How to Write an Email Resume Cover Letter

Email is often the preference for employers seeking job applicants

With so many employers posting and taking applications online, today the cover letter you send with your resume is often really an email. This can raise a number of questions from how formal it should be to what to include in the subject line.

Things You'll Need

• Time Computer

Instructions

1. Complete the subject line exactly as the employer requests. Many online employment ads require specific information in the subject line like a job listing number or job name. In the absence of information, keep it simple, like "Administrative Assistant Position." Don't use all caps or a subject line that might not make it through a spam filter, like "JOB SEEKER."

2. Use full names in your greeting, just as you would in a typed letter, e.g., Dear Mary Jones. However, follow that with a comma, not the colon you would use in a formal business letter

3. Begin the body of your letter with a reference to the job posting you are applying to and where you saw it. "I am replying to your ad on ____ for a marketing director."

4. Use your cover letter to highlight aspects of your resume that you would like to stand out. "My work as an assistant to five busy executives requires organizational and scheduling skills as well as booking travel arrangements."

5. Include anything else the employer asked for that would not appear on your resume, like salary history or requirements. Attach your resume and any other documents required, like writing samples -- as attachments or links.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your email cover letter short, sweet and to the point.

• Use a professional sounding email address. Set up a new one if you have to.

• If you can't find the name of the person you are applying to, check the company website or a site like Linked In that might provide a name.

• Open your attachments before sending to make sure they are the correct ones and don't include errors, but don't make corrections in the attachment, this will lead to a corrupted file message to your receiver.

• Don't use fancy fonts that may make your email hard to read.

References

• Bloomberg Business Week: How to Write an E-Mail Cover Letter