Resumes Sent via Email: The Art of Attaching

"yes, I know how to spell your damn name" 

Perplexed about the above statement? So were we. It was the only sentence in an email we recently received. Attached was a beautiful resume. Apparently, the prospective job candidate had a problem attaching the resume to an email message she wished to send us, so she resorted to forwarding an earlier email, with the attachment, sent to an associate (whom, we guess, proffered the comment in a jokey tone).

More so than ever, it is essential that your resume sent via email without hitches or gaffes like the above. We have some tips on this matter for those who are challenged by the art of attaching documents to email messages.

First, a note on preparing your resume for email distribution: invest in PDF file conversion software. While name-brand PDF software is a little pricy, lower-cost versions exist and there are free programs available online. Look around for what you can get at little or no cost. These programs allow you to convert a document created in any program, such as Word, WordPerfect or Publisher, to a PDF version.

This means that your resume and cover letter will arrive at their destination in the same visual format they left your computer. While a document can look lovely on your monitor, and print out just the same, it may not survive the transfer to other computers. Different machines have different versions of Word on their computers and different fonts, whereas PDF files arrive, graphically, as you intended. One word of caution here, give your documents at least one-inch margins because printers have varying margin parameters, and that's something that PDF conversion won't resolve.

Second, get into the habit of leaving the address line blank until after you have attached the documents you wish to send and completed the message. You'll be less likely to accidentally send the message off sans attachments or with errors in the message. Some of us had to learn this the hard way.

Third, make sure you are sending the intended version of your document. You may have different versions of resumes on your computer. When you get in the hot seat and are gunning for a particular job, it's essential that you send the right file! We'll spare the technical details on how things can go wrong here, but believe us, it's worth opening the files you have attached and visually examining them make sure they're what you intend to send.

After the proper files are attached, you are ready to write your cover email message. Remember, your cover letter will be attached, right? So, you may want to extract your biggest "wow" factors from your cover letter for the email message. Your email message should be written in a formal tone, complete with punctuation and grammar. Nix the email shorthand. End your email message with your full name and contact information, including your phone number(s). Though they can email you, some people on a recruiting deadline prefer to pick up the phone, especially when they want to make quick contact. Just imagine, what if they can't open your attachments? We know you want them to be able to reach you, ASAP!

If, like the unfortunate person who spurred this missive, you need to recycle and old message for the sake of its attachments, be sure to strip out all, and we mean ALL, the old damn chatter.


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