Crisis Services
ASERT does not offer crisis services through our Resource Center. If you or someone you love is experiencing mental health distress or thoughts of suicide please call or text 988 for support.
How to Format a Professional Email
- Write a brief, concise subject line about what you are sending.
- For the first line, greet them with Dear____, Hello____, or Hi____.
- Follow this by using their last name with their title (Mr., Ms., Mrs., etc.), if you know their preferred title, otherwise use their full name.
- .If you don’t know their name, you can always “To whom it may concern,” instead.
- For the body of your email, write the information you need to give and/or ask questions about the information you need to receive in a clear but polite way. Make sure to thank them for taking the time to read your email.
- To sign off, use a closing phrase like Regards, Thanks, or Sincerely. After that, write your full name.
- You can add a signature to your email that includes your job title, contact information, and pronouns. This helps you look more professional.
- Make sure to proofread your email for any mistakes and that all the information you need to include is there.
- Check that you are sending it to the correct address.
- If you need to CC anyone, make sure to add their email(s) to the correct field.
- Try to send the email during normal office hours (8AM – 5PM.) If you’re writing it outside of that time, you can schedule it to send later or save it as a draft.
- If you haven’t received a response in a few business days, make sure to follow up. Sometimes people get a lot of emails and miss one, or other circumstances happen.
Example of a Professional Email to Someone New
Subject Line: Work Access Tomorrow Morning
Dear Mr. Smith,
My name is Joe Winter, and I am a new employee at ABC Company. I am sending this email to let you know that I will need to be let into the building tomorrow at 7 AM, as I do not have an access card yet. If I need to let someone else know this, please let me know who to contact. Thank you, and I look forward to starting work with your company.
Sincerely,
Joe Winter
Desk Clerk at ABC Company
he/himExample of a Professional Email to Someone You Know
Hi Joe,
Good to know! I’ll make sure someone is waiting nearby to let you in. Once you’re settled, come see me to get an access card. Thanks for telling me ahead of time.
See you tomorrow!
Bob Smith
Director of ABC Company
they/them
This information was developed by the Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative (ASERT). For more information, please contact ASERT at 877-231-4244 or info@PAautism.org. ASERT is funded by the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations, PA Department of Human Services.