E-mailing Your Resume - Resume Tutorial - America's Career InfoNet

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E-mailing Your Resume

E-mailing resumes can be complicated due to the different options involved. You can include your resume in the body of the e-mail or attach it as a separate document. There are tradeoffs between the two.

"Some employers won't open attachments for security reasons. However, attachments offer more formatting options."

Including your resume within the body of the e-mail limits your formatting options. You can enter the text into the e-mail itself, or create an ASCII resume in a text editor such as Notepad. ASCII stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It ensures that the information you input on your computer will appear the same on other computers. Learn how to convert your resume to ASCII format.

Attachments take longer to open and you only have a few seconds to catch the employer's attention. Some employers won't open attachments for security reasons. However, attachments offer more formatting options. Employers who accept resumes via e-mail may specify a document format to use (example: RTF - Rich Text Format). When no method is specified, RTF or Microsoft Word may be your best choice.

Make it easy on prospective employers. State the position you are applying for and your name in your email subject line. Whenever you send a resume by e-mail, you should include a brief cover letter. E-mail cover letters are just like regular cover letters but are only one or two paragraphs in length. Be succinct and make sure you address any specific requirements of the job listing.

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