How to Email a Resume

Co-authored by Katherine Kirkinis, Ed.M., MA

Last Updated: February 25, 2021 References

You are applying for a job or an internship, and you want to show your potential employer that you are qualified for the position. It's important to make a good first impression. You will need to write a strong resume detailing your experience, write a cover letter explaining your motivation, and find the employer's email address. You will need to write the employer a polite, concise email explaining who you are and why you are interested in the position-- and you must be prepared to email back and forth with the employer once they review your information.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Writing Your Resume

1
Write a strong resume. Your resume is a statement of your purpose and a list of your relevant work experience. Your employer should be able to tell at a glance that you are qualified for the position.^{[1]
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- Use this comprehensive guide to build a strong resume before you send any emails: How to Make a Resume
- Ensure that your resume is clean, concise, and professional. You want to let your potential employer know that you mean business.
- Be sure to include your contact information at the top of your resume: name, address, email address, and reliable phone number. You want to make it as easy as possible for a hiring manager to get in touch with you.
2
Tailor your resume to the job for which you are applying. Show your potential employer why you are uniquely qualified for this job.^{[2]
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- Example A: If you are applying for an internship, you should highlight any past internship experiences and list any relevant coursework that you have taken. List any projects or applicable volunteer experience.
- Example B: If you are applying to work a customer service job, like a server or a cashier, you should describe any past experience in the service industry.
- Example C: If you are applying to work as a bicycle courier, a delivery driver, or an Uber/Lyft driver, you should mention any prior delivery or taxi-service experience.
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3
Consider writing a cover letter. This is a brief, polite letter to your potential employer in which you explain qualifications that do not fit into your resume.^{[3]
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- Reference this guide in order to write a strong cover letter: How to Write a Cover Letter
- Not all jobs require a cover letter. If your potential employer specifically needs a cover letter, he or she will say so in the job posting. If not-- a well-written cover letter might make your email stand out from the rest.
- You can email your cover letter together with your resume.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Katherine Kirkinis, Ed.M., MA
  Career Coach & Psychotherapist
  Expert Interview. 14 October 2020.}

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Emailing Your Resume

1
Find your potential employer's email address. If you are responding to an online job posting, the employer has likely listed a reliable way to get in touch within the text of the post.
- If you are replying to a Craigslist job post, the employer may not have explicitly listed an email address. In this case, click the gray "Reply" button in the upper-left-hand corner of the post. A box will appear with the employer's preferred method of contact and the link to an "@job.craigslist.org" email address that has been generated specifically for this post (e.g. 96qw4-4936276763@job.craigslist.org). Copy and paste this address into your own email client. The Craigslist system will relay your email to the employer.^{[5]
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- To copy the employer's email address, highlight the text with your cursor and right-click to summon a list of options. Click "Copy".
2
Open your email account. Click "Compose" or "New Email" to begin a new email.
3
Type or copy-and-paste your potential employer's email address in the "to" or "recipient" field. To paste, right-click in the "to" field and select "Paste".
- Double- and triple-check that the email address is correct. You may not be considered for the position if the employer does not receive your resume.
4
Create a clear and concise subject line. This is important-- it is the first thing that your potential will see, so it must be both eye-catching and to-the-point.^{[6]
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- If you are applying for a specific position, name it in the subject line. For example: "Editorial Internship", or "Delivery Driver".
- If you have already been in contact with the hiring manager and they have just asked for your resume, include your full name and the word "resume" in the subject line. For example: "Jack Johnson's Resume", or "Jack Johnson Resume".
5
Attach your resume to the email, or copy-and-paste your resume into the body of the email. Some employers will specifically ask that you paste your resume into the body of your email, and some employers will specifically ask that you attach your resume. When in doubt, attach the resume so that the employer can easily download, view, and share the document.^{[7]
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- To attach: Locate the "Attach" button on your email interface-- the icon may resemble a paper clip. When you click "Attach", you will be prompted to select the correct file from your computer. Locate your resume document and double-click it to attach it to the email. The recipient of the email will now be able to download this version of the document onto their own computer.
- To copy-and-paste: Highlight the text of your resume document. Right-click and select "Copy". Now, right-click in the body of the email, and select "Paste". You should keep your resume at the end of your email, as if it were an attachment.
6
Write the email. Be polite and concise. Explain who you are, why you are emailing this person, and why you want the job.
- See the sample email at the bottom of Step 2.
- Gauge the tone of the job posting. If it is very formal, then your email should be very formal. If the tone is casual, then it is okay to relax a bit. If you are not sure, use a formal and respectful tone.^{[8]
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- Personalize your email. If you are excited about the job, then say so. If you have any unique skills or experience that make you stand out from the crowd, make sure to mention them. An employer will be more likely to remember you if you impress them with your passion.
- If you are applying for a specific position, then say so. If you are only inquiring about the sorts of positions that are available, say so.
7
Be sure to mention ways that the employer can contact you. List a phone number at which you can be reached during the day, and an email address that you check frequently.
- The world's strongest resume is useless if an employer cannot get in touch with you.
8
Read over what you have written. If possible, have a friend or a family member read over what you have written.
- Look out for spelling and grammar mistakes. Many email clients mark mistakes using a squiggly red underscore line, but you may also consider copying and pasting the text of your email into Microsoft Word or another word processor. Microsoft Word features a "Spelling and Grammar" button in the "Review" toolbar (or the "Edit" toolbar, for Word 2003 and earlier) that will spell-check your entire document.^{[9]
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- Make sure that you have attached your resume!
- Double-check the recipient ("To:") address of your email. Cross-reference this address with the address that you found in the job posting. Make sure that you have used the right suffix-- that you haven't typed ".com" instead of ".org", or vice versa.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Following Up

1
One last time, check to make sure that you sent your email to the right place.
- If you sent the email to the wrong address, do not worry. Find the right address, repeat the steps above, and send the email again.
2
Be patient. Your potential employer may be dealing with a flood of emails from job applicants, and he or she may not respond immediately.
3
Don't be afraid to follow up. If you don't hear back from the employer within a week or so, do not be afraid to send your resume again. Your email may have fallen through the cracks, and this does not necessarily mean that you will not be considered for the position.^{[10]
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- This time, write a polite note explaining why you are sending the resume again. See the example below.
- If you send a follow-up email and you still do not hear back from the employer, feel free to keep trying- but do not count on a response. Move on and consider other employment opportunities.
4
Be ready. When the employer responds to your email, he or she may ask for more information-- you may need to explain your past experience, or you may be called upon to fill out an application.
- When this happens, respond politely and promptly. This will demonstrate that you are easy to work with and that you are truly excited about the position.
5
Cast your job net wide. While you are waiting for a response, keep looking around for jobs that interest you, and continue to send out your resume. You can always turn down one interested employer for another-- but you can never have too many options.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I make my resume stand out when emailing?

Katherine Kirkinis, Ed.M., MA
Career Coach & Psychotherapist
Katherine Kirkinis is a Career Coach and Psychotherapist who has served as a career expert for Forbes, Medium, Best Life, and Working Mother Magazine, and as a diversity and inclusion expert for ATTN and Quartz. She specializes in working with issues of career, identity, and indecision. She has doctoral-level training in career counseling and career assessment and has worked with hundreds of clients to make career decisions through career assessments. She is pursuing a doctoral degree at The University of Albany, SUNY where her work focuses on diversity and inclusion, racism in the workplace, and racial identity. She is a published author and has been featured in academic journals as well as popular media outlets. Her research has been presented at 10+ national APA conferences since 2013.

Katherine Kirkinis, Ed.M., MA

Career Coach & Psychotherapist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Attach a cover letter to your email to clarify which job you're applying for and to explain why you'd be the ideal candidate for the position.