Module 2: Communicating and Collaborating

As an incoming college student I did not know how to send professional emails. Thankfully with guidance from my professors and professional student organizations on campus, I quickly learned how to write professional emails, but it still a skill I wish I would have acquired before beginning classes my freshman year.

One example of something from this module that I have already put into practice is sending professional emails to my professors. Being a student at Ohio State, most of my classes are very large, so when emailing any professor it is extremely important that I make note of my full name, the class name, and days/times that the class meets. Many professors teach multiple sections of the same course or even multiple courses, so it is important that I note what section I am in. It is also important that I read over my email and all pertinent class information on carmen before sending it. I would never want to send an email asking a question that may have already been answered online or in a previous email. I also want to ensure that my email is professional and free of grammatical errors before hitting “send.”

Adam Nuemann, CEO and Co-Founder of WeWork says that he finds his online communication better when he assumes that he is standing in front of someone making direct communication. This is the advice that I would give students when writing professional emails. Whether your emailing a professor, recruiter, or a group project member, you should always think about what you would say in person before writing your email. You would never speak in texting language or incomplete sentences in person, so you should not do it in professional online communication either.