As students and employees, emails are can be an important part of our workflow.  Emails are a fast and easy way to communicate with other people.  Often, we overlook our emails or take them less seriously because they are so routine.  Here are a few pointers to make sure your emails portray your professionalism:

• Use a subject line. Your subject line should be descriptive so that the reader knows what they are opening, but also brief, where the whole email is not included in the subject line.
• Start with a professional greeting. In a professional email, regardless of why or who you are sending it to, your greeting should be formal. Introductions could include “hello (first name)”, “good morning/afternoon”, “dear (first name)”.  Keep in mind that if you are not on a first name basis in person, you should stick to Mr./Ms.
• Keep your email short and to the point. Emails should not be the length of a short book and should not be difficult to read.  Include bullet points for important information.
• End with a professional closing. Close out your email as professionally as you started it.  You could say “thank you”, “sincerely”, “best wishes” or even “I look forward to hearing from you”.
• Check who your email is being sent to.  Make sure to “reply all” to an email chain if appropriate and only send your email to the intended audience.
• Proofread before sending. Reread your email and make sure it sounds professional.  Avoid abbreviations or slang words that you might say in person but could be misinterpreted in writing.  Avoid typing in all caps.

Keep in mind that emails, like other forms of written communication allow a paper trail.  This means that there is now a permanent record of your email/conversation.  Be the professional that you are and follow these tips for your next email!