Indispensable Online
September 2009 Newsletter

As the end of summer nears, and thoughts turn to enjoying those last warm days, you may be tempted to speed through your e-mail correspondence. But haste can lead to errors, and so this month Indispensable Online presents seven tips for preventing e-mail mistakes, courtesy of The Creative Group®:

Have a happy and productive month!

Shannon Vanasse, President
Indispensable Online

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. —Thomas Paine

Tips for Avoiding E-Mail Errors

1. Give it your undivided attention. Avoid multitasking when responding to important or sensitive messages. If you can’t respond right away, let the person know when they can expect to hear back. Then, compose the e-mail when you’re free of distractions.
2. Save the distribution list for last. When writing a confidential or sensitive message, wait until it is complete before carefully selecting the recipients. This will help you avoid sending out an incomplete thought or selecting the wrong individuals.
3. Take care with those you copy. Think twice before hitting “reply all,” and only copy people who need to be in on the conversation.
4. Review it on a big screen. E-mailing using handheld devices with small screens and keyboards may increase the likelihood of typos and other mistakes. When sending an important e-mail, it can be helpful to view it on a full-size computer screen or use spell-check before transmitting.
5. Check attachments. Insert any documents — and confirm that they’re the right ones — as soon as you refer to them in the memo.
6. Don’t hit “send” when you’re seething. E-mailing when you’re angry is never a good idea. Give yourself time to cool down before responding. It may be better to speak in person.
7. Keep it professional. Bear in mind that electronic messages can easily be forwarded and employee e-mails may be monitored. Avoid saying anything unkind or unprofessional.

About The Author: The Creative Group has offices in major markets across the United States and in Canada, and offers online job search services at www.creativegroup.com.

Conference Recommendations

If you’re a professional woman in the Massachusetts area looking for opportunities to make connections and learn from other professionals, you won’t want to miss the Massachusetts Conference for Women on December 10th, 2009. For more information, visit: www.maconferenceforwomen.org.