PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATIONCivility: formal politeness in behavior and speech. Studies suggest that Americans are becoming less civil in the way they communicate with one another. Some blame the erosion of civility on the impersonal nature of the ways we communicate...text messaging, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. Consequently, people with differing opinions often resort to shouting, name-calling, and put-downs rather than polite and courteous words. One need look no further than the Hornets to our West and the Blue Streaks to our East to see examples of uncivilized behavior. In order to uphold Perry's long standing tradition of pursuing world class standards and in an effort to mold you into distinguished citizens, rather than barbarians who growl at one another, this primer on professional communication now presents itself. |
The BasicsEvery email you send to a partner agency supervisor should:
1. Be CC'd to [email protected] and [email protected] 2. The subject line should always mention PSL 3. Include a formal salutation (i.e. Dear Mr. Smith,). 4. Start with gratitude (i.e. Thanks so much for considering my volunteer application). 5. Politely phrase any requests, statements, or questions (i.e. When time permits, can you update me on the status of my application?) 6. Conclude with a compliment and gratitude (i.e. I admire the work you do and am grateful for the service your organization provides in our community). 7. Complimentary closing (i.e. "Sincerely," followed by your name). |
Be sure to double check emails for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization before sending. You should also make sure that the font style and size is consistent throughout the entire email.
EMAIL TEMPLATES AND RESOURCES
Are you sending an email to Perry Elementary School, the Madison Senior Center, or an organization you did not have a chance to interview with?
To: [insert agency contact email address here]
CC: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Perry Service Learning volunteer
Dear [insert supervisor name here],
My name is [insert your first and last name here] and I am a student in the Perry Service Learning (PSL) program. PSL combines a social issues curriculum with real world service experiences to help students connect their living with their learning. I am very interested in volunteering with [insert agency name here] to fulfill my service requirement for this course.
I have attached my resume for your review.
Please contact me at the email or phone number listed below at your earliest convenience to let me know if you are able to offer me a volunteer position. I will be able to begin volunteering the week of September 11th.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may also contact the PSL instructors, Mark Soeder ([email protected]) and Allison Trentanelli ([email protected]).
Thanks again for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
[insert your first and last Name]
Cell: [insert your cell phone number here]
Email: [insert your email address here]
CC: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Perry Service Learning volunteer
Dear [insert supervisor name here],
My name is [insert your first and last name here] and I am a student in the Perry Service Learning (PSL) program. PSL combines a social issues curriculum with real world service experiences to help students connect their living with their learning. I am very interested in volunteering with [insert agency name here] to fulfill my service requirement for this course.
I have attached my resume for your review.
Please contact me at the email or phone number listed below at your earliest convenience to let me know if you are able to offer me a volunteer position. I will be able to begin volunteering the week of September 11th.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may also contact the PSL instructors, Mark Soeder ([email protected]) and Allison Trentanelli ([email protected]).
Thanks again for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
[insert your first and last Name]
Cell: [insert your cell phone number here]
Email: [insert your email address here]
YOU SHOULD RESPOND TO EVERY EMAIL THAT YOU RECEIVE FROM A PSL PARTNER
SAMPLE EMAIL IF YOU RECEIVED AN OFFER AND YOU PLAN TO ACCEPT...
Dear [insert contact name here],
Thanks so much for offering me a volunteer position. I look forward to serving [insert agency name here] this year. I hope to begin volunteering next week. I am available from [insert times here] on [insert days here]. I am required to volunteer 2 hours per week throughout the school year. Would it be possible for me to start volunteering on [insert day and date here]. I admire the work your organization does in our community and am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it. Sincerely, [insert your name here] |
SAMPLE EMAIL IF YOU RECEIVED AN OFFER AND YOU PLAN TO DECLINE...
Dear [insert contact name here],
Thanks so much for offering me a volunteer position. Although I admire the work that [insert agency name here] does in our community, after thoughtful consideration I decided to decline your offer. I chose to accept a position with [insert agency name here]. Scheduling and transportation obstacles would have made it challenging for me to fulfill my volunteer requirements with your organization. I hope that you understand. That said, I hope that you are able to find other qualified candidates to fill your volunteer needs this year. Sincerely, [insert your name here] |
SAMPLE EMAIL IF YOU HAD AN OFFER FROM YOUR #2, 3, 4, or 5 CHOICE BUT ARE HOLDING OUT FOR AN OFFER FROM YOUR #1 CHOICE
Dear [insert contact name here],
Thank you so much for offering me a volunteer position. I have a lot of admiration for the good work that your organization does in our community. I will let you know by the end of the week if I am able to accept this position. Thanks again for your quick response. Sincerely, [insert your name here] |
SAMPLE EMAIL IF YOU RECEIVED A REJECTION...
Dear [insert contact name here],
Thanks so much for letting me know that you are not able to offer me a volunteer position at this time. I know that there were multiple candidates applying for a limited number of spots and understand that you had a difficult decision to make. I admire the good work your organization does in our community and wish you nothing but the best in the year ahead.
Sincerely,
[insert your name here]
Thanks so much for letting me know that you are not able to offer me a volunteer position at this time. I know that there were multiple candidates applying for a limited number of spots and understand that you had a difficult decision to make. I admire the good work your organization does in our community and wish you nothing but the best in the year ahead.
Sincerely,
[insert your name here]
SAMPLE EMAIL IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE AND YOU ARE STILL INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING THERE...
Dear [insert contact name here],
I am just emailing to confirm that you received the introductory email and resume that I shared with you over the weekend. I am very interested in volunteering with [insert agency name here] this year. If you have any questions regarding my resume or qualifications, don't hesitate to ask. I admire the work your organization does in our community and would love the opportunity to be a part of it.
Sincerely,
[insert your name here]
I am just emailing to confirm that you received the introductory email and resume that I shared with you over the weekend. I am very interested in volunteering with [insert agency name here] this year. If you have any questions regarding my resume or qualifications, don't hesitate to ask. I admire the work your organization does in our community and would love the opportunity to be a part of it.
Sincerely,
[insert your name here]