Re: Email etiquette
[#permalink]
03 Aug 2008, 11:25
I never address emails to alumni with "Dear Sir". I think it's too formal and goes against the sense of community that we have across classes. Admittedly, I have never "cold-written" anyone that is 20 years out of school, but even when writing to people 10-15 years out in senior positions, I address them by their first name - skip the "hi" until you get to know them. So, don't use "Hi John," just start with "John,". If you are writing to someone who does not know you, start with a sentence introducing yourself; definitely mention that you are a current student, perspective student, alumni, whatever, and something about yourself. Then, get right to the point.
I've personally had a 100% response rate to my cold-emails (at least 30-40 sent last year during recruiting and this summer), and was told by many even before starting that it's rare for our alums not to respond. Admittedly, every school will not have the same sense of community, especially across the years, so you might want to make sure that your address and level of formality matches the overall nature of your school.