RESUMES
   

Emailing your Cover Letters and Resumes

If you are sending your documents by e-mail, cut and paste your cover letter into the body of your e-mail message. You do not need to include your contact information, the organization’s information, or the date. Simply start your e-mail with the salutation of your cover letter (Dear Mr. / Ms.). There are different thoughts about how to send your resume. In addition to your cover letter in the e-mail, you can:

  • attach a document that includes your formatted cover letter and resume. Be sure to reference your attachment in the body of your e-mail. Consider sending a follow-up e-mail to ensure that the employer was able to open your attachment. 
  • choose to cut and paste a plain text version of your resume in the email message (after your cover letter.) This can be done in addition to the attachment or in place of the attachment.

Consider the following when deciding whether or not to attach documents:

  • Attaching a document provides an employer with a copy of your resume that is well formatted and easy to read.
  • Due to computer compatibility issues, an employer may not be able to open your attached documents.
  • Some computer systems may block e-mails with any attachments in order to avoid viruses.

If an employer has requested that you attach your materials, he or she has made the decision for you. However, if you are unsure of the employer’s preference or computer compatibility and he or she is unable to open your attachment, there is a good chance that the employer will dismiss your e-mail rather than taking the time to resolve the issue. If you include your resume in the text of the e-mail, it will be readily available for the employer to view. An alternative is to send your cover letter and resume in the body of the e-mail (rather than an attachment) to ensure the recipient can immediately access your information.

When sending your resume via e-mail, you should reference the job title or number on the subject line of the e-mail message. Some e-mail messages will be sent directly to a human resources or personnel department. Including the job title or number helps to ensure that your resume gets to the right person. Including the job title on the subject line is also a good idea when your resume has been solicited or you are applying for a posted position.