WRONG

Hey jim! How’s it going? I saw that u r the contact person for this one job i saw on your co.’s site. Sounds like a kewl job. can I send u my resumee? Thanxs jimbo- have a good weekend!! Dont get 2 wild! 😉

Peace out,

frankie

RIGHT

Jim,

This is Frank Smith, senior at Iowa State University, and I noticed that your company has a job opening. I am interested in applying and look forward to discussing this with you in the future. I have attached my resume for your reference. Thank you, have a great day.

– Frank Smith

While e-mail is a convenient it can quickly become your worst enemy if not used appropriately in the workplace or when on the job hunt. That quick note you send off across the digital highway can form a lasting impression – and it can be either good or bad.

Steve Kravinsky, director of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Career Services center, said that e-mail has become a fixture in our culture. And, when used properly, it can be used to your advantage in your career.

It may be the same form of communication, but e-mail in the context of your job is not the same as the Facebook messages you send to your friends, said Rudy Mukerjea, senior in management.

“With your friends, it’s a different environment,” he said.

Gina Ruggiero, freshman in English, said she tries to be more formal in e-mails she sends to professors, but also said she pays closer attention to grammar and spelling because she is an English major.

On the job hunt

Kravinsky said one of the advantages of e-mail is its immediacy.

“You can send your resume and cover letter instantly,” he said

With this immediacy comes the responsibility of drafting a well-thought-out e-mail.

Kravinsky said it is important to maintain a professional demeanor. Checking for grammar and spelling mistakes is also imperative.

“When you send an e-mail to an employer, it should be as perfect as a cover letter,” Kravinsky said.

On the job

Knowing the culture and environment of your workplace is key to using e-mail while on the job, said Chad Harms, professor of journalism and mass communication.

“There’s different protocol within different organizations,” Harms said. He recommends getting assimilated into the culture of your workplace and getting to know the social atmosphere, which can dictate how e-mail is used.

E-mail is often monitored, and there are records of what you send and receive. It is important to understand the permanence of what you send. This means you have to think before you e-mail.

“You have to be cautious of your spontaneous reactions,” Harms said.

You should also be aware of whom your intended receiver is, and that should dictate the format of your e-mail. Harms said it depends on the culture of your workplace, but in general, work mails should be more formal. He recommends considering the expectations of the receiver of your e-mail and then not only meeting those expectations, but exceeding them.