How do you email an old colleague?

If you've been working at your current company for some time now but have recently lost touch with one of your former colleagues or bosses, it can be difficult to know what to say when reaching out via email. How do you phrase something that's not going to come across as spammy, yet doesn't sound like the same person who used to work there either?

The best way is just to write down exactly how you'd want to interact with this individual if you were still their employee -- even if they're no longer employed by the company (or maybe especially because they aren't). This will allow you to tailor your message accordingly so that it feels more personal than generic.

In addition to writing down what kind of interaction you'd want to have with your past employer/colleague, keep in mind that you'll probably need to tweak things around a bit depending on whether or not this person was already aware of your professional transition. For instance, if you worked together before and are trying to get back into contact with him/her now, make sure the first thing you mention is why you made the switch. If he/she wasn't part of your life prior to leaving, then I suggest starting off with something like "I'm looking forward to hearing from you" rather than "Hey, I saw you on LinkedIn."

For many people, it might feel awkward to try to reestablish connections with people who they don't really see anymore. But remember that we all go through different stages in our lives where we may lose touch with certain individuals or groups of friends. The key here is to take small steps towards getting those relationships back up again. It could be hard at first, but once you do get over any initial hesitation, it will become easier!

Here are some tips to help you get started communicating again.

How do you email a colleague after a long time?

When you're still working at the same place, it can sometimes be challenging to figure out how to send emails to a specific team member without coming across as spammy. That said, if you find yourself regularly sending messages to the wrong person, it can be frustrating to constantly end up having to delete messages. Here are some ways to avoid this problem altogether:

First, think about which coworkers would likely respond well to receiving your correspondence. You should also include a personalized salutation such as "Hi [Name]", "Hello [Name], ", or "Good morning". Then, use a simple greeting followed by a short sentence explaining what prompted you to send the email. Don't overdo it, though -- you only want to add enough information to give your recipient context.

Next, consider changing your signature block so that it contains your name instead of your title. Doing this makes it clear that you sent the email personally instead of being impersonal.

Finally, consider using a reply-all feature within Gmail to ensure that everyone on the list receives every single message you send. Alternatively, you can always opt to send a copy of each email individually to a select few recipients.

How do you start an email to someone you haven't spoken to in a long time?

Whether you've moved away from the office or simply stopped talking to someone due to circumstances beyond his/her control, it can be tough to figure out how to begin an email exchange. Luckily, there are several tried-and-true methods available. Below are three ideas to get you started.

1) Start off by saying thanks - No matter how far apart two parties' paths may seem to be, sending a thank you note can often bring us back closer to one another. Even if you didn't mean to, this gesture shows appreciation for others and can encourage further communication.

2) Ask about mutual acquaintances - When you're trying to reach out to someone whom you haven't seen in years, it can be tempting to ask questions about other contacts you both share. You could even ask if they knew anything about a particular friend of yours based on shared interests. However, it can be tricky to determine what type of response you'll receive. Sometimes asking too much can lead to silence or worse. So, instead, focus on introducing yourself and mentioning common ground.

3) Express interest in connecting - Another option is to tell the other party that you'd love to hear from them soon. In doing so, you show that you care about maintaining ties with someone and wish to stay connected. After all, there's nothing more disheartening than realizing that you've forgotten about someone who has gone onto bigger and better things.

How do you email someone you haven't spoken to in a long time?

Sometimes, you might decide to reach out to someone you haven't spoken to in quite some time. Maybe you left the company unexpectedly or decided to move across town. Regardless of the reason behind it, you might wonder what to say to remind this person that you exist. Here are four options to choose from.

1) Tell them how you did - While most people won't expect you to update them on everything that happened during your absence, you can explain how you're doing right now. Mention any new projects you're currently involved in, as well as any exciting changes happening at work. By focusing on positive aspects, you'll let them know that you're happy and thriving.

2) Let them know you miss them - As mentioned above, keeping in touch with your ex-employer isn't necessarily a bad idea. However, your goal should be to maintain cordial relations with anyone who works directly under you or otherwise interacts with you frequently. When you communicate with someone, you're essentially letting them know that you're thinking of them. And if you happen to meet them somewhere else later on, you're able to strike up a friendly conversation with ease.

3) Remind them of accomplishments - Before you leave, it never hurts to express your gratitude toward your former co-worker for helping you accomplish something great. Whether it's a project you pitched successfully or a promotion you received, showing appreciation goes a long way.

4) Share stories from the past - One last option involves sharing memories with your former supervisor. Remember that it's okay to reminisce about times spent together in order to build rapport and strengthen bonds between you. Sharing experiences allows you to relate and connect with one another. Of course, you shouldn't dwell on negative events unless asked specifically. Instead, focus on the good times you had together.

How do you start an email conversation after a long time?

It can be easy to forget how to write an effective email introduction when you stop corresponding with someone regularly. Here are three suggestions for finding success:

1) Keep it short - There's nothing more annoying than reading an entire letter full of fluff. Try to stick to a maximum of five sentences that introduce you to the other party. Focus on providing relevant details and telling them about the purpose of your correspondence.

2) Introduce yourself - Once you've written a brief introduction, you can follow up with a simple statement of who you are and what brought you to this point. To illustrate, you could say something along the lines of "My name is [Your Name]. I am looking forward to hearing from you."

3) Be honest - If you're unsure of where to direct your next step, you can always simply state that you'd like to continue chatting. If you already know the person very well, however, you may want to offer yourself as a reference.

There are plenty of reasons to remain in touch with your ex-bosses, friends, and family members. These days, it seems as though everyone is staying busy juggling work obligations, schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and social engagements. With that being said, taking the initiative to get in touch with old contacts can prove beneficial when done properly. Just remember to treat your outreach like an important business meeting. The worst possible outcome is to accidentally offend the person you're contacting. So, take your time crafting a thoughtful message, and don't hesitate to check back in to see if your correspondent responds favorably.

It's easy to stay connected online through social media, but what happens when your connection has moved away from the internet entirely? How can you keep up communication without having a face-to-face conversation or phone call? This is where email comes into play -- especially if you have a good relationship with that person, as it allows you to send messages without any awkwardness.

The best way to get started sending emails again is by using some of our favorite email templates and subject lines. Here are five different ways to connect with an old friend who may be working somewhere else now.

How do you touch base with old colleagues?

If you're still in regular contact with people at your former workplace, there are several options here. You could simply start off with "Hello" (or whatever greeting you'd normally use), followed by your name and a short catchup story. If they want more information, this is also a great place to ask questions like "what have been the highlights of working here?" or "What does everyone look forward to each day?" It doesn't need to be too personal though, so try not to go overboard with details. After all, you don't necessarily want to rehash things you've already discussed over drinks.

You might find that you know their current role well enough to just make general comments, such as saying something along the lines of "I heard you were promoted recently!" Or perhaps asking about their life outside work will give you ideas for further conversations. Maybe you'll even learn that they're planning on moving soon!

Asking about their new roles gives you plenty of opportunity to discuss specific career goals and aspirations. When talking about those, you should consider mentioning that you're looking for similar opportunities yourself and would love to hear anything they think you might be interested in.

How do you reach out to an old acquaintance about a job?

After establishing a friendly rapport with your contacts, you can continue building trust by discussing potential jobs. In fact, one thing we recommend doing before reaching out to anyone is creating a list of possible companies and positions you'd both enjoy working at. The idea is to create a common ground between you two first, rather than starting off with an empty slate and trying to guess what they're thinking.

Once you've got that going, you can begin sharing news about your own experiences and achievements, and talk about why you're excited about the possibilities. Remember to avoid making promises until you've had a chance to check out the company, its culture, and other factors that matter. But once you feel comfortable that you're aligned in terms of values and interests, then you can move onto more detailed discussions.

That said, you shouldn't take this part too far. Don't bombard people with dozens of emails every week and expect immediate responses. Also, don't expect to pick up right where you left off either - unless they specifically mention otherwise. Instead, focus on getting back to basics and keeping the communications lighthearted. It won't hurt to throw in a joke here and there, because humor can help soften the blow of missing certain interactions or events.

How do you contact out after a long time?

There are a few reasons why you might choose to send an email instead of calling. For example, maybe you're dealing with busy schedules and don't always have the time to put into phone calls. On the flip side, you might prefer being able to type a message instead of speaking it aloud, which can lead to miscommunication. Whatever the case, let's explore the various options available.

To start, you can opt for the classic text messaging approach, which is simple yet effective. That means writing down everything you wanted to say, then hitting Send. If you're on mobile devices, you can also schedule a quick follow-up call to ensure accuracy.

For longer messages, you can use video chat platforms like Skype or Google Hangouts, which allow you to see facial expressions and tone of voice. Another option is Slack, which lets team members communicate in real-time via channels, files, and apps. And lastly, you can use tools like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, which provide end-to-end encryption.

Regardless of the platform you decide upon, remember to include links to websites or articles related to your topic whenever possible. It shows your audience that you care about their feedback, and keeps you accountable for providing quality content. Plus, it's another reason to stay relevant. People often search for topics based on keywords found in your site's URL, so including them makes sense anyway.

How do you reach out to a professional contact after a long time?

Whether you're contacting an ex-colleague or a stranger, you probably wouldn't mind hearing back. However, that doesn't mean you should rush into things. One mistake many people make is expecting instant replies, only to receive nothing at all. So before hitting Send, it helps to set realistic expectations.

Here are a couple tips to keep in mind:

Don't assume that you automatically know what kind of response you're likely to get. Even if you did meet regularly during your previous employment, you might have drifted apart due to changes in circumstances. They could be married, have kids, or even retired altogether.

Be honest about your intentions. Ask yourself whether you really want to reconnect with this individual, or if you're merely curious about the state of his/her life. If neither applies, save your energy and space for better prospects.

Set boundaries. Just because you miss someone doesn't mean you should pester them constantly. Acknowledge that your friendship isn't as strong as it used to be, so you must respect their privacy.

Remember that you aren't obligated to respond to every single email sent your way. Sometimes, you may just be overwhelmed, and that's totally fine. You don't owe anyone anything. There's no pressure whatsoever.

Keep your inquiries brief and positive. Avoid asking questions that require answers like "Why didn't I get a promotion?", "Did you lose my resume?", and "Is it OK if I apply?". These kinds of requests will most likely come across as accusatory, and you certainly don't want to appear desperate. Focus on finding solutions together, and leave judgments behind.

Now that you've covered the basics of communicating with an old contact, it's important to note that there are exceptions to almost every rule. Some people actually prefer receiving emails versus texts, others may appreciate seeing photos of family and friends. Be aware of these preferences so that you don't annoy your correspondent unintentionally.

And lastly, if you ever run into trouble, never hesitate to reach out directly. Email addresses are easily accessible, and you can rest assured that you won't suffer repercussions for reaching out yourself. We hope you enjoyed learning more about how to reconnect with old acquaintances and friends, and wish you luck wherever your journey takes you next.

When we're looking for new opportunities or jobs, it's easy to forget the people who helped us along the way. And even if we don't want to take up their offers, there are plenty of ways that you can connect with your past contacts (like LinkedIn) so they know where you are now and what you're doing.

But I'm not talking about cold emails here -- instead, let's look at some ways to re-establish bonds with our former colleagues by using helpful email templates to initiate conversations. We'll also go over specific subject lines that will make sure you get through when sending messages to all kinds of contacts. Finally, check out this article for more tips on getting connected again.

How do you email someone you've never talked to?

If you've been in business for yourself for any length of time, chances are you have several colleagues you worked with before that you'd like to keep track of via email but have no idea how to approach them. Here is one simple example of a very professional yet casual approach you could send to a new contact you met recently at networking event. You might change the "old" names to yours depending on whether you know them personally or just from working together previously.

Subject Line: Hi [Your Name],

Hi! It was great meeting you last week at [Event]. As you may remember, we had lunch and discussed career goals and aspirations. Would love to catch up soon. Let me know if you would be willing to grab coffee sometime next week. Cheers,

[Name]

How do you email a friend you haven't contacted in a long time workout?

It's really hard sometimes to stay in touch with friends after spending months living thousands of miles away from each other. If you've lost touch with a close friend, consider reaching out via text message or phone call to see if you can set up a quick chat to catch up and reminisce. But if you still wish to try something different, then maybe you should give an email a shot. Here are two different approaches you can use to start connecting again.

First, take a cue from the above example and create a friendly greeting card style message. This type of greeting has become popular lately as a simple way to say hello without overwhelming anyone. For instance, you can write something like this:

Hello Friend,

I hope everything is well with you. When you were based in Berlin, did you ever think you'd end up moving back home to New York City? Funny thing is, I moved to NYC right around the same time. In fact, my company relocated here too! So I decided to join forces with another coworker and work together remotely. How cool is that?! Anyway, I'm curious to hear about how things went for you since I left town. Please drop me a note whenever you have a chance. Looking forward to catching up!

Best,

[Friend's name]

Or perhaps you prefer a more formal tone:

Dear Friends,

We had such a good time chatting during lunch last week. Thanks for taking care of me. I wanted to follow up to see if you had any thoughts on joining a team building exercise happening tomorrow afternoon. The details are below:

  1pm - 3pm, Tuesday May 9th   3rd floor conference room

Thanks so much for your help! Hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

[Friend's name]

Note: While both of these samples are fairly generic, you could always customize them further based on your friendship.

How do you reach out to old co workers?

While most of us tend to stick with the familiar when it comes to social media connections, many companies encourage employees to maintain active LinkedIn profiles. However, even though this site often serves as a central hub for finding future employers, you probably wouldn't expect to find everyone you once knew there.

In order to ensure that you aren't missing an opportunity to reconnect with your old bosses or colleagues, you should definitely check out their profile pages. Sometimes, however, you won't recognize people's current titles. To avoid seeming desperate and/or creepy, you could simply ask them directly about their title. Or, if you still feel uncomfortable asking outright, you could use one of these three creative subjects to open up conversation:

A recent project you completed.

What you learned while leading the charge on a major initiative.

The impactful changes you made to improve efficiency.

Here's one way you could craft a personal introduction email to share those stories with a potential employer:

Hey [name],

Great seeing you yesterday at [event]. Did you happen to notice that I'm currently employed at [company name]? My background is exactly aligned with your needs, which makes me wonder if we could talk about possible roles within your organization.

Looking forward to hearing from you. Best wishes,

[Personalized Email Signature]

How do you reach old coworkers?

Maybe you didn't realize that your old workplace is still a place you frequent regularly. Perhaps you used to hang out at the bar after work hours, or have dinner with your buddies every Friday night at the local watering hole. Maybe you even took part in office holiday parties. Regardless of how closely you kept tabs on your old stomping grounds, odds are high that you don't need to worry about keeping in touch with your old coworkers. That said, it never hurts to remind others that you exist, especially if you believe that you contributed to the success of your previous position.

For example, you could follow up with a simple reminder email to your ex-colleagues:

Hello Everyone,

Just thought I'd pop in to say hi. I enjoyed watching you guys win the big game last weekend. I couldn't resist sharing this stat: Last year, my former teammates finished 5th overall in league standings. This year, they placed 2nd!! Impressive stuff. See ya later,

[Name]

You could also include a link to a post you wrote detailing your successes at your prior role.

Hope to hear back from you soon. All the best,

[Name]

How do you reach old bosses?

As tempting as it is to skip straight ahead to contacting your old manager, you shouldn't jump into that path until you've established a bit of rapport with your new boss. After all, you don't want to come across as overly anxious because you're hoping he'll recommend you for a promotion. Instead, build a better first impression by following his lead. And if you're wondering how to do that, you can either refer to the aforementioned email strategies or pick up on the cues he gives off throughout the day.

For example, if your new boss frequently asks questions during meetings, you could address that topic in your introductory email. Likewise, if she tends to speak less than her peers, you could mention that aspect of your personality in your email. By showing him that you understand his priorities, you demonstrate confidence in your ability to succeed under his leadership. And if you're feeling extra bold, you could simply ask for feedback in your email.

This is a pretty straightforward strategy, but it works wonders. Just make sure that you tailor your opening statement according to whatever qualities he exhibits. Otherwise, you run the risk of coming across as needy or insecure.