Email etiquette

By: Jennifer La Grassa

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I spend hours crafting a professional email to a professor, only to receive an abrupt reply. There are so many courtesies to follow when emailing an important figure such as a professor that I often feel like it would be much easier to just write an essay.

You want to remain concise, but still include enough information. You should read up on their research beforehand and mention how interesting you found it if kissing up to them helps your email’s purpose. You must state how your interests align with theirs. You should ask for a meeting. You should end with formal statements such as “I look forward to hearing from you” or “Best Regards.”

This etiquette can get tedious when sending off emails to five different professors, but it’s understandable that these are the efforts one must demonstrate to make a good impression. Like many others, I have sent countless emails to professors and potential employers. Although I often find it pointless for me to follow the same format as my peers as I don’t see how I’ll be able to stand out, I’ve always maintained a formal approach as that is the impression I want to make.

Unfortunately, most of these emails have either gone unanswered or received an inadequate response. PSA for all McMaster professors: if a student has taken the time to write you a respectful and well-worded email, please take the time to do the same back. It is highly unprofessional and rude that I must not only wait an inordinate amount of time for a response, but then be made to feel as though I am not deserving of the same degree of professionalism because I’m “just a student.”

I’m not looking for an elaborate response, but I would like the emails I receive to show the professionalism I have attempted to demonstrate to you.

My dad has always told me that in an interview setting I should remember that I’m also interviewing the employer. I need to make sure that this is someone I want to work for. In cases where professors carelessly respond, I immediately lose interest. I think it shows a lot about someone’s character when they are incapable of putting the same amount of effort back.

The common excuse is that professors are busy and so we must be grateful if we even get a response. However, my life is not void of activity. I’m busy with graduate school applications, midterms and assignments, cleaning and cooking for myself, family commitments and managing a part-time job. When people say that professors are busy, I have no sympathy.

A final frustrating protocol to this whole emailing process is that students are told to “follow-up.” I recently went to a graduate school workshop where the speaker told students that often times, we must follow-up three times. The speaker advised that in our final follow-up, we should include “This will be my final follow-up”. This is absolutely insane.

The whole process feels more like a competition of who can actually get their professors attention versus who actually has the necessary skills. I refuse to chase after you for three emails following my initial email. If you do not respond to my first follow-up then I’ll consider it your loss and move on.

I realize that not all professors are like this, and have only now begun to receive more respectful responses. I recently used my MSAF on a midterm due to wisdom tooth surgery and received a very thoughtful email from my professor who wished me well on the surgery. This is all I ask from professors of McMaster. A little bit of humanity and courtesy can go a long way.