Lesson 1: How to Write an Effective Email

Email writing is essential when applying for a job. Knowing how to write an email effectively could make a good first impression and persuade the employer to hire you.

1. Have a compelling subject line 

Subject lines are the first things they see when they open their email. Remember that your subject line should be direct, descriptive, and specific, and it tells an introduction as to why you are emailing that person. Commonly used subject lines: 

• • • Job Inquiry – [your name]
    • Application for Sales Associate
    • Meeting Request – [your name]
    • Meeting Follow-Up – [Subject of Meeting]
    • Administrative Assistant Job – [your name]

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2. Start with an appropriate greeting 

Start the email with a salutation and an opening sentence. For formality, your greeting should be “Dear Mr. / Ms. [recipient]” or “To whom it may concern” when emailing a group of people with no direct recipient. Examples of opening sentences:

• • • How are you doing?
    • How have you been?
    • I hope you are doing well.

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3. Keep a straightforward message

Your sentences should be clear, brief, and to the point, stating your purpose and all vital information. You can optimize your email’s readability and scannability by using bullet points and keeping paragraphs short. 

Note: You don’t need to make your words flowery to make your email sound professional. Most readers would want to read an email that isn’t complicated.

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4. Be consistent with your font 

Changing the font in every part of the email is irritating. To avoid this, consistency with the font style, color, and font size is a must. The following are the fonts commonly used in email writing:

• • • Arial
    • Courier
    • Georgia
    • Tahoma
    • Times New Roman

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5. Write a simple closing

To ensure the formality of an email, make use of these proven closing lines:

• • • Sincerely
    • Thank you
    • Kind Wishes
    • Best Regards
    • Kind Regards
    • Warm Wishes

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6. Schedule your emails

Identifying the right time of the day to email someone increases the chances of a response. Scheduling an email also helps when the recipient of your message has a different time zone than you. Click the “Schedule Send” option beside the SEND button to schedule an email.

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7. Do a final spelling and grammar check

Before sending an email, recheck the spelling and grammar to maintain correctness. Use websites like Grammarly to help with grammar, phrasing, and spelling check.