Laurie Mitchell & Company, Inc.

Email Etiquette

These days, most resumes are emailed to the potential corporate employer or to the recruiter conducting a specific search. Almost gone is the time when a job seeker would fax or snail mail his/her resume in reply to a posting or an advertisement.

Most job applicants are well intentioned and aim to please an overworked human resources professional or headhunter. However, they rarely look at the process from the other side, and therefore, inadvertently commit goofs that disadvantage them in the selection process. Here are a few helpful hints that will maximize your chances of breaking through the resume email clutter.

Always email your resume as a Microsoft Word file. Put your name in the subject line and your thoughtful cover letter in the body of the email.
When initially sending your resume, always name the document with your name, last name first. For example: “Jones, Mary Resume.doc”. Never label your resume “Resume.doc” or “Revised Resume.doc” or “MyResume.doc”, etc. Why should the end user have to rename the file? Every day I receive many “Resume.doc”s which evidence that candidates don't think about my needs but only their own.
Always make your cover letter part of your opening email message. Do not attach it as a separate document. Always customize it for the specific ad, posting or job description you're replying to.
Generic cover letters demonstrate that you've got a shotgun approach and that you answer bunches of ads rather than being selective. Prove to the HR pro or recruiter that you are seriously enough interested in his/her company to use a proper salutation and reference the name of the company and the job in the body of the cover letter.
Always send the resume as a simple Microsoft Word attachment. Don't zip it, don't send it as a text file, don't send pictures or incorporate many visual elements. Keep it simple for the recruiter's first perusal. More information can always be requested.
Never instruct the recruiter to go to your website to view your resume. We'll go there if we are interested in learning more about you.
Finally, don't attempt to have ongoing or lengthy email conversations with your recruiter. Use the telephone. We need to hear your grammar, your diction and your oral presentation. And never cancel an interview at the last moment by email. Doing so will certainly kill your candidacy and cause the pros to mutter about twenty-somethings who don't get it or who don't have any manners.

If you use traditional common sense when emailing your resume to prospective employers, you will stand out from the masses who don't. Doors will open wide for you. Good Luck!

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