Phone and Email Etiquette What You Should Know Before You Hit Send

Phone and Email Etiquette Etiquette Basics Know your audience Choose an appropriate tone Do not be overly familiar with those you don’t know well Always identify yourself Use both your first and last name Use proper grammar and standard English Be polite Whether interacting in person, over the phone, or via email, it is important to know your audience. Students should use titles and generally address potential employers as Mr/Ms/Dr/Dean/etc. Exceptions include when: You know the person well already You have researched the organization’s culture and they are not that formal They have indicated it is fine to use first names Keep not only organizational culture in mind, but generational differences as well.

Phone and Email Etiquette Phone Etiquette Basics – Voicemail Greeting Listen to your greeting Is the content appropriate for all users Do you clearly identify yourself? Does your voice convey the right ‘brand’ or image? Make sure your voicemail greeting is professional No jokes No music in the background No “You know what to do so do it at the beep” type remarks Use your first and last name NOTE: Ladies, if you live alone, are using a landline, and are worried about safety, your home voicemail greeting can say something like “You have reached the Smith residence” so it is not clear to others that you live alone. Your mobile voicemail should still indicate that “you have reached Jane Smith”….. Make sure you speak clearly and use professional English Always watch your brand

Phone and Email Etiquette Phone Etiquette Basics – Leaving a Message Enunciate and speak slowly Repeat both your name and contact information Speak at a reasonable speed and clearly indicate why you are calling If using a cell phone, make sure you have good reception When leaving a message for some else: Speak clearly Repeat important information like your name and phone number so the person who gets the message does not have to listen several times Be clear about WHY you are calling When returning a phone call: Be sure to indicate that you are returning their call Make sure you provide them with whatever they asked for (if possible) when they called you Double check your cell reception If they can’t understand your message, you look unprofessional

Phone and Email Etiquette Phone Etiquette Basics – Responding to a Message Check messages at least once per work day Respond promptly Return all professional calls within 1 business day If you will be out of the office or unavailable for an extended period, use a vacation greeting Provide contact information for someone else who can assist with urgent needs Return all calls promptly If someone calls you by accident and leaves a message for someone else, return the call so they know they made an error and can contact the right person ASAP Be polite

Phone and Email Etiquette Email Etiquette Basics – Sending Email Choose an appropriate email address for professional use Include a relevant succinct subject line Begin each email with a polite salutation Close each email respectfully Use proper grammar, paragraphs and standard English No slang, emoticons, or IM language Do NOT indiscriminately use ‘Reply all’, ‘cc’, ‘bcc’ Use a professional email address only. Old emails like babygirl41@Hotmail.com or riverrat@gmail.com are NOT ok Always include a clear, short, relevant subject line so the reader can prioritize easily as they may have an overwhelming amount of email Only send messages to those who actually need them Do NOT make routine use of Reply All (Your colleagues will grow to despise you for it) Always begin emails with a salutation and close with a proper Thank You, Sincerely, Best Regards, etc Do not use IM abbreviations If you use standard acronyms, make sure all recipients know what they mean

Phone and Email Etiquette Email Etiquette Basics – Responding to Email Respond within 1 business day (24 hours) Reply even if the message wasn’t intended for you Do NOT indiscriminately use ‘Reply all’, ‘cc’, ‘bcc’ Begin and close the response email politely Be sure to address any/all points in the original email Use proper grammar, paragraphs and standard English No slang, emoticons, or IM language Just as you would with voicemail, be sure to respond promptly to all emails Make sure you actually respond to the original email Answer any questions they have Provide requested documents, information, etc Don’t make them have to ask the same questions again Be sure to proofread before you send And don’t ever send an email that you would be embarrassed about if it was printed in the paper or sent to your grandmother

Phone and Email Etiquette Email Etiquette Basics DO NOT SCREAM AT PEOPLE. ALL CAPS IS SCREAMING. IT IS DIFFICULT TO READ AND IS EXTREMELY ANNOYING! Double check your tone Proofread (and spellcheck) Make sure you have included any necessary attachments Send attachments in the right form Be polite ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ go a long way The most annoying email traits for most folks are: Using all caps (SCREAMING) and Excessive use of Reply All with pointless and unnecessary info And we can’t stress enough: don’t ever send an email that you would be embarrassed about if it was printed in the paper or sent to your grandmother

Phone and Email Etiquette Practice Create/Share Voicemail Greeting Leave a Voice Message Create/Share Professional Email Address If time allows, let students practice with one another and/or share existing greetings, etc for feedback from peers.

Phone and Email Etiquette Additional Resources ASU Fulton Engineering Career Center http://more.engineering.asu.edu/career/ Purdue Owl – Email Etiquette https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/636/01/ Respectful Workplace – Phone and Email Etiquette http://www.respectfulworkplace.com/2013/01/17/respectful- phone-and-email-etiquette/ Business Insider – Email Etiquette for Professionals http://www.businessinsider.com/email-etiquette-rules-barbara- pachter-2013-10 Other resources

Fulton Engineering Career Center For More Information Connect with Fulton Engineering Career Center Phone: (480) 965-2966 Email: engineering.careers@asu.edu Website:  http://engineering.asu.edu/career Sun Devil CareerLink: MyASU>Campus Services>Jobs & Careers>Sun Devil CareerLink Facebook: Engineering Career Center Arizona State University