ADVICE TO GRADUATING STUDENTS: CHATS AND EMAILS . . .
. . . are two business tools for two separate purposes. Many students have never written an email, only read them, and so they don’t yet realize that email is a complicated tool that requires practice and experience to master.
CHAT is the right tool for ephemeral information sharing:
- Quick questions and fast clarifications
- Time-sensitive nudges (“Are you free?”, “Client is waiting”)
- Messages that don’t need to survive beyond today
EMAIL is the right tool for long-term storage and retrieval:
- Decisions, agreements, and commitments
- Summaries, briefs, attachments, and documentation
- Topics that must be searchable later
Using a chat when the situation requires an email creates chaos: nothing is recorded, nothing is clear. Using an email when the situation requires a chat creates delay: everything slows down. Choosing the right tool shows you are organized, respectful, and professionally predictable.
