Emails are the worst. There’s something inherently terrifying about typing up a message and hitting send when you know you can never take the email back. It’s even worse when you don’t know what to say or how to say it. Should you be super formal? Is it okay to be friendly and bubbly? How on Earth do you introduce yourself via email? The questions are as endless as the anxiety.
As a devoted loather of all things related to email, I’ve come to find that the best way to handle that anxiety is to have some go-to professional email templates for the most common emails. Just copy, paste, add in some personal touches and bada-bing, bada-boom you’ve got an email that’s worthy of a Pulitzer. (That’s a lie, but they are worthy of hitting send.)
Sick Days
Ah, sick day emails. This one seems like it should be super easy to handle, but when you’re new to the professional world or just scared of your boss or being doubted it’s a major pain. When you’re sick the last thing you want to do is agonize over the email you’re sending in to say you won’t be at your desk, so for the sake of your health use these professional email templates.
[Boss’s Name or Team Members]
I’m feeling under the weather today. I’ll be home sick, and hopefully be back in the office tomorrow.
Best,
[Your Name]
[Email Signature]
Now, if you’re sick enough to stay home, but also able to be on your computer to do some work add in this sentence:
I’ll be online should you need me.
Cold Pitches
Sending cold pitch emails never gets easier — I’ve sent about a thousand and want to crawl into a hole and die every single time. The best thing is to just send the email and not overthink it because at the end of the day it literally doesn’t matter. Truthfully, whether or not you get a response has more to do with who you’re emailing than with what you type up. Nonetheless, this professional email template is my freelance right-hand man.
Hi, [Name of person you’re emailing],
I’m [your name], and I work[/whatever it is you do] for [your company or website]. [Sentence explaining your company’s/website’s purpose.] [Sincere compliment about the person or company you’re reaching out to.] I’d love to work with you/interview you/contribute to your endeavor because [honest reason why].
[List your ideas for working with said person/company/website]. Is this something you would be interested in? I’m also open to any ideas you may have.
Looking forward to working with you.
Best,
[Your Name]
[Email Signature]
PTO/Vacation
Paid time off and vacation emails are a little bit tricky and depend heavily on the type of company you work for. If your company is super chill, then your email can be relaxed and less stress-charged. If you have to jump through hoops to get your PTO approved, then Godspeed, honey, because I don’t know what to tell you.
The most important thing when sending an email about PTO or vacation is sending it well in advance so your boss and team have time to prepare for your absence and you have time to work ahead so it doesn’t mess up your workflow.
[Boss’s Name],
I’ll be out of town [dates/times you’ll be gone] for PTO. Before leaving, I will complete [tasks and projects you’ll have done ahead of time], and will get with [team members’ names] to make sure they’ve got everything they need from me while I’m gone. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like done before I’m out of town.
Thanks,
[Your Name]
Now, if you have to ask permission for PTO/vacation, double check your company’s employee handbook for the appropriate steps for taking time off. If in doubt, talk with your HR Director. Every company is different, so you may need to have your PTO/vacation approved by several people before it becomes an official green light.
And there you go. The three most common and most stressful emails you’ll likely ever type in your first few years as a working adult. May all future emails be easier with these professional email templates, and if all else fails, remember that it’s just an email and not the end of the world.