What ever happened to plain ol’ face-to-face communication?
It seems like even at the workplace, email has replaced conversation. At both my internships, if my editor needs me, be it to give me an assignment, let me know she’s stepping out to lunch, or to remind me to do something, her preferred mode of communication is usually email. And while I myself rely heavily on the internet while at work, mainly to Google like a mad-woman to complete a research assignment or to, um, Facebook chat with my friends in my downtime, I don’t find it necessary to email someone who’s sitting a few cubicles away from me.
The other day, for example, the editor at the website I’m working for e-mailed me to let me know she’d be coming over my desk in 10 minutes to show me how to use the new backend publishing program. Couldn’t she have just come over in ten minutes? Seriously, people. There’s no need for the warning.
So here’s what I propose. Instead of sending an email, come over and tell me what you had to say. I know my desk is a few feet over and the trek to intern row is a tiring one, but talking to me is more efficient, quicker, and a heck-of-a lot more personal. Plus, don’t you want to get out a little? Taking a little walk around the office to come find me won’t hurt—I know I personally will find any excuse I can to escape my tiny cubicle every so often.
Do any of you interns correspond with your editors mostly through email, or even IM? Am I wrong in thinking that emailing between two people is totally unnecessary when you’re both in the same place?!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. In the meantime, I’m off to check my email. Hmmm…it looks like I have another assignment on my hands…
--Ed’s Intern #1
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1 comment:
I had this experience at my last internship. My editor would often email things for me to do (and he literally sat three feet behind me).
I think one reason editors email is to keep record of tasks/assignments, but I agree with you, it often seems inefficient when we could simply have a brief conversation instead of sending messages back and forth.
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