15 email etiquette rules every professional should know

[Audio] 15 email etiquette rules every professional should know Compiled by Dr. Aly N. El-Bahrawy.

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[Audio] UsingEmailsAppropriately TheaverageUSemployeespendsaboutaquarteroftheworkweekcombingthroughthehundredsofemailsweallsendandreceiveeveryday. Butdespitethefactthatwe'regluedtoourreplybuttons,careercoachBarbaraPachtersaysplentyofprofessionalsstilldon'tknowhowtouseemailappropriately..

[Audio] Making Embarrassing Mistakes In fact, because of the sheer volume of messages we're reading and writing each day, we may be more prone to making embarrassing errors — and those mistakes can have serious professional consequences. Pachter outlines the basics of modern email etiquette in her book "The Essentials Of Business Etiquette." We pulled out the most essential rules you need to know..

6. Use exclamation points sparingly. If you choose to use an exclamation point, use only one to convey excitement, Pachter says. "People sometimes get carried away and put a number of exclamation points at the end of their sentences. The result can appear too emotional or immature," she writes. "Exclamation points should be used sparingly in writing. ".

7. Be cautious with humor. Humor can easily get lost in translation without the right tone or facial expressions. In a professional exchange, it's better to leave humor out of emails unless you know the recipient well. Also, something that you think is funny might not be funny to someone else. Pachter says: " Something perceived as funny when spoken may come across very differently when written. When in doubt, leave it out.".

12. Double-check that you've selected the correct recipient. Pachter says to pay careful attention when typing a name from your address book on the email's "To" line. "It's easy to select the wrong name, which can be embarrassing to you and to the person who receives the email by mistake.".

13. Keep your fonts classic. Purple Comic Sans has a time and a place (maybe?), but for business correspondence, keep your fonts, colors, and sizes classic. The cardinal rule: Your emails should be easy for other people to read. "Generally, it is best to use 10- or 12- point type and an easy-to-read font such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman," Pachter advises. As for color, black is the safest choice..

Always remember what former CIA chief General David Petraeus apparently forgot, warns Pachter: Every electronic message leaves a trail. "A basic guideline is to assume that others will see what you write," she says, "so don't write anything you wouldn't want everyone to see." A more liberal interpretation: Don't write anything that would be ruinous to you or hurtful to others. After all, email is dangerously easy to forward, and it's better to be safe than sorry..