addressing emails >.< Options

[batman]

I'm pretty clueless about email communication, especially if it's with a professor, employer, prospective employer, etc.

Got an email from a medical center wanting to set up an interview after reviewing my app/resume ( ). If he introduces himself as "John Smith" and addresses the email as "Dear Melissa," do I write:

Dear John,
I'll be available for an interview on ____ before ___pm.
Thanks,
Melissa

or

Hi John!
I'll be available for an interview etc etc etc.
Thanks,
Melissa

or

Dear Mr. Smith,
I'll be available for interview etc etc.
Thanks,
Melissa

And should I write more in the body paragraph? Like "I look forward to speaking with you" or "Thanks for your interest" or w/e?

yeah, I really, really, really want this position and I'm freaking out a little bit.

[superstitious]

"Thanks," seems too informal. "Thank you, <name>" would be better, in my opinion. Also, it typically a good idea to say something along the lines of "I look forward to meeting with you." It just shows that you are really interesting in a position without sounding desperate.

Also, call back to thank them for the interview later that afternoon or the next morning. It's always a nice touch.

[batman]

awesome.

how do i address him? as john? or mr. smith? -_-

[superstitious]

"Mr." I usually use formal greetings before the interview.

[batman]

also, alex can be a man or a woman, right? T_T idk whether to use Mr. or Ms.

[superstitious]

Hm. Sounds odd, but have you tried looking up that person on the internet?

[batman]

lol yeah, the name is too common and the website only has the name of the board directors, etc, and he's the chief trainer.

anyways, figured it out by looking at the email head >.< his full name is "alexander" so i'm guessing he is male ^_^

[superstitious]

Ha! Well that's good.

[batman]

man, i want to put "I look forward to speaking/meeting with you" but he already put that down in his original email :( will it look redundant if i put it down too?

[superstitious]

Hm. Nah, it's fine. It'd be redundant if you had said it twice. At least, that's my opinion.

[batman]

man, this guy wants to do a phone interview. i suck at phones. i'm going to fail :(

[creole]

Just be natural in a formal type of way. lol

[mipadi]

"Dear So-and-So" always feels too formal for an email; I typically write "Hello Mr. So-and-So," in my salutations. But there's nothing really wrong with "Dear". I would use a title (Mr., Dr., Ms., or whatever's appropriate), though.