10 Tips for Professional Texting

Texting, the #1 way most people communicate, goes beyond your family and friends. It’s also common to text on a professional basis, such as to a co-worker, supervisor, or customer. Rules for “professional texting” differ from “personal texting,” and mastering these rules is the key to growing in your career. Here are ten tips for effective and respectful “professional texting.”

1. Get Permission First

First and foremost, it’s absolutely critical that you get permission to text before you text. Texting isn’t an acceptable form of communication in certain settings and may even violate organizational rules.

2. Text during Normal Business Hours

Only text your co-workers, boss, or other professionals during normal business hours. In other words, if the business is open 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., don’t text at 10:00 p.m. at night or 3:00 a.m. in the morning. That’s very disruptive to the other person and shows disrespect for their schedule.

3. Ensure the Correct Number

Before you hit “send,” make sure your message is going to the correct recipient. Check that the phone number is correct first, then ensure you’ve chosen the right individual for the message. This is important both for confidentiality and to ensure that your message is going through. If you accidentally send the message to the wrong person, you can select “undo send” with a brief apology or explanation, such as “I apologize. I sent you a message by mistake.”

4. Reply Promptly

Because text messages are more “instant” than email, it’s appropriate to respond to them as quickly as possible. Think of texting like a real-time conversation and keep a good flow until the goal of the conversation is achieved.

5. Keep it Concise

Keep messages short and to-the-point to ensure you make the best use of your time. Challenge yourself to ask your questions in the fewest possible words — just one or two sentences at most.

6. Discern when to Talk vs. Text

Never say over text what would be better said in person. If you need to tell your supervisor you’re planning to leave your job, for example, it’s most respectful to schedule an in-person meeting.

7. Use Group Texting Sparingly

Remember, every message you send via this type of texting gets sent to every single person in the group. Group chats in a professional context aren’t ideal for casual conversations and should only be used for announcement-style messages.

8. Check Spelling, Grammar, and Slang

Be mindful of autocorrect! Double check your messages before you send, as even simple words can automatically become embarrassing typos. Avoid slang that might be misunderstood. When you’re communicating with someone in a professional setting, what’s most important is clarity. This ensures that your message is understood and can be answered quickly and accurately. That’s why avoiding emojis, abbreviations, and slang is important. Say things as plainly but politely as possible. Don’t use all CAPS when texting as this sounds like “yelling” to the other person.

9. Monitor Live Photos

If you send Live Photos, be mindful that audio and video is also being recorded roughly two seconds before and two seconds after the video. Don’t send anything you don’t want to be heard by the recipients.

10. Don’t Text Your Emotions

Think before you type. If you’re feeling upset or angry, you might say something you later regret. If you’re feeling especially emotional, put off communications for ten minutes until you have a clearer head. There’s an old saying that goes, “It takes years to build a reputation and only a few seconds to lose it.” Don’t lose your reputation by sending a few thoughtless or unkind words. Be kind, respectful, and professional.

Bonus: Text Messages as Emergency Communication

Did you know you can get critical text communications from EFSC? Simply log into your MyEFSC account and look for the Titan Alerts box in the upper righthand corner. If your Mobile number isn’t listed or isn’t correct, click the “Update Information” button to add it. This will allow you to receive important messages via texting about class cancelations, school closures, and emergencies.

Looking for more Professional Development Tips?

The EFSC Career Center can assist you with workplace professionalism, including dress code, etiquette, and communication. You can also work with a Student Success Specialist to help you get organized, develop stress-management techniques, and manage your time more effectively.

Author
Recent Posts

Casey Covel

As Assistant Manager of Web and Social Media at EFSC, Casey keeps students informed of all the exciting "happenings" at the college. She earned national honors while completing her A.A. degree at EFSC, graduated with a B.A. in Human Communication through UCF, and is currently pursuing her M.A. in Media Psychology at Fielding University. An award-winning writer on matters of faith and pop culture, Casey’s hobbies include sipping tea, wielding chopsticks, gaming in the realms of Tellius and Hyrule, growing her action figure collection and squinting at strange words.