Email Networking Etiquette

Article courtesy of Brand-Yourself.com
Ever send an email out to a contact in your industry and receive no response? Are you left wondering what you may have done wrong to elicit such a reaction, or lack thereof? Here are eight tips that will help you connect with industry professionals to receive valuable advice regarding your job, internship or career hunt.
1. Don’t ask for a job!
If you forget everything else, don’t forget this tip. Asking for a job in an email to a possible contact is the kiss of death, especially if you’re contacting them for the first time. No professional volunteers their time to go job hunting for you. Build a relationship first. Ask how they got to where they are now and what advice they can provide you at this juncture of your career.

2. Be honest and forthright
Be honest and direct with your contact about where your interests reside, your passion areas and your desired career in your email. Don’t state that you’re passionate about health care public relations if your contact works in that industry when your dream job more closely aligns with health care sales. If you’re honest with your contact about your intentions then that person will be more inclined to help you find someone within your desired field.
3. Be specific
Nothing pains a professor, professional, mentor or career coach more than, “I don’t know what I want, I just want a job.” This is a one-way ticket out of that person’s good graces. People want to help passionate, driven people. Demonstrate that you are skilled, focused and motivated to attain your dream job. Convey this to your contacts and mentors and they will be much more likely to put you in touch with someone who can help you reach your goals.
4. Don’t get discouraged
No one can fault you for trying and failing. You can be blamed for giving up though. If contacts don’t get back to you, ping them a week later with a status update (ex: Hi George, I just wanted to update you on my recent promotion at work…). Nothing impresses more than persistence. But, if a contact persistently fails to respond, it might be better to move on than to continue bugging them. Use your judgment.
5. Status updates
Once you have established a relationship with a contact, don’t lose touch with them! Set up reminders via your email service and regularly send status updates to your contacts. Describe an achievement, career move or even a personal success. You never know when you’re going to need to reach out to your network for help.
6. Network when networking
Once you have established a relationship with a contact in your industry, ask if they know of anyone else who may be able to help them. This is a great way to generate relevant contacts. I like to call this “warm networking,” or using an existing contact to find more contacts.
7. Close by asking if there is anything you can do for them
Finish your email by asking if there is anything you can do for them in the future. This shows your contact that you are interested in forming a relationship and not merely looking to use him/her to land a job. Even if you don’t think you have anything to offer, offer anyway. It’s a nice gesture, and you never know what might come up in the future. You have nothing to lose!
8. Be proactive
Don’t conclude your email by stating, “I look forward to hearing from you soon.” Always be proactive. Instead, state “I look forward to speaking with you in the next week about my interest in pursuing a career in marketing communications.”
Anthony Robbins wasn’t lying when he said, “the quality of your life is in the quality of your relationships.” Networking is about building quality relationships that will benefit both individuals in the long-run. Do you agree? Did I miss any tips on email networking?
Article by, Jim Armstrong and courtesy of Brand-Yourself.com for actionable tips to put you in a position of power in the job market