FAQs about email

How long should I wait before sending a follow-up email?

The timing of sending a follow-up email depends on context.

• After a job interview, write a post interview thank you email within 24 hours (ideally on the same day).
• If your original email was a “cold call” marketing email, then you may be able to wait 1–2 weeks (unless your supervisor requires otherwise).
• If you are following up on a job interview after the thank you email, then email just after the end of the timeline you were given during the interview (e.g., If the recruiter said a decision will be made in 1 week, wait until after 1 full week to ask about the status of your application).

When it comes to cold emails, timing is only half the battle—the other half is writing a message that gets opened and answered. The QuillBot AI cold email writer helps you create personalized outreach that feels relevant, professional, and worth responding to.

Read this FAQ: How long should I wait before sending a follow-up email?

How do I send a follow-up email after no response?

If an earlier email has received no response, it can be a good idea to follow up. But it is very easy to get a follow-up email wrong. The recipient doesn’t owe you anything, and they may be busy. Here are some tips to help you get it right:

• Be respectful of the recipient by using an appropriate salutation.
• Make succinct reference to your previous email.
• Briefly state the purpose of this follow-up email.
• Propose clear next steps to the recipient.
• Stay genuine throughout.

If you keep your email relevant and respectful and give it a clear call to action, you have more chance of the recipient responding.

Use the QuillBot AI follow up email generator to craft a polite and effective follow-up email.

Read this FAQ: How do I send a follow-up email after no response?

What does as per mean?

As per is most commonly seen in phrases such as “As per our conversation yesterday, could you send me the new brief?”

It is sometimes seen as overly formal or officious. There are other ways of expressing the same idea (e.g., “According to the meeting minutes, we are due to finish on Wednesday”).

There are other options too (e.g., “to clarify” if you want to overcome confusion or “as discussed” to recap or summarize the agreement).

Try our sentence rephraser to vary your writing and express your intended meaning.

Read this FAQ: What does as per mean?

What does per mean?

Per is a preposition that has several meanings. Probably its most common use is almost invisible—in the abbreviation “mph (miles per hour),” where it means “each.”

It’s commonly used in newspaper reporting to mean “according to” (e.g., “The President has been kept informed, per sources close to the Oval Office”).

Per is often found in the phrase per our conversation in emails and letters (e.g., “Per our conversation yesterday, could you let me have the new draft proposal by Friday, please?”).

Per can also refer to how often something happens (e.g., “Take one tablet once per day”), or it can have the meaning of “every” (e.g., there are more cafes per square mile than in any other city”).

Per is also commonly used in the phrase per se to mean “intrinsically” or “by itself” (e.g., “The film isn’t bad per se, but it can’t compare to the book”).

Read this FAQ: What does per mean?

What does “Ms.” stand for?

Ms. is a title used for any adult woman (e.g., “Ms. Genji”). Unlike “Miss” or “Mrs.,” “Ms.” does not indicate a woman’s marital status and is therefore the female equivalent of the masculine title “Mr.”

“Ms.” is not an abbreviation for anything, and it does not stand for “Miss.” It is pronounced [miz], but it is always written as “Ms.”

Read this FAQ: What does “Ms.” stand for?

What does “Mx.” stand for?

Mx. is a gender-neutral title that can be used for people who do not identify as male or female or do not want to have their gender specified. It is used in the same way as titles like “Ms.” or “Mr.” (e.g., “Mx. Nande”).

“Mx.” is followed by a period to match the form of other titles, but it is not an abbreviation of anything. The x is used like a statistical value to indicate that the person’s gender is unspecified.

Read this FAQ: What does “Mx.” stand for?

How do I start an email to a professor?

When starting an email to a professor, it is best to take a more formal approach to avoid making a poor impression. In the greeting, use “Dear” followed by a title and the professor’s last name (e.g., “Dear Professor/Dr. Willow,”).

You can follow the greeting with a number of opening lines before diving into the purpose of your message, such as:

• I hope this email finds you well
• I hope you’re having a good/productive week
• I hope you’re well

You can also use “I’m reaching out …” if you prefer to come straight to the point.

You can adapt the tone of your emails according to the professor’s response. For example, if they greet you with “Hi/Hello” in their reply, you can adopt the same style.

However, continue to use their title (unless they explicitly give you permission to address them otherwise), and avoid using overly informal language like slang or “Cheers.”

You can automatically rewrite your sentences to express your intended meaning using QuillBot’s tools.

Read this FAQ: How do I start an email to a professor?

How do I end an email to a professor?

When ending an email to a professor, take a more formal approach, especially when interacting with the person for the first time.

First, be sure to clearly indicate any actions you would like the professor to take. The purpose of your email and what you expect from the professor should be clear.

Then, there are a number of sign-offs you can use to end the email, such as:

• Sincerely
• Best regards
• Kind regards

Avoid using overly informal language like slang or “Cheers.”

Try QuillBot’s rephraser to vary your writing.

Read this FAQ: How do I end an email to a professor?

Should I write “Sincerely” or “Yours truly”?

“Sincerely” or “Sincerely yours” are sign-offs that are typically used when you’re ending an email to someone you’ve been in contact with before as opposed to someone you are reaching out to for the first time.

“Yours truly” was traditionally used when contacting a stranger and was usually paired with the greeting “Dear Sir or Madam.” It is not frequently used nowadays, especially in emails. Instead, a sign-off like “Regards” is more common.

QuillBot’s rewording tool can help you vary your written vocabulary.

Read this FAQ: Should I write “Sincerely” or “Yours truly”?

What is an alternative for “I hope you’re doing well”?

Similar expressions to “I hope you’re doing well” include:

• I hope this email finds you well
• I hope all is well
• I hope you’re having a productive week

Automatically rephrase your sentences to express your desired meaning.

Read this FAQ: What is an alternative for “I hope you’re doing well”?