How to get the interview

[DarlingNikki]

I'm responding to a job listing via e-mail with my resume as an attachment. Should I paste the cover letter in the body of the e-mail or make it another attachment?

Please help... need to do this in the morning...

 

[Seattle Zack]

Having done this a couple hundred times in the last year, I've found it best if you attach the resume and make a "lite" version of the cover letter to use as the body of your e-mail ... nothing too formal, but hitting all the points your cover letter would.

It's unlikely an employer will open both attachments and read them, so make your e-mail cover letter somewhat conversational in nature but still professional and effective. The body of the e-mail is your pitch -- it will determine whether your resume even gets looked at. Include everything relevant (e-mail, address, phone number) at the bottom after your signature.

Good luck.
--Zack

 

[wicked woman]

Follow any instructions given ...I know employers that said don't use attachments cause it takes so long to open them all...and deleted resumes from applicants that included attachments.


If they don't say...personally I'd forgo the attachements.... multiply the time to open the hundreds of applications they'll have....

 

[DarlingNikki]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Thanks, guys.

 

[HoldenMcCrank]

Know for the politically incorrect answer

Just attach your Av into the cover letter and I am sure that you will at least get an interveiw!

Holden

 

[midwestyankee]

I'm responding to a job listing via e-mail with my resume as an attachment. Should I paste the cover letter in the body of the e-mail or make it another attachment?

Please help... need to do this in the morning...

I would create an ASCII version of your resumé and insert it in your email following the text of your cover letter. That way it's all in one place and you don't have to rely on someone to open an attachment at all. Furthermore, many companies have safety mechanisms that make the use of attachments a real pain so it's worth the trouble to avoid using an attachment at all.

Make sure you prove during the interview that you have a passion for doing that which helps them make money. Be sure you know what qualities are important to this employer; if you don't know already, make that one of your own questions.

Another bit of advice from the other side of the desk: go in with the attitude that you are interviewing them to be sure you would consider working for them. Remember: they're looking for a good candidate and you are possibly "selling" what they lack. You are in the driver's seat here, no matter how long you've been looking or how hard you've been looking, or how discouraged you may have become from looking.

Enjoy yourself.