of situations; there is no definitive list that covers all possible scenarios. The most common examples are: When a candidate applies for a job, they may need a reference to support their application. If an interviewee is given a job offer, they may need to supply a reference letter before the contract can be signed. A student applying for an academic course often requires a reference letter to support their application. A student applying for funding will often need to supply reference letters. Companies may use reference letters as testimonies to their trustworthiness and ability to carry out a job well. Prospective tenants may need to provide their landlord with a reference letter, testifying to their good financial status. (This could be from a prior landlord or from a current employer.)

Who should write a reference letter?

If you are approached and asked to write a reference letter for a job candidate, a student or a company, consider whether you can legitimately do so. A reference letter is a formal document, and it is crucial that you do not lie or fudge the truth in it, or there could be legal repercussions. If someone wants a reference letter from you: The candidate should be someone you know reasonably well. For example, you cannot provide any authoritative comment on the academic ability of a student whos only been attending your lectures for a week. You should know the candidate in a capacity which gives you the ability to write a meaningful reference. For example, if you have worked with the person, it would be appropriate for you to write a reference letter to a prospective employer for them. You should be able to provide an honest and positive reference. If you truly feel that the candidate has no good qualities for you to emphasis, or if you have had a personality clash with them in the past, you should tell them to seek a reference letter from someone else.

What goes into a reference letter?

The exact structure of a reference letter will differ slightly depending on the type of reference it is, but this is a good basic outline: 1. Start using the business letter format: put the recipients name and address, if known, and address them as Dear [name]. If the recipient is currently unknown (this would be likely on an academic application, for instance), then use Dear Sir/Madam or To whom it may concern. 2. It is often helpful to introduce yourself in the first couple of lines of your letter. The recipient will not need your life history: just give a brief sentence or two explaining your position and your relationship to the candidate. 3. Your next paragraph should confirm any facts which you know the candidate will be supplying along with your letter. For example, if you are writing a reference for a job applicant, some or all of these details may be appropriate: The persons job title, and role within the company. The persons leaving salary when they were last employed by you (or your organisation). The dates which the person was employed from and until.

If you are writing a reference letter for an academic course, you will need to confirm the persons academic grades. 4. In your third paragraph, you should provide your judgement upon the candidates skills and qualities. It is often appropriate to state that you would gladly re-employ them, or that their contributions to your college class were highly valued. Single out any exceptional qualities that the candidate has perhaps their drive and enthusiasm, their attention to detail, or their ability to lead. 5. Where possible, use your fourth paragraph to give a couple of concrete examples of times when the candidate excelled. (You may want to ask the candidate to tell you about any extra-curricular projects theyve been involved in, or invite them to highlight anything theyd particularly like you to include in the reference letter.) 6. Close your letter on a positive note, and if you are willing to receive further correspondence about the candidates application, make this clear. Include your contact details too. 7. As with any business letter, you should end appropriately; Yours sincerely when you are writing to a named recipient, and Yours faithfully when you do not know who will be receiving the letter. Things to avoid Make sure that you avoid: Mentioning any weaknesses the candidate has. Saying anything that could be construed as libel. Writing in an informal manner: keep the letter business-like. Jokes, slang and casual language are not appropriate and may harm the candidates chances. Including personal information not relevant to the application. Mentioning the candidates race, political stance, religion, nationality, marital status, age or health is usually inappropriate. Spelling mistakes, sloppy writing or typos: this letter is hugely important to the candidate, and you should take care to make it look professional.

Reference Letter Examples

There are a number of good templates for reference letters available on Business Balls. Ive included one below, which would be appropriate for a general-purpose reference if you were writing a reference in your capacity as the candidates former employer, you would need to include more specific details: Date To whom it may concern I confirm that I have known (name) for (number) years. (State relationship social, business, working together in some other capacity, club, activity, project, etc.) At all times I have found (name/him/her) to be (state characteristics eg, dependable, reliable, hard-working, conscientious, honest, peace-loving, courteous, etc to be as helpful as possible think about what the reader will most prefer to see, in terms of satisfying concerns, or seeing evidence of relevant required skills or characteristics). Im happy to provide further information if required. (optional)

Yours faithfully, etc. You can find examples of full reference letters on About.coms job searching section. They list letters appropriate for a variety of different situations: heres one from a previous employer in support of a job candidate: To Whom it May Concern: I highly recommend Jane Doe as a candidate for employment. Jane was employed by Company Name as an Administrative Assistant from 2002 2005. Jane was responsible for office support including word processing, scheduling appointments and creating brochures, newsletters, and other office literature. Jane has excellent communication skills. In addition, she is extremely organized, reliable and computer literate. Jane can work independently and is able to follow through to ensure that the job gets done. She is flexible and willing to work on any project that is assigned to her. Jane was quick to volunteer to assist in other areas of company operations, as well. Jane would be a tremendous asset for your company and has my highest recommendation. If you have any further questions with regard to her background or qualifications, please do not hesitate to call me. Sincerely, John Smith Title Company Address Phone Email If you are still unsure what best to include in the reference letter, imagine yourself in the position of the candidates prospective employer, or of the panel reading his/her academic application. What information would they need to know? What qualities would they like their candidates to have? Obviously, you should never lie or mislead in a reference letter, but you should try to focus on areas which will give the recipient the most useful information possible about the candidate.

Writing a Reference Letter (With Examples)

At some point in life, youre almost certainly going to have to write a reference letter for someone. It might be a former employee or student, or even a family friend. Heres what you need to know about the purpose of reference letters and how to write the most effective letter possible. Note: I will be using candidate to refer to the person who the reference letter is about, you to refer to the person writing the reference letter, and recipient to refer to the person receiving the letter. Ill emphasise here, though, that reference let ters are not only for job or academic candidates, its just a handy term to use to keep this article straightforward!

What is a reference letter and when are they used?

A reference letter is usually written to testify to a person or (occasionally) a companys skills, character and/or achievements.Sometimes a reference letter is known as a recommendation letter. It is a formal document, and should be typed and written in a serious and business-like style. Reference letters are used in a wide variety of situations; there is no definitive list that covers all possible scenarios. The most common examples are: When a candidate applies for a job, they may need a reference to support their application. If an interviewee is given a job offer, they may need to supply a reference letter before the contract can be signed. A student applying for an academic course often requires a reference letter to support their application. A student applying for funding will often need to supply reference letters. Companies may use reference letters as testimonies to their trustworthiness and ability to carry out a job well. Prospective tenants may need to provide their landlord with a reference letter, testifying to their good financial status. (This could be from a prior landlord or from a current employer.)

Who should write a reference letter?

If you are approached and asked to write a reference letter for a job candidate, a student or a company, consider whether you can legitimately do so. A reference letter is a formal document, and it is crucial that you do not lie or fudge the truth in it, or there could be legal repercussions. If someone wants a reference letter from you: The candidate should be someone you know reasonably well. For example, you cannot provide any authoritative comment on the academic ability of a student whos only been attending your lectures for a week. You should know the candidate in a capacity which gives you the ability to write a meaningful reference. For example, if you have worked with the person, it would be appropriate for you to write a reference letter to a prospective employer for them.

You should be able to provide an honest and positive reference. If you truly feel that the candidate has no good qualities for you to emphasis, or if you have had a personality clash with them in the past, you should tell them to seek a reference letter from someone else.

What goes into a reference letter?

The exact structure of a reference letter will differ slightly depending on the type of reference it is, but this is a good basic outline: 1. Start using the business letter format: put the recipients name and address, if known, and address them as Dear [name]. If the recipient is currently unknown (this would be likely on an academic application, for instance), then use Dear Sir/Madam or To whom it may concern. 2. It is often helpful to introduce yourself in the first couple of lines of your letter. The recipient will not need your life history: just give a brief sentence or two explaining your position and your relationship to the candidate. 3. Your next paragraph should confirm any facts which you know the candidate will be supplying along with your letter. For example, if you are writing a reference for a job applicant, some or all of these details may be appropriate: The persons job title, and role within the company. The persons leaving salary when they were last employed by you (or your organisation). The dates which the person was employed from and until. If you are writing a reference letter for an academic course, you will need to confirm the persons academic grades. 4. In your third paragraph, you should provide your judgement upon the candidates skills and qualities. It is often appropriate to state that you would gladly re-employ them, or that their contributions to your college class were highly valued. Single out any exceptional qualities that the candidate has perhaps their drive and enthusiasm, their attention to detail, or their ability to lead. 5. Where possible, use your fourth paragraph to give a couple of concrete examples of times when the candidate excelled. (You may want to ask the candidate to tell you about any extra-curricular projects theyve been involved in, or invite them to highlight anything theyd particularly like you to include in the reference letter.) 6. Close your letter on a positive note, and if you are willing to receive further correspondence about the candidates application, make this clear. Inclu de your contact details too. 7. As with any business letter, you should end appropriately; Yours sincerely when you are writing to a named recipient, and Yours faithfully when you do not know who will be receiving the letter. Things to avoid Make sure that you avoid: Mentioning any weaknesses the candidate has. Saying anything that could be construed as libel. Writing in an informal manner: keep the letter business-like. Jokes, slang and casual language are not appropriate and may harm the candidates chances.

Including personal information not relevant to the application. Mentioning the candidates race, political stance, religion, nationality, marital status, age or health is usually inappropriate.

Spelling mistakes, sloppy writing or typos: this letter is hugely important to the candidate, and you should take care to make it look professional.

Reference Letter Examples

There are a number of good templates for reference letters available on Business Balls. Ive included one below, which would be appropriate for a general-purpose reference if you were writing a reference in your capacity as the candidates former employer, you would need to include more specific details: Date To whom it may concern I confirm that I have known (name) for (number) years. (State relationship social, business, working together in some other capacity, club, activity, project, etc.) At all times I have found (name/him/her) to be (state characteristics eg, dependable, reliable, hard-working, conscientious, honest, peace-loving, courteous, etc to be as helpful as possible think about what the reader will most prefer to see, in terms of satisfying concerns, or seeing evidence of relevant required skills or characteristics). Im happy to provide further information if required. (optional) Yours faithfully, etc. You can find examples of full reference letters on About.coms job searching section. They list letters appropriate for a variety of different situations: heres one from a previous employer in support of a job candidate: To Whom it May Concern: I highly recommend Jane Doe as a candidate for employment. Jane was employed by Company Name as an Administrative Assistant from 2002 2005. Jane was responsible for office support including word processing, scheduling appointments and creating brochures, newsletters, and other office literature. Jane has excellent communication skills. In addition, she is extremely organized, reliable and computer literate. Jane can work independently and is able to follow through to ensure that the job gets done. She is flexible and willing to work on any project that is assigned to her. Jane was quick to volunteer to assist in other areas of company operations, as well. Jane would be a tremendous asset for your company and has my highest recommendation. If you have any further questions with regard to her background or qualifications, please do not hesitate to call me. Sincerely, John Smith Title Company Address Phone Email

If you are still unsure what best to include in the reference letter, imagine yourself in the position of the candidates prospective employer, or of the panel reading his/her academic application. What information would they need to know? What qualities would they like their candidates to have? Obviously, you should never lie or mislead in a reference letter, but you should try to focus on areas which will give the recipient the most useful information possible about the candidate.