Many employers now require applicants to submit their resumes and... electronically. Electronic resumes were once exclusively used in high-tech... USING E-MAIL DURING YOUR JOB SEARCH

Many employers now require applicants to submit their resumes and... electronically. Electronic resumes were once exclusively used in high-tech... USING E-MAIL DURING YOUR JOB SEARCH

USING E-MAIL DURING YOUR JOB SEARCH
Many employers now require applicants to submit their resumes and cover letters
electronically. Electronic resumes were once exclusively used in high-tech sectors, but
now organizations in a wide range of industries require applicants to submit applications
by e-mail.
While e-mail is often seen as an informal means of communication, the need for
professionalism and attention to detail remains unchanged. Poor spelling or grammar in
your e-mail can eliminate you from consideration just as quickly as it can on paper.
Carefully proofread your message several times before sending it.
Tip: Leave the recipient’s address blank until you’re ready to send it, so that you don’t
accidentally send your message before it is ready to go. Remember-you only get one
chance to make a good first impression!
ARE ATTACHMENTS ALWAYS THE WAY TO GO?
Don’t assume that attachments are always the best way to send your resume and cover
letter. The most common problem with attachments is incompatible file formats.
Most experts suggest that applicants send plain text resumes when applying by e-mail
unless otherwise specified. Employers like this type of resume because it uses the ASCII
file format which is universally readable by all computers, no matter which software is
being used.
Viruses are another potential problem with attachments. Many employers prefer not to
receive attached resumes for fear of viruses that will damage their systems; some
corporate virus scanning software will delete the attachments before the reader receives
the e-mail.
Also, e-mail servers don’t all handle encoding and decoding of attachments the same way.
Depending on how the employer’s e-mail software is set up, there is a small risk that your
attachments will appear as pages of scrambled characters instead of the carefully
formatted resume that you prepared.
Try to find out what format the employer wants: Read the posting carefully, check the
organization’s website or try to find out at an employer information session. If you still
don’t know what format they prefer and want to be sure your application is considered,
consider using plain text format. Some employers will accept both formats, but it is worth
the effort to check.
PREPARING A PLAIN TEXT RESUME
To create a plain text resume, first open your regular resume in a word processing
software. Save your document as a ‘text only’ document by clicking on the “save as”
command. In Microsoft Word, select File > Save As > Save as Type and select “Text
Only”. It will be saved with a “.txt” extension. Open your text resume using a plain text
editor such as Notepad and make any necessary changes. Tips for formatting plain text
resumes include:
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Bold, italics, bullets and various sizes of fonts will not appear in ASCII. Instead, you
may want to use capitals for headings in place of bold or underlining.
Some e-mail programs wrap text at about 65 or 72 characters. Limit each line to no
more than 65 characters. Don’t risk having your resume and cover letter arrive
fragmented on multiple lines.
Left justify everything. Attempts to centre text can be unpredictable.
Be sure to remove any headers that you had on page 2 (your name, page numbering,
etc.).
Proofread, proofread and then proofread again. An e-mail with typos or grammatical
mistakes may quickly end up in the trash folder. Copy your resume into the body of the
e-mail when you apply.
Do a test by sending a .txt copy to yourself, family, or friends.
E-MAIL ETIQUETTE
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Don’t forget to include a cover letter; you still need to explain why you are applying for
the position and how your skills and experiences will meet the employer’s needs.
Stick to proper business communications including a salutation (e.g. ”Dear Ms.
Smith”), a standard closing (e.g. “Sincerely”) and include your full name where you
would normally sign it. Don’t use the emoticons and abbreviations that are so often
used in everyday e-mails.
Always include complete contact information with every e-mail. You may want to
create a “signature file” to be included at the bottom of all outgoing e-mail messages
with your full name, complete address, phone number and e-mail address listed. Use
a professional sounding e-mail address. Don’t be “[email protected]”
Be sure that you are reachable and that your e-mail inbox is not full. Employers won’t
be impressed when they receive “message undeliverable” errors when your e-mail
account is temporarily over quota. Check your e-mail often.
If the employer prefers attachments, consider sending the cover letter as plain text in
the body of the message and attaching the resume. Leaving the entire body of the
message blank may be seen as laziness and a lack of interest in the organization you
are applying to. Include the position of interest in the subject line and label your
resume attachment with your name. Make sure you attach the correct version of your
resume and that it does not contain references to other positions.
Also be sure you have up-to-date anti-virus software. Unknowingly sending a virus to
a prospective employer is definitely not going to make a good first impression!
APPLYING ONLINE VIA WEB FORMS
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Applying on the web is not the same as e-mailing your resume. In addition to cutting
and pasting your resume and cover letter on to the web form, you will also likely be
asked to answer a series of questions specific to that particular job.
In addition to basic questions such as filling in your GPA, you may be asked to
explain your career objectives, highlight relevant skills, discuss extracurricular
activities, etc. Use every opportunity you have to showcase your relevant skills; don’t
leave questions unanswered or boxes blank.
The key is in your preparation. You must understand and be able to articulate your
skills and how your education and experience relate to the position.
In addition to the content of your answers, many employers are also assessing your
communication style. Unless otherwise indicated, answer these questions using
complete sentences. Obviously, perfect spelling and grammar are also key.
Tip: Review the online application in advance and note down what questions are being
asked; then take time to formulate your answers before submitting them online!
A FINAL SUGGESTION
E-mailing potential employers is fine for making your first contact with an organization,
but don’t forget the personal touch. Follow up with a phone call to help you stand out
from the rest of the resumes that they receive by e-mail on a daily basis.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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Book a 30-minute critique to receive individual feedback on your drafts from a Career
Counsellor or Employment Advisor. Check our calendar of events for more details:
http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers/events-calendar
Resume Magic (p. 431-468), by Susan Britton Whitcomb (2003)
The Complete Book of Resumes (p. 91-106), by Karen Schaffer (2005)
This tip sheet is intended as a counselling document and the information is subject to change. (Updated May 2015)