With many job postings now requiring candidates to apply via e-mail, first impressions are made not with a handshake but with words on a computer screen.
    Just like it’s usually a good idea to dress best for an interview, e-mails also should be refined. To avoid failing your search, here are some tips:
● Forget what instant messaging has taught you.
    Recruiters (招聘人员) report that young professionals often send overly casual e-mails, treating an application like an instant message (IM). When using IM with friends and acquaintances, it’s acceptable to use shortened forms of words or phrases and incomplete sentences. In business correspondence (信函), however, stick to the rules your Chinese and English teachers taught you.
● Don’t be cool.
    Your lovely e-mail background of pets playing with each other has got to go.（电邮背景不要花里胡哨的）Comic fonts (字体) are unprofessional. HR managers (人力资源经理）recommend plain fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial, and black text on a white background. They also warn against sending e-mails from strange addresses. Littlebird@ or Chinatiger@ might not get what you hope for.
● Don’t be too creative in the subject line.
    Use plain, simple language like “Talented candidate seeking position as [name of position]” or “Enthusiastic candidate seeking position with [name of company]”. Use one word to describe yourself, but do not go to extremes.