As children of the internet, we all remember the day that we got our very first email address. For many of us, email introduced us to our first outlet for communication with people outside of our family, and, pretty soon, our address books were full and we had exchanged LOLs and emoticons with everyone in our sixth grade class. For us, emails were as casual as passing notes in class and came with a disregard for proper grammar and manners, which quickly spread to text messages and Facebook communication.

Fortunately, the days of using emails like personal MySpace messages are over– or, at least, they really should be. Email is a professional form of communication, and the way we email can make or break opportunities that come our way. Our fabulous faculty advisor Kelli Matthews reminded us of this concept earlier this week when she tweeted, “Dear students, every email you send to your professors should be treated as professional correspondence. Please think before you hit send.” So, next time you email a professor, apply for a job, or even respond to a CraigsList ad, keep the following tips in mind:

A professional email handle:

As much nostalgia as your pInkSpArklEzz002 Hotmail account provides, it’s the wrong first impression when you’re aiming for professionalism. Ditch it and get yourself a new one- one that actually uses your name.

A meaningful subject line: Don’t leave the subject line blank. Provide a clear subject to help the reader prioritize their inbox and get a clue as to what you’re writing them about.

A courteous greeting: Address the recipient just like you would if you were writing them a letter– “Dear Professor X” or “Hi Mr. Y” works just fine. I know we roll our eyes when professors say they would rather not be addressed by “‘sup dude,” but you never know when you might slip back into your casual ways, so be conscious of the way you’re addressing them.

Proper spelling, grammar, and NO CAPS: This tip speaks for itself. Read through your email, spell-check it, and then read through it again before you even think about clicking “send.”

An informative signature: Finish your email with an appropriate sign-out and your first and last name. Usually, “thank you” is an appropriate way to end your email, while “peace out” is not. Under your name, provide your contact information. If you’re emailing a prospective employer, include links to your LinkedIn and online portfolio pages.

With these tips and some common sense, you can’t really go wrong. After all, if you ruin your first impression via email, it’s hard to bounce back! Professionally communicating over email lets you keep the opportunity to dazzle someone in person later.

– Karly Bolton, Account Supervisor