As a recruiter, I fall into the trap too often. A thought occurs, I start typing an email as a default way of getting the item done. Stupid. I stop myself, and go talk to the person.

I recall as a rookie recruiter, the fuel to “pick up the phone and dial 9” was ingrained into my very fiber. And even as social media simultaneously makes phones a commodity and a valued tool, we jump to email too often.

Facebook, Twitter … all the social apps around us threaten to suck us into the vortex of mechanically using them rather than interfacing with real live people. Fortunately, I see a shift. Perhaps these tools, while useful for gleaning information, are starting to force people into **gasp** actual interpersonal interaction. 

At least I hope so. 

Perhaps email can do the same. As a twelve-year recruiting veteran, I have learned to use email as a tool, but not as the main form of communication. The ease of use afforded through email makes this difficult, but one of my secrets over the years has been to use email merely as a small part of the bigger circles of communication available to me. So much more happens in live conversations, be they live, via phone or Skype/video calls. 

Whether you’re a job seeker or hiring manager, I encourage you to do the same. Use email to set the stage for a live conversation. Concise, clear and timely are the golden rules. But when it comes to actual communication, leave that for in-person, phone or Skype/video calls.