Recruiters Get 100s of Emails: But Is every Email read?

Nowadays it seems applying for a job is all done online. Gone are the days of handing in a resume in person, and thus, the need to write a professional email is more important than ever in decades to come, I being a recruiter myself at one of the most prestigious IT Companies' i.e. GlobalLogic, get many emails daily. At times it is close to 500+ in a day so Do I open all of them?

Of course, writing professional emails isn’t just about applying for jobs – it’s needed to conduct day-to-day business, as well. Regardless of why you are sending a professional email, it’s important to make sure you are getting your message across and that you are following a few basic rules. 

The Subject Line

If you’re like me, the biggest struggle aside from just trying to find the right words to get your message across is coming up with a subject line! While this can be stressful, it doesn’t have to be. I get many mails daily for job application, the problem is that some candidates don't even mention a subject line, do you think out of 100s of mail I'll even bother to reply or even open such an E-Mail?

Your subject line should be specific, but concise. I know, that’s still a bit confusing, but essentially this means you should include a subject line that is short and to the point. You want to let the recipient know what your email is about, but you don’t want to include the entire message in that space. Some say no more than 5 words, while others say a few words needed to be catchy while stating the purpose of the message. 

For example, if you’re writing an email about a job application, don’t put the subject line as a Job Application. While, yes, it is short and to the point, it doesn’t really say much. What if the company or organization is hiring for multiple positions? Instead of that vague subject line, try using the job title or application number, such as Application for a Database Developer role. This way it allows the recipient to easily identify which position you are applying for, and to forward it on to the correct person if the email address is generic or position is shared within the team.

Greeting Line/Word

After you’ve sorted out the subject line, your next step is to address the email. This refers to how you will greet the recipient. 

It is best practice to avoid using generic greetings, such as To whom it may concern, Dear sir/madam, or To the hiring manager, for example, unless there isn’t a specific person noted to send your email to. Before you resort to using this non-specific greeting, be sure to do a bit of research to see if you can identify the correct person to address the message to. At times I get forwarded mails too, with even my name mentioned wrong, /Deeksha to something else.

A better way to address the recipient if to use a more formal greeting, such as Dear, or Good morning/afternoon/evening. Each of these options should be followed by the person’s name, such as Mr. Mithlesh, Ms. Dimple, etc

In the case of a female recipient, if you are unsure if they are married, the use of Ms.is always a safe option. Additionally, if you aren’t certain of the recipient’s gender, it is okay to forego the person’s title, and just use their full name. This avoids causing any unnecessary and unintentional offense to the recipient and embarrassment to you. 

The Body/Message

The body of your message is the most important part of the email, as this is when you communicate the purpose of your reaching out to the recipient. The message should be short and to the point – particularly if it’s the first time you are contacting the recipient. Of course, you need to be able to provide enough information and context for them to fully understand what it is you are contacting them about, otherwise, it won’t be received well or effectively acted upon. For example: If you're applying for a job mention basic details like your total experience, compensation details, notice period details, location preference, etc

A good way to ensure that you are getting your message across is to ask yourself two things. First, what do you want? Second, how the recipient can help you? If you can answer these questions and communicate it concisely within the body of the email, then you are well on your way to sending an effective and professional email. 

The Wrap Up

After you’ve finished the body of your email, it’s time to put it to a close. The closing line, or wrap up, needs to bring a call to action or some other follow the message. For example, if you are submitting an application using email, you could end the email with something along the lines of I look forward to hearing from you at a time of your convenience. 

If you’re following up from an email to set up an informational interview, you could close the message with I have availability on Tuesday and Friday next week, is there a day that works best for you? I will follow up with you later next week to confirm the location of our meeting. 

By including a call to action or follow up line, it clarifies who needs to make the next move. If you indicate that you will follow up at a certain time, be sure to do it, otherwise, you may not be taken seriously, or the recipient may not further communicate with you. 

The Sign-Off

Finally, the last part of your email – the sign off! This is the part where you leave the recipient with a sign-off greeting. This should be something simple, yet professional. Some of the most popular sign-offs are:

• Sincerely
• Yours truly
• Thanks again,
• Best/warm/kind regards

Following your sign-off, you should include your name, as you would with a formal cover letter or another form of correspondence. 

Before You Send

I know I said the last section was the final bit, but I lied – slightly. Yes, you may have finished writing your email, but there’s one more step before you hit send– PROOFREAD! This means checking your message for any spelling or grammatical errors. It’s also a good time to ensure you aren’t using a font that is too big or small, or that is difficult to read. The colored text should also be avoided for ease of reading. 

Additionally, you can help with some good plugins too like Grammarly, it's a fantastic option if you want to spell check or proofread and get better suggestions before sending the final draft. If you feel satisfied after that, it’s time to click the send button and await a reply.