Own Choice – The Importance of E-mail Etiquette

“Mrs, please accept my most distinguished salutations” (Roy, 2011),

Dear Dr. Doe;

Hello Ms. Doe,

 Hi!

Hey!

  Yo,

There is no doubt that, whether in the workplace or in academia, e-mail etiquette is of the utmost importance. Following simple conventions that express respect, intelligence, and professionalism, could mean the difference between being hired or not, having your request granted or rejected, or being granted a scholarship or receiving no funding. There are numerous reasons following proper professional e-mail format is important. Firstly, it shows the e-mail’s topic is important enough to you that you took the time to write out the word “you” and not just “u” and ensure etiquette rules were followed. Secondly, it shows you have the education and intelligence required to write a professional letter. It also shows that you respect the person to whom you are writing. Finally, it demonstrates that you can be professional and thus, the recipient of the e-mail would be likely to assume this professionalism will extend to other aspects of life.

It is important to be professional in e-mails (Image: Whitmore, 2011)

One major business e-mail writing taboo is the use of the shorthand that has arisen from texting, Twitter and other forms of social media. My classmate Cassandra wrote about these language changes on her blog. She argues that, although the use of shorthand in the correct context is not bad, it has no place in professional correspondence (Holte, 2012). I find the trap many people of our generation fall into is not knowing when it is appropriate ‘2 rite n dis abbrevi8d lingo’ (to write in this abbreviated language). Perhaps people think this makes the e-mail more concise, or that everyone can understand it, so what’s the harm? Regardless of the rational, the recipient will simply think that the writer doesn’t care. As the spokeswoman for the Emily Post Institute state “I really don’t like [when an e-mail closes with] ‘BR’. How could they be your ‘best regards’ if you couldn’t even be bothered to type them out?” (Morgan, 2011).

However, some say, while writing e-mails ‘lk dis’ (like this) is extreme, aspects of the current business e-mail are too formal for today’s high-tech world. As discussed in a BBC article, some believe professional e-mail conventions are evolving. For example, they feel that by addressing an e-mail with ‘dear’, it makes the e-mail feel cold and distant, or as though one is being mawkish.  These people argue that addressing an e-mail with ‘Hello…’ is just as professional. Additionally, closing a letter with ‘sincerely’ or ‘yours faithfully’ sounds insincere. However, as the article states, it is similar to going to an event, where it is better to be overdressed than underdressed (Morgan, 2011). As such, I will assume it is better to be safe than sorry, and continue to abide by the traditional, formal, e-mail etiquette.

                                                                    Cheers!

                                                          Sincerely,           

             Best Regards,

Respectfully Yours,

                 Thank-you for your time,

“I beg you to accept, Mrs, my most cordial salutations” (Roy, 2011)         

                               

                                

References

Hotle, C. (2012, February 29). Theez Kidds Cain’t Spel. Retrieved April 10, 2012 from http://communication-by-cass.blogspot.ca/2012/02/theez-kidds-caint-spel.html#comment-form. 

Morgan, J. (2011, January 12). Should e-mails open with Dear, Hi, or Hey?. BBC News, Magazine, Retrieved April 2, 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12247262. 

Roy, M-C (2011). Professional E-mail. Retrieved March 28, 2012 from http://www.ales204-2012.blogspot.ca/2012/03/lecture-28-e-mail-etiquette.html#comment-form

 

Whitmore, J. (2011). E-Mail Etiquette [Image]. Retrieved April 11, 2012 from http://jacquelinewhitmore.com/15-essential-e-mail-etiquette-tips/