Samantha Chaffin
Editor-in-Chief
Since taking on the role of editor-in-chief at “The Bengal” last January, it’s safe to say I receive far more emails than I did in the past, some well composed and others not so much.
What I’ve learned from the abundance of emails that can be found in my inbox is that common sense is not always common. However, I may have already known that.
Among the emails I’ve received over the last year are requests for applications, requests for information regarding a position and emails submitting resumes for jobs here at The Bengal.
Most of the time, the messages I receive are written with a proper greeting, proper grammar and spelling and include punctuation. There have been several occasions, however, when the emails I receive are not as clean.
I have more than once received blank emails with resume attachments in response to postings on the Bengal Jobs website listing open positions. What’s worse, in this scenario, is that those resumes are usually generalized and are not tailored to a specific position—I don’t even know what position these individuals are applying for!
I have also received messages written in text talk, messages with no use of formatting or commas and messages from people I have never met addressing me as “Hey Sam.”
Are you kidding me?
My personal pet peeves aside, it is important that at a college level, individuals can compose a proper email. This is especially true in regard to applying for jobs.
It appears that what many don’t realize is that, as an employer, I am evaluating your skills and abilities from the moment I make contact with you. I am also evaluating you based on the timeliness and professionalism of your responses.
Personally, I would much rather it take an extra 20 minutes to receive a response from someone than receive an immediate response that is barely comprehendible.
Oftentimes, you can all but completely ruin your chances at a position before you even come in for an interview. This is especially true if the position you are applying for requires good communication skills or will involve emailing clients or other employees on a regular basis.
All of this being said, I implore you to think about your audience before sending emails, and take the time to do a spelling and grammar check.
Regardless of whether you are addressing a CEO on Wall Street or a student employer such as myself, it is vital that job seekers realize that good email etiquette and good phone etiquette are crucial to landing an interview or obtaining a position.
In this issue of “The Bengal,” you’ll find some helpful tips from Central Academic Advising Adviser Nancy Goodman regarding preparing for graduation, many of which include skills related to obtaining a position after graduation.
I encourage you to take her advice, and maybe take an extra ten minutes to proofread your emails before you send them off to your future employer—those ten minutes could be the difference between landing a job or just missing out.
