想必不少中国学生在英国读书时都遇到过Email-communication的经历。作为Non-native speaker,因为不熟悉Email-communication的各种规范和禁忌,在和申请学校联系、和教授套磁、向外教要邀请信或者申请Internship时,真 · 凉了都不知道怎么凉的。
那么在英国(或者其他国家)Email-communication时千万不要犯哪些禁忌呢?
邮件禁忌+技巧盘点
01
千万不要用不正式的邮箱发邮件!
第一印象相当重要!请避免使用任何狂拽酷炫杀马特昵称的邮箱地址,比如你用了wildandcrazygeek@gmail.com给教授或者实习公司发邮件,那你有很大可能凉了!
建议用学校邮箱发邮件,但请确保学校邮箱确实能收到对方的回执(有些中国大学的学校邮箱存在收不到国外邮件或者发不出去的现象,一个名字较为正式的私人邮箱地址可以作为备用邮箱)!
如果你给申请的公司或套磁的教授写信,学校邮箱往往能让对方快速了解你来自哪所大学,从而提前给公司/教授一个较好的第一印象。
02
一定要在邮件主题中写明来意!
千万不要在邮件主题(Subject)中简单地丢下一个“Help”或者“Hello” 或者“Question”!
请简要概述邮件内容,如给导师写信问问题:“Query about case study in Clinical Skills lecture.” (如果要询问某节课的问题,最好把该节课的具体时间附上)
如在申请工作或实习时,写明你要应聘的岗位: “Application for Library Assistant post ref: LIB/6291.”
03
开篇一定要先打招呼!
给比较熟络的导师写信时可以用“名”来称呼,否则就要用“姓”(如Dear Dr. Miles)。
如果不知道收信人姓名,可以使用:Dear Sir or Madam
对方的职位名称:如Dear Sales Team, Dear Admissions Office等(如果用To whom it may concern则显得太过正式,也会暴露你对收件人没有做过调查和了解,因此Blue建议在写email之前尽可能了解对方信息)
04
邮件开头怎么写?
在开篇打招呼以后,尤其是需要有求于人的,可以在邮件的开头(第一句)加上I hope you are well/ hope this email finds you well/hope this email finds you in good health以示客气,大意为“希望您最近过的不错”,是常用的客套话。
05
千万不要用非正式用语!
一切正式邮件中都应该避免像YOLO(you only live once)或ROFL(rolling on the floor laughing)等等非正式用语。
请确保使用完整的、语法正确的、没有拼写错误的句子。
06
切忌邮件过长或附超大附件!
教授、学校的工作人员、公司的HR等等平时都很忙,在委婉地表明来意时,不宜过于客套导致邮件冗长让人读得心累。附件太大下载起来(也许)会很慢可能给追求效率的对方带来麻烦。
07
如果向对方提出要求,一定要加上Please & Thank you!
保持礼貌永远是最保险的。
08
结尾该怎么写?
1. 留出互动(邮件往来)的余地邮件最后可以添加一句Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me或者Let me know if you have any issues with (…),保证对方能够对你有充分的了解,也让对方看出你对申请的重视。(如果稍微有点着急希望收到对方回信的话,可以适当地加一句I look forward to hearing from you!)
2. 合适的结尾
(1)给导师写信时:关系非常友好的– Best Wishes礼尚往来的– Kind Regards礼貌且热心的– Best Regard注:简单点的可直接使用Best或Regards;职业上较为正式的– Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully…
(2)给(不知道对方具体姓名的,Dear Sir or Madam)应聘公司HR写信时可以用“Yours faithfully,”
(3)给(知道对方姓名的,Dear Dr. Smith)应聘公司HR写信时可以用 “Yours sincerely,”
*注:后面全部需要跟上自己的全名
举个例子...
01
如何向教授要邀请信?
第一部分:Professor [Name]/ Dear Dr. [Name],
(I hope this email finds you well.)【邮件开头的常用客套话,也可省略】My name is […]. I took your [Course name] course last semester. 【简要介绍自己与教授的关系】You may remember me [e.g.coming to your office hours after every test to go over some of my wrong answers/ discuss essay prompts / etc.]【如果和教授在课下有过一定接触,可以写进来】You may not remember me [e.g. because I tend to put my nose to the grindstone and study on my own.] 【如果和教授从没有课下的接触, 可以简要地为自己开脱】[Course name] was a very challenging subject for me and I was proud of the [Grade, e.g. A-] I received in your class.【写出自己的该科成绩(一般会选择成绩较好的课的任课老师写推荐信)】
第二部分:I am currently in the process of applying to [University/College/School name] and I am trying to gather a few letters of recommendation. 【另起一段,写明来意:准备申请某学校,因此需要邀请信】Because I enjoyed [ e.g. your class and teaching style so much/ your research/ etc. ], I decided to start by asking you. Would you be able to write me a strong letter of recommendation for my [University/College/School name] application?【如果和教授有过一定接触,可以这么写;】Because of the way I study it has been difficult for me to develop a relationship with my professors. I enjoyed [your class and teaching style very much/ your research/ etc.], so I decided to start by asking you. Would it be possible for us to meet and discuss the possibility of you writing a strong letter of recommendation for my [medical school] application? 【如果和教授从没有接触,可以先提出面谈邀请信的事宜,让对方先了解你;且用语更加委婉】
第三部分:I would be more than happy to meet with you at your convenience. Of course I would also provide my personal statement, CV, and any other material that you would like. 【另起一段,陈述把自己现有的资料(除了PS、CV外,还可以提供自己做过的research/project/paper的资料)提供给导师,保证对方有内容可写而不是仅凭上课对你的记忆。*有时也有自己先写好推荐信、让教授过目修改的操作(需和教授讨论)】
第四部分:If you don’t feel comfortable writing me a strong letter of recommendation, please don’t feel obligated to say yes. I completely understand. 【如果和导师有过接触(但还是不太熟),可以参考如上表述】
I realize that writing a letter of recommendation would be a burden on your time and it means a lot to me that you would take the time to read and consider my request. 【但如果你是课堂上的隐形人,和导师完全没接触,就要把自己的要求写的更加的委婉,给对方留出选择余地的同时表达出迫切和感激】
Sincerely,[Your Full Name]【结尾附上自己的全名(可以加上自己的联系电话、Student Number等有关信息)】
02
套磁信该怎么写?
第一部分:Dear Professor XXX,(I hope this email finds you well/ I hope this email finds you in good health) 【同邮件开头的常用客套话,也可省略】
My name is XXX and I am writing to you as a prospective student in your Bioengineering Ph.D. program at Stanford, commencing in the Fall of 2012. I attended your presentation in Langer Lab Seminar this November and I am particularly interested in your research that is directed towards designing novel approaches in decoupling biochemical and mechanical properties of cell scaffolds using the microribbon-like hydrogels, and mixed co-culture enhanced cartilage matrix production.套磁第一步:1. 简要阐明自己的身份2. 套磁的动机3. 自己与教授认识的契机
第二部分:Currently, I am a graduate Materials Science student at the University of XXXX and currently carrying out my master research at the University of XXX, focusing on novel formulations for ultrasound-mediated drug delivery mechanisms in gastrointestinal tract.
As a side project of interest, I also brainstormed and designed a research plan of developing a biomimetic scaffold for interstitial cells in GI smooth muscle to study its electrical-signal properties for the purposes of treating obesity and GI disorder. I would like to pursue doctoral researches in an area that combines both engineering and biology, and am fascinated by the research that is being conducted in your group.套磁第二步:建立“联系”1. 简要阐述自己的研究领域、背景2. 之后的研究方向是如何与目标教授相关的
第三部分:During my undergraduate experience in Oxford and summer internships, I have acquired a wide range of laboratory techniques including scanning electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, rheology, electrospinning and tissue dissection. I seek your guidance on opportunities for research in your group as a new PhD student in the Fall of 2016, and your opinion on how my research interests align with those of your lab. I am attaching my CV and would be grateful for the opportunity to speak with you in the future.套磁第三步:1. 大概阐述自己的技能2. 以及这些技能如何辅佐自己胜任职位3. 附上CV!!!说再多的话教授就不会看了,最多看一下你的CV,感兴趣了就会联系你,静候佳音即可。
Thank you for your time and consideration.Best regards, XXX
Email-communication
各种小技巧
你学会了吗?