Career Journal: Email Etiquette at Work

Email is an essential pillar of communication in today's workplace but not everyone knows how to use it well.

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Think twice before clicking ‘send’ on your emails.

Since emails are not as formal as letters, experts say that many employees don't pay attention to the tone and composition of work-related email. But that can hurt professional credibility.

Your emails make an impression on your managers, colleagues, clients, and on possible recruiters. Sloppy emails may show that you are not disciplined and risk causing misunderstanding among colleagues. A poorly-written email along with a job application can damage your chances of landing the job.

So, next time you write an email, here are some rules of thumb to keep in mind:

1. Writing style: "Most youngsters tend to bring the informality of SMS into emails," says Venkataramana B., chief people officer of the India unit of retail firm Landmark Group. That's a no-no for work emails.

Follow the rules of grammar and punctuation when composing your email. Avoid slang, acronyms and short forms like "u" instead of "you".

Don't send emails without a spell check. Avoid exclamation marks, as that may seem immature. Avoid writing in capital letters, since in writing this can be interpreted as the equivalent of shouting.

Ideally keep emoticons like ":)" out of official emails. "There are other avenues like Facebook and Twitter for these things," says Prashant Deo Singh, head [...]

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