How many times you received a work email that really got you mad? Whether it was too long, too casual, had 100 people in CC field or just sounded angry. Even though in most cases the sender didn't mean to get anyone mad, some how emails have this tendency to be misunderstood. These days a lot of big companies create workshops for their employees, where they learn email etiquette and basic communication rules. In case you aren't one of those lucky guys and/or still unsure whether your emails help your career or not, read these 12 simple rules. I found it on http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA012054101033.aspx where you can read the full version, hopefully you'll find it useful:

# Be informal, not sloppy. Your colleagues may use commonly accepted abbreviations in e-mail, but when communicating with external customers, everyone should follow standard writing protocol.

# Keep messages brief and to the point. Concentrate on one subject per message whenever possible.

# Use sentence case. USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS LOOKS AS IF YOU'RE SHOUTING.

# Use the blind copy and courtesy copy appropriately. Don't use BCC to keep others from seeing who you copied; Be cautious with your use of CC; overuse simply clutters inboxes. Copy only people who are directly involved.

# Don't use e-mail as an excuse to avoid personal contact.

# Remember that e-mail isn't private. E-mail is considered company property and can be retrieved, examined, and used in a court of law.

# Be sparing with group e-mail. Recipients get quite annoyed to open an e-mail that says only "Me too!"

# Use the subject field to indicate content and purpose. Don't just say, "Hi!" or "From Laura."

# Don't send chain letters, virus warnings, or junk mail.

# Remember that your tone can't be heard in e-mail.

# Use a signature that includes contact information.

# Summarize long discussions.