Reducing Your Emailing Time

Email is a tool; don’t let it become your master. Limit the time you spend on email by following these tips:

Send less, get less

Think carefully about whether you really need to draft new messages or respond to those you have already received.

Escape the endless reply loop

Silence in response to an email message may feel rude, but is acceptable. If you wish to reassure someone that no reply is necessary, finish a message with “no reply needed,” or a request with “Thank you in advance.” Avoid asking any questions for which you do not really want or need answers.

Do not check your emails constantly

Check it at regular intervals.

Be disciplined about your email management

Aim to handle each message just once. If it is unimportant or irrelevant, hit the delete key. If you spend more than three hours a week sorting through junk mail, you have a problem and need to reorganize your system.

Establish a response time

If you usually respond to email messages immediately, people grow to expect an immediate response, and become annoyed if you differ from this. The rule of thumb in business is to respond to emails by the end of the same day. If it is really urgent, use the phone instead.

Decide whether to respond to a message now or later, when you will have the time and information you need

Once you have responded, move the message out of your inbox and into archive folder.

Use a feature called Quick Parts in Outlook that you can use to set up canned responses

Situations may arise where you will have to write the same email responses repeatedly. Many of these emails are very similar in nature and basically ask the same question over and over again. Canned responses make it easier for you to deal with such situations. It allows you to save such response, which could be used as a template for future use. This saves you time and energy, and ensures consistency.

Keep your “Inbox” folder almost empty

Set up a simple filing system to help manage your mail and move the emails there (manually or with the help of “Rules”). You could use broad categories titled “Action Items,” “Waiting,” “Reference,” and “Archives.” If you are able to stay on top of your folders – particularly “Action” and “Waiting” folders – you could use them as an informal To-Do List for the day. If four categories sounds too simplistic for your needs, you can set up a more detailed system. For instance, you could create a folder for every project that you are working on or have a set folder for each of your clients or sales reps. The advantage when you create specific folders for processing email is that it makes it easier to search for past mail: instead of scouring your entire email system, you can simply search in that particular folder.

Want to develop better emailing habits? Read our blog post about it here.

Good email habits reflect well on us, improve our public perception, and increase the chance of a prompt and comprehensive response. Here is a list to help you brush up on some essential email etiquette rules:

Never write and quickly send off an angry email

Venting your spleen in an angry, hostile reply to someone may make you feel good, but it is almost never a good idea to send such an email. Take your time and cool down. Then, if you have written something you are not sure about, wait until the following day so that you can re-read it before sending.

Take time to send your messages to the right people

Before you click “Reply All” or put names on the “Cc” or “Bcc” lines, ask yourself if all the recipients need the information in your message. If they do not, why send it? Do not hit “Reply All” unless every member on the email chain needs to know. You want to make sure that you are not sending everyone on a list your answer – you may create unnecessary traffic.

Evaluate the importance of your e-mail

Do not overuse the high priority option. If you overuse this feature, few people will take it seriously. A better solution is to use descriptive subject lines that explain exactly what a message is about.

Do not forward internal communication to a third-party without modifying the previous messages

If a third-party needs to be involved in the conversation, do not be lazy and write a brand new email with relevant information and add necessary recipients to “Cc”. If you must forward the previous conversation, edit it to remove any confidential information, unnecessary expressions of emotion, etc. Even internally it is not a good idea to forward a previous conversation without looking through it and considering the reaction some statements might bring. Sending unedited conversation to a third-party is simply unprofessional.

Interested in writing a business email? Read our blog on it here.

Good business emails are crisp, concise, and organized so that readers can follow and understand the content with little effort. Here are a few suggestions on how to achieve success in business correspondence:

Pick the subject line of the email carefully

Make it informative and brief so the recipient can easily find and act on it. Never open an old email, hit “Reply”, and send a message that has nothing to do with the previous one. Do not hesitate to change the subject as soon as the thread or content of the email chain changes.

Write the main body of the email using correct grammar, punctuation, and capitalization

Write with lots of white space so as to not overwhelm the recipient. Make sure when you look at what you are sending it does not look like a burden to read – feel free to use bullet points.

State the purpose of the email within the first two sentences

The person reading your email should not have to dig through several paragraphs in order to figure out what you are asking. If you need more than three paragraphs, phone instead or send the materials as an attachment.

Stick to one language of communication

Do not send the initial email in a language that is not comprehensible by all possible recipients (you never know who might eventually be involved in a conversation). Do not jump between languages as well – the language of all responses should be the same as in the initial email.

Be careful with criticism

Be sure to provide enough context and background to avoid a misunderstanding.

Soften the blow by saying that you are sorry it happened or that you regret the outcome

If you have to deliver bad news by email, use phrases such as, “I am sorry to say that…” or “I regret to say that we will be unable to [do something] because…”. If it is bad news and your reader thinks you do not care, you may spark an unwanted reaction.

Use a signature to conclude your email, but keep it simple

Do not be tempted to add humorous or “inspiring” quotes.

Before you send the email, check your attachments

Send only those that your recipient needs or wants to see.

Your email is a reflection of you. Every email you send adds to or detracts from your reputation. If your email is scattered, disorganized, and filled with mistakes, the recipient will be inclined to think of you as a scattered, careless, and disorganized businessperson.

Interested in reducing your emailing time? Read our blog on it here.

You are looking for a new challenge, but you are still not quite sure of the Dos and Dont´s when it comes to the application process? Applying for new jobs is always a challenge and the application stage consists of a few intricate steps – each of which you can master! In the following you will find some tips on how to master an interview and get the job you truly want!

You should always know which company you are applying for

What do they stand for? Do they have values you can connect to? Have they been in the news recently? Knowing additional facts about the company shows that you are interested not only in the job, but also in them as an enterprise. Idealy you can identify with their values, which in turn enables you to comment on certain things throughout the interview and use it in your favor.

Study the job description and your CV again before you go to the interview

Chances are your interview partner(s) will ask you about your CV. You should be able to comment on it, as well as to connect it to your possible future job. Based on this you will be able to easily reply to questions refering to you being fit for the job. It can be beneficial to create an image of your past work experience by making use of practical examples. Like this your possible future employer will easily be able to follow you and see how you work and if your work ethic will fit their team.

The first impression counts

Give everyone in the room a firm handshake, look them in the eye and introduce yourself. A nice, charismatic smile will always work in your favor.

Keep up the eye contact through out the interview

You have nothing to hide. It shows self confidence and high self-esteem. Both sides will profit from you working there, hence, there is no reason for you to be scared or nervous. Keep a straight back, look them in the eyes and show them what you have to offer.

Be honest. Be yourself.

Honesty always wins. This remains true in all areas of life, also in interviews. Honesty is the key to success. Do not pressure yourself to fit their position or expectations. If you are not the right person for their team and their company, you are better off in another one. Also you will feel much more confident and at ease when you are yourself and can thus make a much better impression.

Prepare questions and ask them

Think about what is important for you in a company, your job or maybe your team. Asking questions will show that you have done your research and that you are ready to face a new challenge. It will raise your value in their eyes. Don´t forget that you are also an asset to them and the company needs to be suitable for you as well. So be ready to dig into the topics that are important to you and see if the company is the right company for you.

We have job opportunities in Tallinn, click here to go to our current job openings and find the perfect fit for you! We are looking forward to hearing from you soon!

If you are wondering if you would be a good team leader, but not really sure what this would entail outside of “managing”, we are here to show you some tell-tale signs of a person that’s ready to take on the lead!

You don’t feel like you are better than the rest in your team

You might be the one with qualities that could lead you to a higher position, but that doesn’t mean you are better than your team. Each individual person brings something to the table that makes your team strong. If you cannot appreciate each team member and their traits, you are no leadership material. Regardless if you are a team lead or a team member, you are part of the same team. Your title and responsibilities might be different, but your job – to succeed and complete the work given to the team – is the same.

You set the example

You are on time every meeting or starting off the day fully prepared to jump right into work of course after your morning coffee. You adhere to lunch hours and breaks and don’t let others do your work for you. You treat others with respect and encourage empathy. You keep a healthy balance between what is good for you, your team and the company. Being a good team leader is always setting the example by showing you know the rules and guidelines that matter.

You are always there for your team

Your team should feel safe to come to you with any kind of problem. Something went wrong at work and your colleague is stressed that it will affect them negatively? You are there to comfort them. Someone is unsure about a work flow and just needs some help explaining? You are there for them to teach them, or guide them to the right person. Team leaders are more than just supervisors! You know that teams need coaching, guidance and feel like they are backed by their team lead. If something escalates, you have the proper balance between standing up for your team and backing the company you work for.

People rely on your expertise and like to be part of the team you are in

If you work in a team structure, there is always someone that shows leadership qualities within the team. If you are that person, you will be the one that your colleagues rely on and know you have their back.

You are always aware of the latest news and share it with your team

With your investigative and curious mindset, you are up to date about everything that’s happening around the office and distinguish instantly if the information you come across might benefit your team and share it accordingly. You are the go-to person when rumors are spreading, because you will be there to clear the air and dissect fact from fiction.

You are one of the key motivators

Motivation is crucial to keep a team, an office and a company running. Lack thereof is dangerous. If your team is given a task that makes many sigh and wander off to the coffee station in despair, you are the one that keeps their heads above water and motivate them to complete this task with good reason!

Check out our employee Evelin’s career story here on how she bacame a team leader.