Write Emails

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Though a very informal means of communication, e-mail, is nevertheless, a formal part of job hunting. As they say on Law & Order, “what you say can and will be used against you.” So, you cannot assume that typos, misspellings, awkward writing, or any other transgressions that might appear in print are acceptable in an e-mail to a potential contact and/or employer.

However, other conventions of day-to-day e-mail do apply: they should contain a catchy or relevant subject line, they should be short, with relatively little required of the reader except for a quick reply. It is usually best not to include an attachment unless you have been instructed to do so. They should be individually addressed. No mass e-mailing allowed.

For Example:

If writing to a Williams alum, put “Williams College student seeks your help” in the subject line. Do not attach your resume at this point.

Here’s sample text:

“Hi, I found your name in the Alumni Database and would really like to get your advice about finding work in your career field. I am a Williams [senior, junior, etc] majoring in ______, and will be moving to the ______ [location] area starting in June. I have been involved in _____, ______, and _____ while at Williams and have really enjoyed my time here. As I look to venture out of the Purple Valley, I could really use some help with first steps. I would love to talk with you at some point that’s convenient. Please let me know if you have time.
Sincerely, ____________”

If writing directly to an employer about a specific job opening, the same rules apply, though you might want to be more formal. The subject line might say “Responding to your request.”

The text:

“Dear ________: I am following up on your announcement of an opening for a ___________ in your _________ department. I am a Williams College student with a background that would meet your needs and would like to speak with you briefly about your requirements in more detail. Please let me know about next best steps and how I might submit my resume for your consideration. Thanks for your attention.
Sincerely, ____________”

Follow-up

So, you’ve sent out 10 e-mails and expect to get 10 answers within a couple of hours, right? Perhaps, but not likely. Even with Williams alumni who have volunteered to be contacts for students, you may not hear back right away, or at all. If you examine your own habits of e-mail maintenance, you’ll realize that all e-mail is not equal. You will probably have to try two or three times to get through to anyone, and even then you may not get a reply. Our general rule is to try three times before giving up on a particular contact. If a person does not respond within 48 hours, send another e-mail. Simply re-send a copy of your original with a little note at the top that reads, “I wanted to make sure you received the following e-mail that I sent on [day of the week].” If this doesn’t garner a response, wait 72 hours and re-send your message with a preamble that reads, “I wanted to make sure you received the following e-mail I sent last week.” If there is no response after that, move on.

Thank you's

The question often arises about whether or not to send an e-mail note to thank someone for a meeting, an interview, information, a contact, or any number of job-hunting related issues. A good rule of thumb in this case is “send an e-mail, get an e-mail.” In other words, if your interaction with a contact has been primarily via e-mail, it’s perfectly okay to thank him or her with an e-mail. If, however, someone took the time to meet with you in person, or provided you with a favor that took more effort than simply hitting the “reply” button, then a written thank you note is most likely your best response. In fact, you might do both, just to be sure you’re acknowledging their effort on your behalf. Because of the prevalence of electronic communication, it is often particularly effective to send a handwritten note (as long as you have legible handwriting).