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HBCU Careers Magazine
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You may correspond with customers, clients, business contacts and co-workers via
telephone and e-mail. When doing so, maintain a professional image and keep the
following in mind:
Communicating by Phone
• Call during typical business hours.
• Call from a quiet location, or reduce/eliminate
background noise.
• Notify people when they are on speaker
phone.
• Make sure voice mail messages are concise.
Slowly and clearly state your full name,
telephone number (extension, if applicable),
name of your company and reason for calling.
• Make sure your voice mail greeting is
understandable and that you speak slowly
when recording it.
Communicating by E-mail
• Write in complete sentences, and don’t use slang.
• Use the subject line to specify the point of the message (not for informal greetings).
• Structure your e-mails like a business letter and include greetings and closings.
• Review the content of your e-mail to make sure the point of the message is obvious.
• Be sure to proofread for grammar and spelling. Spellcheck is a helpful tool, but you also need to
visually proof all documents.
Five Things NEVER to do on the Job
1. Do not act like a “know-it-all”.
2. Never gossip. It’s not only harmful to your reputation, but it’s harmful to the organization.
3. Do not make excuses for yourself if you miss a deadline, make a mistake or do not meet a goal.
4. Keep your personal life out of your professional life as much as possible.
5. Avoid excessive socializing with co-workers.