Email application mistakes

Easy email mistakes

Nobody can disagree with the fact email communication has made our lives so much easier. Yet the effortless exchange of electronic words is both a blessing and a curse: career jeopardising mistakes before influential people are just a click away.

Have you ever accidentally sent off an email halfway through your first draft? Maybe you’ve absent-mindedly put the name of someone you were bitching about in the recipient box. If you’re using email to apply for jobs, failing to pay close attention to detail could cost you an interview.

Make sure you’ve checked all of the following before you hit “send”:

	Have you got the email address right? If not, the message could bounce back and end up in your junk mail. It’s best to cut and paste the contact from the job ad.
	If you’re sending out a lot of emails make sure you’ve got the right name, for the right company, for the right address.
	Remember to attach your CV (and any other files you’re required to send).
	Make sure attached files are saved in a format the recipient can open. For instance, you might have created your CV on a Mac which could cause problems for PC users.
	Provide a helpful subject line – the job reference number, for instance.
	Emails from an unknown sender can be blocked as spam. If you don’t get an email confirmation, wait a few days and then call to make sure your application arrived.
	You should be using a professional email address, not something you set up as a student and should now be thoroughly ashamed of.
	Finally, check and check again for spelling and grammatical errors – obvious, but crucial.