1.Lean media transfers least amount of information and someone communicating through lean media cannot understand bodily gesture and facial expression, which is possible in case of face-to-face communication. In asynchronous text or lean media communication, this includes instant text message or e-mails, words sometimes become limited to express the emotional nuances (Finegan, 2014). Emoticons could be used in this situation.
In the case study situation, using emoticons was necessary if the sender does not consider it as unprofessional, informal and childish. It has helped to tackle the situation nicely and is communicating everyone to lighten up the mood without saying the same. Communicating through emoticons in this situation is demanding and required. Emoticons could convey what words cannot convey and it has its own importance in lean media communication (Lee, 2016).
According to me, in case of professional communication, using emoticons should rely on situation and context. There is no general rule for this usage in the professional world. Later, the sender has replaced the emoticon; however, the meaning of the message could be delivered excellently and comprehensively with application of the emoticons. The problem occurs in case of professional communication using emoticons is that no one knows how the other party would accept it (Loglia & Bower, 2016).
In my opinion, as the e-mails and instant messages are becoming the part of the professional communication, application of emoticons could be allowable as this is the entertaining part of the lean media communication. The nature and medium of communication has changed and there are many researches in accommodating the possible changes in the workplace communication (Skovholt, Gronning & Kankaanranta, 2014). Therefore, communicating the emotional nuances in lean media, application of emoticons are not so bad and it could be applied whenever it is required.
2.Job application e-mail message contains the important and relevant information about the applicants (Kuney, 2013). It could be his or her educational qualification, work experiences and training taken by him or her. This type of e-mail should complete with thanks giving and regards and the tone of the whole message should be strictly professional. Thus, as a manager I would be disappointed by receiving emoticons in the e-mail job application.
Using emoticons in the job application has no utility and is not demandable in this message. There is no requirement to use emoticons in educational qualification or work experiences, rather it could create negative effect in the mind of the manager if emoticons are used in thanks giving and regards section. It could convey the invitation of partiality from part of the applicants (Loglia, 2013).
Emoticons could be used in the professional way of communication where it is necessary and demandable (Loglia & Bower, 2016). In case of job application e-mail, there is no necessity to use emoticons. It looks rather abnormally unusual. There is no place to use emoticons in job application e-mails. Therefore, as a manager, I would be annoyed, disgusted and disappointed observing this unnecessary action from the part of the applicants.
References
Finegan, E. (2014). Language: Its structure and use. Cengage Learning.
Kuney, G. W. (2013). Legal Form, Style, and Etiquette for Email. Transactions: Tenn. J. Bus. L., 15, 59.
Lee, J. S. (2016). Emoticons. In Ethical Ripples of Creativity and Innovation (pp. 207-213). Palgrave Macmillan UK.
Loglia, J. (2013). How Emoticons Affect Leader-member Exchange.
Loglia, J. M., & Bower, C. A. (2016). Emoticons in Business Communication: Is the:) Worth it?. Emotions, technology, and design, 37-54.
Skovholt, K., Gronning, A., & Kankaanranta, A. (2014). The Communicative Functions of Emoticons in Workplace E?Mails::?. Journal of Computer?Mediated Communication, 19(4), 780-797.
