First Impressions Are So Important
In these first interactions, we tell the world more about ourselves than we realise. People are quick to make judgements and first impressions can be difficult to change. This is especially true when applying for a new job.
At What Point Do We Make This ‘First’ Impression?
The job interview, our CV? No, it comes before both of these. Our first impression is actually made in the opening email to a hiring manager or recruiter.
Many people do not spend time on this important part of their application and it’s letting them down!
When I was a recruiter, I would often see candidates who had very good CVs let themselves down because they had put no effort into crafting a professional introductory email.
The danger is that if a recruiter, or hiring manager, is put off by the opening email, they may not get as far as opening your CV.
Emails with spelling errors and poor grammar tell the prospective employer that you don’t have attention to detail, and potentially, that you don’t really care about the role that you are applying for.
How Should You Structure Your Opening Email?
Use an Appropriate Greeting
If you know the person’s name then use it!
The best way to do this is ‘Dear…’.
It’s simple and professional. If their name is in their email address then there is no excuse not to use it!
If you don’t know their name then ‘Good morning/afternoon’ hits the right tone. It’s friendly and polite and will resonate with English-speakers of all nationalities. Phrases like ‘Greetings’ or ‘Good Day’ are old-fashioned and are best avoided.
