E-mailing Your Cover Letter and Résumé

E-mail communication has become increasingly popular in the job application process. Professional e-mail is very different from casual email or instant messaging. First, here are some general tips:

* Avoid using “see attached” as the subject line or the body of the text. The receiver will probably not open the attachment without knowing who it’s from or what it’s about.

* Avoid using emoticons ( ),

* As with any professional communication, avoid informality, misspellings and poor grammar.

* Avoid “IM-speak”: LOL. c u 2morrow. Write the words out using capital letters at the beginning of sentences and correct punctuation.

Specifically, with regard to email cover letters, here are some more tips to help you make a good impression:

* DO treat your e-mail as if you were writing a professional cover on paper, but be brief.

* DO introduce yourself the same way you would in a cover letter.
Dear Mr./Ms. So and So,
I am writing in regard to your posting on….for XYZ position in financial services.

* DO make it obvious why you are writing  in the subject line: “Application for XYZ position.”

* Make sure you change the contact name and content according to the person/company to whom you are sending the message.

* If you are responding to an e-mail, DO include the original message in the reply, so the receiver can put your e-mail into the correct context. Also, respond within two business days.

* DO think about the message your e-mail address sends. Keep your address simple, and avoid unprofessional sounding names like “studmuffin” or “partygirl.”

* DO read your message carefully before you click the send button. The tone of an e-mail can often be misinterpreted.

Your résumé will usually need to be an attachment. To help the employer with this:

* Name your document “your name, résumé.” Employers receive hundreds of résumés via e-mail. If you follow-up by asking recruiters if they received your email, they won’t have to look through 300 attachments called “résumé.”

* If you are attaching your résumé, ask the receiver if they would prefer that you send it in a different format, i.e. Word, rich text format, or as a PDF.

* Don’t just rely on e-mail. Email can be lost. Follow-ups can be done via the telephone or regular mail.

* Include numbers and statistics if they are available. (Example: Counted five cash drawers daily; responsible for more than $1,000 per 8-hour shift.)

* Make sure your résumé can hold its own in a very simple format. Fancy bullets, text, italics, and bold do not convert well in an electronic application.

* Include a strong objective. Ask a career counselor to help you word your objective.

(Next week’s entry will be devoted entirely to writing a résumé.)

Maintain a professional tone throughout all your communications with your prospective employers. Whether by snail mail, email, phone, or in person, you should present yourself to the employer as the employer would want you to present yourself if you were representing her company to a client or professional association.

Micael Kemp is the director of Career Services at UCSB.

One Response to “E-mailing Your Cover Letter and Résumé”

1. Jeffrey says:

   October 29, 2009 at 1:30 pm

   I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.