What to Write in an Email When Sending Your Resume (with Examples)

Emailing has been the preferred form of business-related communication since the early 2000s, and it’s only grown in popularity over the last few years with the rise of remote work. It’s estimated that the average person receives 121 business-related emails every day.

This means as a job seeker sending out resumes, you’ll likely be competing for space in many overly crowded inboxes. Not only that, but your message may end up in the pile of someone already suffering from what’s called ‘email fatigue’.

All this is to say, if you’re going to send an email to a potential employer, you need to make sure you’re following the proper etiquette and getting your point across in the most efficient manner.

How to Format Your Email 

Here are five important rules to follow when setting up an email correspondence with a future employer.

1. Make sure your email address sounds professional. 

Did you know that 35% of recruiters consider an unprofessional email address to be a

deal breaker? Having a silly or illegible email address could result in your resume being thrown in the trash or sent to a SPAM folder.

It’s time to ditch the Hotmail account you made in middle school and go for something a little more streamlined. Try for an email address that includes the first letter of your first name and your full last name, like this:

J_Smith123@gmail.com

2. You must include a subject line. 

Subject lines are a great way to let the other person know what your email is pertaining to, and give them an idea of when and how they should respond. Without a subject line, not only is your email more likely to get lost in the chaos, but it also results in more busy work for the receiver. That’s not the way to start off a professional relationship.

If you’re “cold emailing” a potential employer, make your subject line eye-catching but to the point. Here are examples:

"Very Interested in Your Open Position”  

“Eager to Learn More About Your Company!” 

“Referred to you by: (Referral name)”  

3. Check that you know who you’re talking to. 

Before sending your resume, make sure you know exactly who’s receiving it. This

information may not always be available, but when possible, you should be doing research on the company website to find contact information for the person in charge of hiring. Once you have that information, make sure you are addressing them politely and professionally.

Do not start your email off with anything too casual like “Hey!” or “What’s up?”Instead, the beginning of your email should look something like this:

Dear Ms. James, 

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. I am emailing you in regard to the open position in the marketing department of (company name)... 

4. Include a brief write-up about yourself.

And we mean brief! Remember, the people receiving your resume have to sift through dozens of emails every day. They don’t have time to read the same information twice.

In the bulk of your email, include a few bullet points regarding your skills and expertise, perhaps a sentence or two about why you think you’d make a good fit, and then close it out.

Do not simply repeat what’s already written in your resume/cover letter, and definitely do not copy and paste any information from those documents into this email.

Here’s an example of what you could write:

“My name is John Smith, and I have been working in marketing for five years. I have a degree from the University of Tennessee and am looking to expand my horizons and find new opportunities outside of the state. Based on my research, your company seems to be exactly what I’m looking for, and I’m especially impressed by your previous marketing campaign that ran during the Super Bowl. I would love to be involved in future projects like this, and I think I would make a great addition to your team. 

Please refer to my resume and cover letter for more information, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.” 

5. Attach Resume and Sign Off 

Lastly, don’t forget to actually attach your resume and cover letter, and sign off using a

professional, yet friendly tone, like this:

“Thanks for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.”

Then sign your name and send the email. You should wait at least a week before reaching out to a potential employer again but don’t wait too long, otherwise, you and your resume may end up slipping through the cracks.