Email Netiquette

 

So I just finished presenting a training titled, “Email Netiquette” and I realized it might be helpful to have a checklist of things to check off before hitting “send” on your emails. So here is a list that has been compiled from information and research from the training, as well as questions and suggestions from employees who have taken the training. Please feel free to comment and add any you feel would be helpful.

 

• I have used blue or black text on a white or off-white background (many people with visual disabilities find this combination the easiest to read)
• My font is Aerial or Times New Roman (again, easiest fonts to read)
• I have used appropriate and professional greetings (Hello, To whom it may concern, Good morning/afternoon/evening, Greetings, Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. So-and-so)
• If I am unsure of the gender of the person I am addressing or if I am addressing a group of people, my language is gender neutral (you, they, etc.)
• My language is industry appropriate (counselors should not use words like “crazy” and “psycho”)
• My content is appropriate, clear and concise
• I would not be embarrassed, ashamed, humiliated or fired if this email was posted to the company bulletin board or shared with my boss (AKA, anyone in the office could read this email and there would be no negative consequences to that)
• I have conveyed my message in the most effective way possible, minimizing the potential for miscommunication
• My message, expectations and instructions are stated clearly in the beginning of the email and again at the end of the email.
• The title of my email conveys my message’s importance and main point
• I am appropriately using tools such as the “High Priority” button and “Read Receipt”
• My content is no more than the size of the screen page (AKA, no one reading it needs to scroll down to read the rest)
• I have not used any slang, acronyms or contraction such as AKA, LOL, BRB, WTF, BTW, don’t etc.
• Any attachments are easily opened and named something recognizable (such as “Winter Dinner Party List” or “Spring Schedule”) so my recipients can find them once they have been downloaded.
• If I have capitalized a whole word, it’s for emphasis and I have limited it to one or two words
• Most, if not all questions that could arise from this email have been anticipated and answered
• I have a limited list of people in the “to” line and are the only people I expect to respond to or act on this information, the people in the “cc” line are not expected to act or respond, and the recipients in the “bcc” line are appropriate.
• I have read and re-read the content at least twice and have ran the content through the spell-check tool!

I hope this is helpful and again, if you have anything you would like to add, please feel free to leave me a comment and I will update this!

 

Thank you,

  MelWilli

To use social media, or not to use social media (in the hiring process that is…). That is the question.

     “Hire Me (I update Facebook every 15 minutes)” which can be found at http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/archive/2011/11/28/Hiring_Recruiting_Firing_Social_Media.aspx is a great article for employers who are using social media sites in their hiring process. Many articles lately suggest that social media can and probably should be a main part of the hiring process. This article, however, takes a look at the potential downsides to using social media to hire perspective employees. So what to do? Well first let’s take a look at how using social media in the hiring process can be helpful.

     Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and be-known can be great resources for gathering information on perspective employees. This is especially true of sites such as be-known and linked-in, which can be specifically designed for the purpose of finding a job and getting hired. These sites tend to be more work-related and more professional. Users are able to provide information about current and past employers, professional experience, educational background, volunteer experience and desirable skills. They are also able to post resumes and discuss their career goals. All of these are great tools in getting to know someone professionally and obviously getting to know someone professionally prior to hiring them is usually the goal. Some sites will also allow you to see who they are networked with (which can be an asset to a perspective employer) and what groups they are a part of. All of this is great information that can really help you determine if an applicant is a good fit for the position and the company in general. So why wouldn’t someone use social media to hire an employee?

     As I mentioned, LinkedIn and be-known can be great resources. Facebook and Twitter, however, have been designed to be more personal social connection sites. Often times the goal of having a Facebook or Twitter account is to share personal information with friends and family. This is great for maintaining personal relationships. It may not be as great for making a first impression on a potential employer. As we become more connected through technology, we are reminded more and more that what an employee does in their personal life, is none of the employer’s business, unless it interferes with their ability to perform their job duties (including represent the company well while on company time). It can also be difficult to make a sound and legal decision about hiring someone if you find out information such as a pregnancy, ethnicity, a medical condition or a disability, all of which cannot be used in the decision-making process. Once that information is seen, it cannot be unseen. Using any personal information like that can be grounds for the applicant to sue and can even get you into some legal trouble. A recent study was conducted in which employers were asked why they don’t use social media. The number one reason was the legal risks associated with the information. It is important to keep those in mind. It was also suggested that many employers do not trust the information on social media sites and that they feel that much of it does not even relate to the job itself. So what should you do if you want to gather more information than what is in their resume and cover letter, and want to gather this information via social media sites?

     First, I would suggest reading the above mentioned article for more information and resources regarding legal concerns with going this route. Second, I would consult with an attorney prior to doing any research. Your local State Bar Association should have a lawyer referral service that can match you with a lawyer who specializes in that type of law, if your company doesn’t already have legal counsel. Finally, I would suggest sticking to LinkedIn and be-known and staying away from their Facebook and Twitter pages. HR Daily Advisor is a great resource for hiring and other HR practices. Find more articles, information and advice at their website http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com

What am I doing here?

Several months ago I started a personal blog as a journal used for sharing with others. It turns out that once I had created the initial post, I never logged back in to create another. I found that I really did not have much that was interesting enough to share and the interesting personal experiences I did have, I was not comfortable enough to share with the rest of the world. So I have decided to take a whole new approach. I have high hopes that this blog will bring great information to anyone who happens to stumble upon it, while looking for information to enrich their lives. My goal is to create a place where everyone and anyone can come to get support, learn something new and/or enrich their personal and professional lives. I hope that this blog will provide you as the reader, with a connection to resources, people and support for creating a better life for yourself, your business, your employees and anyone you come into contact with.

As an Employee Assistance Program professional, my work has been in providing employees and employers with support and information that improves their quality of life and work. My posts, therefore, will most likely be geared towards providing information that is relevant, useful and helpful in life with an emphasis on how it will be helpful in a professional/workplace setting. If this is just the information you are looking for, then WELCOME! If not, please feel free to leave a comment regarding any information you can supply that will be helpful or about how I might be more helpful.

 

Thank you,

  Melissa