carrer tips, interview tips by virginia tech

8/7/2019 Carrer tips, interview tips by Virginia Tech

1/4

Career Services @ Virginia TechCareer Services Building (0128)

Corner of Washington Street & West Campus DriveBlacksburg, VA 24061

phone 540-231-6241 fax 540-231-3293 www.career.vt.edu

location | office hours | walk-in advising & appointments | contact us | our staff | events | career fairs | A-Z index

Search Career Services

GoCareer Services is for all students: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior,and graduate level, at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

> Our Mission and Core Values

FOR: Students | Graduate Students | Employers | Alumni | Faculty & Staff | Parents

Explore Careers & Majors | Externships | Internships | Coop | Job Search | Plan for Grad School

You are here: Career Services > For students > Job search > E-mail in your jobsearch

JOB SEARCH TOOLS &SKILLS:

Resumes and vitae

Cover letters & other letters

E-mail

Telephone

References

Researching employers

FINDING JOBS &EMPLOYERS:

How VT grads did it

Who hired VT grads

How to start your job search

Pros & cons of ways to job-hunt

Advertised jobs

Unadvertised jobs

Networking

VT CareerLink

CareerSearch

Hokies4Hire & the On-CampusInterviewing Program

Job & internship web sites

On-line job search advice &privacy protection

MEETING EMPLOYERS:Handshakes

Career fairs / job fairs

Employer info sessions

Interviewing

Interview attire

Business casual attire

Dining etiquette

E-mail guidelines and etiquette in your job search(and on the job, and in life generally)

Below: What's okay to send | How to send it / e-mail business etiquette

WHAT'S OKAY TO SEND TO EMPLOYERS (and others)

VIA E-MAIL:

YOUR FIRST CONTACT TO AN EMPLOYER (and others)?

For a first contact, e-mail employers only when an employerspecifically invites or instructs you to do so with instructions on theemployer's web site, a job ad, a verbal conversation, other reliableadvice, etc.Otherwise, you may be safer sending a resume and cover letter via

hard copy. Don't ever send an e-mail without doing your research online first. If

you ask a question easily answered on the organization's web site,you'll create the impression that you are lazy or unintelligent, or both.(Sorry if that seems harsh. But it's the truth and we'd rather not seeyou make that mistake. And it's worse if you claim on your resumethat your skills include "Internet research.")See Are you an online knucklehead?

Don't send an e-mail randomly to someone saying "I'm not sure ifyou're the correct person, but I figured you could forward this...."Don't figure. If you write to the wrong person, s/he has no reason torespond or forward. Do your research, and say WHY you're writing tothe person ("you were listed as the contact for the XYZ job fair").

RESPONDING TO EMPLOYERS (and others):

If an employer e-mails you, you can probably respond via e-mail. Thekey is to READ the e-mail sent by the employer and followinstructions. For example, it might instruct you to do some follow-upon-line or with another person.

Be very careful about noting TO WHOM and HOW you should respond.Mo g n M Ken ie of XYZ In might end the e m il b t in t t o
http://www.netmanners.com/email-etiquette-basics.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Jobsearc/email.htm#howhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Jobsearc/email.htm#okayhttp://www.career.vt.edu/DiningEtiquette/DiningEtiquette.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/BusCasual.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/interview/APPEARNC.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/interview/interview1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/InfoSessions.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/FAIRS/HowToPrep.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/jobspg1.htm#handshakeshttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/jobspg1.htm#MEETINGEMPLOYERShttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/Advice.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/WebSites/Index.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/H4H-OCI/H4HIndex.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/carsearch.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/VTCL2004http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/Netwk1a.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/Unadvertised.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/Advertised.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/proscons.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/HowToStart.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/jobspg1.htm#WhoHiredhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/jobspg1.htm#HowVThttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/jobspg1.htm#FINDING%20JOBS%20AND%20EMPLOYERShttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/Research.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/Refguide.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/telephone.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/email.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/correspondence1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/Resumes/Resume1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/jobspg1.htm#JOBSEARCHTOOLSSKILLShttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/JOBSPG1.HTMhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Student/StudentIndex.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/http://www.career.vt.edu/GRADSCH/GRADPG1.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/JOBSPG1.HTMhttp://www.career.vt.edu/COOP/COOP1.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/INTERN/INTERN1.HTMhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Externship/Welcome.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/CARPLANN/decision.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Parents/Parents1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Faculty/Faculty1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/ALUMNI/Alumni1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/EMPLOYER/employer1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/GraduateStudents/GradStudents1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Student/Student1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Mission.htmhttp://www.vt.edu/http://www.career.vt.edu/AlphaIndex.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Fairs/JobFairs.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/WORKSHOP/Workshop1.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/staff.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/ContactUs.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Advising.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/OfficeHours.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Location.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/http://www.vt.edu/http://www.career.vt.edu/


2/4

Dining etiquette Morgan McKenzie of XYZ Inc might send the e mail but instruct you ,from the employer. If s/he clearly prefers the phone and there's noproblem reaching each other, use the phone. If s/he uses e-mail,follow suit.

CONSIDER WHEN YOU NEED A WRITTEN RECORD:

If you do something important verbally like agree upon an interviewdate and time, or accept a job offer it's important to follow up inwriting, and an e-mail can serve that purpose. Usually an employerwill confirm an interview time in writing, and an employer shouldalways follow up a verbal employment offer with a written offer. But ifthe employer doesn't, you can. Example: "Thank you so much for the

offer of an interview at your McLean, Virginia, office. I look forward toseeing you on Tuesday, March 7 at 8:00 a.m." Putting information inwriting creates a record and can (if worded clearly) protect everyonefrom confusion and misunderstanding.

HOW TO SEND IT / E-MAIL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE:

THINK LIKE THE PERSON TO WHOM YOU'RE SENDING E-MAIL

Your e-mail alias, your subject line, and your content all have to beclear and appear appropriate to your recipient. Failure to do this canget your e-mail ignored and/or deleted as junk or spam.

YOUR E-MAIL ALIAS:

Make it your full name with"@vt.edu" as in [email protected]'s what the recipient will see in her/his in-box better [email protected]

Using the "edu" extension lets the recipient know you are affiliatedwith an educational institution and being a student is your main jobnow.

Your recipient also might recognize the "vt" part. Not a bad thing.

"Hotdogdude@hotmail" or "Sillyefgrl75849" are not appropriate. True

story: employer received e-mail from "sexygirl." That is an excellentway never to be taken seriously or viewed as professional or endup in a junk/spam filter.

YOUR SUBJECT LINE:

Clear and meaningful to the recipient, as in:"Application for graphic designer position listing 84G11""Follow-up to our meeting of February 21 at Virginia Tech job fair"

A blank subject line is unacceptable. You've given the recipient a goodreason to ignore or delete your e-mail.

"Read this" and "information" and "for your consideration" and the like

are meaningless. (Aren't all e-mails supposed to be read, and containinformation, etc.?)

DEAR WHOM? AND WHAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PERSON'S NAME?

Don't ever misspell a person's name if you have it. Have you evergotten mail with your name misspelled? If so, you know theimpression it makes.

If you know you're writing to Jack Carretta use "Dear Mr
http://www.career.vt.edu/DiningEtiquette/DiningEtiquette.htm


3/4

YOUR CONTENT:

Business-like writing style.

Attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation (same rules as for hardcopy correspondence)

Clear, concise, to the point. Respect the employer's time. Don't expecthim/her to work to figure out why you're writing. Unclear e-mails riskbeing ignored.

Start by saying why you're writing. "I'm applying for the accountinginternship position your firm advertised through the Virginia TechAccounting Department."

Brief information about yourself. "This May I will graduate fromVirginia Tech with a bachelor's degree in human services. Myexperience includes two internships in community mental healthagencies."

DON'T write like the script of a phone call as in "Hi, I'm such-and-such.How are you today?...."

The same rules of hard copy correspondence apply to business e-mail.For more info on content, seeGuidelines for correspondence in your job searchCover letter types and samples

FONT STYLE AND SIZE / UPPER AND LOWER CASE: Avoid fonts that are so stylized that they are difficult to read.

Don't use all capitals. It's the e-mail equivalent of SHOUTING andpeople don't like it.

Very large fonts can also seem like shouting.

By the same token, don't use all lower case letters. (Your purpose inbusiness correspondence is not to attempt to pass for e.e.cummings.)

Be judicious about color and bolding. For job search correspondence,don't use it. For correspondence letting people know about an event, itcan be used very judiciously.

YOUR SIGNATURE BLOCK:

The terminology "signature block" evolved from hard copycorrespondence on which a handwritten signature is a must. Ofcourse, in e-mail, there is no handwritten signature the term justrefers to the block of information that closes your e-mail.

Include one in business correspondence outside your own office ordepartment. It should give your full name and full contact information,including mailing address, e-mail address and phone number(s). Afteryour name, you can include something that identifies you (as a jobtitle would), like "Junior Biology major at Virginia Tech."

You might think you don't need to include your e-mail address

because your recipient can hit "reply" to e-mail you. However, if yourrecipient forwards your e-mail to someone else who might like to replyto you, that person might not be able to see or access your e-mailaddress. By including your e-mail address in your signature block, youmake life easier for others (this will contribute to your success in the

job search and on the job), and help people reach you.

Attaching a signature file is not a substitute for having a signatureblock. DON'T assume that your reader will open attachments to getbasic information that should appear in the content of your e-mail, like

d h t h
http://www.career.vt.edu/Jobsearc/coversamples.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Jobsearc/correspondence.htm


4/4

.

See more on e-mailing resumes .

FINAL CAUTIONS & CONSIDERATIONS:

Be aware that e-mail is a form of written communication and it createsa written record.

Retain copies of the e-mail you send and receive.

Don't let the speed and ease of sending e-mail blind you to the factthat you will be judged on what you say and how you say it.

E-mail, like other written correspondence, doesn't reveal your tone of

voice. Choose your words carefully.

A well-written e-mail can quickly impress an employer (and thereverse is true).

When people take time to respond to you and give you information,respond with thanks. Don't treat people like servants. Failing to saythanks makes you look lazy, unintelligent, self-centered, or immature(or some combination).

Also see:

Guidelines for correspondence in your job search

E-mailing resumes

Additional excellent E-mail business etiquetteresources

(These links leave Career Services' web site and open a new browser window)

The Top Twelve E-Mail Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Career

Netiquette by Virginia Shea, "Miss Manners of the Internet."

NetManners.com: Business E-mail Basics (and other good stuff)

EmailReplies.com: e-mail rules

Writing Effective E-Mail: Top 10 Tips

An e-mail vacation ... (NPR.org)...with stories of e-mail goofs on the job: the embarrassing e-mail page ofshame (good warnings, good laugh).

Want more?!Google "effective e-mail" or "e-mail etiquette."You'll get a wealth of advice and you'll see patterns.

P.S. Some old advice says to put your reply below the original message.That never really took hold. Current advice and usual business practice isto put your response above the previous e-mail when you reply. And don'tdelete the original message to which you're responding. The person towhom you're replying has lots of other e-mail besides yours (imagine

that!).

Career Services is part of: Virginia Tech www.vt.edu and The Division of Student Affairs

Our Mission and Core Values

Career Services

Page updated 9/16/09
http://www.career.vt.edu/Mission.htmhttp://www.dsa.vt.edu/http://www.vt.edu/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91724075http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/e-text/e-mail.htmhttp://www.emailreplies.com/http://www.netmanners.com/business-email-basics.htmlhttp://www.albion.com/netiquette/index.htmlhttp://www.mannersthatsell.com/articles/twelveemailmistakes.htmlhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Jobsearc/Resumes/emailing.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Jobsearc/correspondence.htmhttp://www.career.vt.edu/Jobsearc/Resumes/emailing.htm

carrer tips, interview tips by virginia tech

Documents