Oral and Written Expression Early Career Goals 6 Realize that others place more value on the insightfulness of your questions than on the depth of your statements 6 Clearly demonstrate a mastery of basic business writing techniques 6 Structure your key ideas into no more than three bullets per e-mail 6 Consistently use the spelling and grammar check feature before sending an e-mail 6 Avoid emoticons like smiley faces and instant messaging shorthand that others may not understand (e.g., LOL) 6 Don't let grammar or usage errors distract from your message or from others' impression of you 6 Reread all correspondence to ensure clarity before clicking the Send button 6 Avoid any perception of plagiarism by quoting sources accurately