To Smile or Not to Smile!.....Emoticons in a professional document ???

Smiles are wonderful and I don’t know of anyone who objects to a smile.  However when it comes to a professional document of any kind, a resume, cover letter, thank you letter or any business letter, emoticons are misplaced.  

The old version of the emoticon smile was something like a colon (:) followed by the closed paren ).   It is now almost impossible to actually type those two keyboard strokes one after the other without getting (J) thanks to updated software.  I’m using a slightly older version of Microsoft Word.  Newer versions actually place a colored smiley face similar to the graphic used by a major discount retailer.

Regardless of the outcome, smiley face or punctuation, the effect is the same and generates a less than professional atmosphere around your document.

Typing a smiley face at the end of any sentence in a professional document is gimmickry and best saved for personal communication between friends and acquaintances.

In the case that you don’t have the updated software and actually can type the punctuation marks that represent the emoticon you run the risk that the reader will not actually understand.   When in doubt, it is always best not to go over the line.  Since we rarely know enough about the different employers who would be reading our communication it is best to be cautious and leave out the emoticon.  There is also the fact that you may think you know the reader but then your letter is duplicated and passed to other hiring managers or interview panel members who do not understand.

It is never a good idea to pepper your document with abbreviations or acronyms.  Abbreviations allow for confusion.    Most folks know that FAA stands for Federal Aviation Administration.  I recently reviewed a resume and cover letter that contained no less than 12 references to FAA without once spelling out or defining those initials.  The problem here is the individual worked for the Family Assistance Administration which has nothing to do with flying.   A quick search of the internet reveals that the Florida Apartment Association, college of Fine and Applied Arts, and Food Addicts Anonymous also use FAA as a designation.   Talk about confusion.  Which company did this individual work for?

The old emoticon falls into the same category with abbreviations and acronyms.

It is never a good idea to fill a document with useless graphics just because our word processors have clip art and WordArt ® capabilities. You don’t need to put in a picture of a horse because you used the word “horse” in a sentence.  

The new smiley face emoticon J falls into the same category as graphics.   

It is enough to say “I’m excited about the new opportunities we discussed”. It is not necessary to ad the J afterwards.

The one time you could actually break this rule because it may be the right thing to do would be if you were applying for a company that makes or sells emoticons. Even then it could be a very fine line you walk.