Remember when you were in middle school and you started getting tests with essay questions on them? Someone in the class would usually ask, “does spelling count?” And the answer was always “yes!” Well, things haven’t changed any since then. Spelling is worth more than just a few extra points on an exam, it’s crucial, especially in a business setting. And nowhere is it more important than when composing email. Let’s face it – electronic communication is the preferred method of contact these days, so when you hit “send,” it better be right. Nothing bothers me more than getting an email full of typos – it is one of the most unprofessional things a person can do. If you’re sending an introductory note or, worse yet, a cover letter, it will get you noticed for all the wrong reasons – so much for first impressions. Even if you are writing to someone you know, maybe replying to an earlier email, typos give the impression that you’re sloppy, lazy or you just don’t care.
I realize these are hectic times and we are all very busy, but multi-tasking is not an excuse. Personally, I find it disrespectful of my time to receive an email with spelling or grammatical errors. I mean, how long does it take to give that note one last read to make sure everything is correct? And don’t count on “spell check” to do the job for you – if you meant to type “top” but “pot” came out, well, you get the idea.
This goes for abbreviations, too. Twitter may allow only 140 characters for your messages, but there is no such limit on emails, so resist the urge to use short-cuts like “str8” or “btw.” That’s fine for when you’re texting your friends, but it won’t score you any points in the boardroom. And if you happen to be sending an email from your phone, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Just stop whatever else you may be doing and take the time to make sure everything is correct. Sure, it’s easier to write a message all in lower case or without any punctuation, but consider your audience. Here in the professional world, we’re all wearing our “big girl” pants, so communicate like a “big girl.” As for me, I appreciate a well-written note – it shows that the sender thinks enough of me to put a little time and effort into their endeavors. On the other hand, if I receive an email with more than three typos in it, I simply hit “delete.”













