How to Email a Resume: Subject Line and Sample Emails

Read the job post first

Many job posts say exactly how to apply: which email address to use, what to write in the subject line, which documents to attach. Recruiters often filter their inbox by that subject line, so an email that ignores it may never be opened.

If there are no instructions, use the format below.

Write a clear subject line

The subject line should tell the recruiter what the email is before they open it. Put the job title first, then your full name. Add a reference number if the post has one.

Name your file properly

The recruiter will save your file in a folder with dozens of others. Make yours easy to find by putting your name and the role in the file name.

• Send a PDF unless the post asks for Word. A PDF keeps your layout the same on every device.
• Make sure the text in the PDF can be selected. A scanned photo of a printed resume cannot be read by screening software.
• Keep the file small so it is not blocked or slow to open on a phone.

Not sure your file can be read properly? Run it through the free ATS resume checker before you send it, or start from one of the resume templates that export a clean, text-based PDF.

What to write in the email body

Never send an empty email with only an attachment. A short message is enough:

1. A greeting with the person's name if you know it.
2. The position you are applying for and where you saw it.
3. One or two sentences on why you fit: years of experience, a key skill, one result.
4. What you attached.
5. Your availability and mobile number, then your name.

If the employer asks for a cover letter, either attach it as a second PDF or use it as the body of the email. Do not do both with the same text. Our guide on how to write a cover letter has full samples.

Sample emails

If you have experience

If you are a fresh graduate

If someone referred you

Mention the referral in the first sentence, and only if that person knows you are using their name.

Check before you hit send

• The attachment is actually attached. Open it from the draft to be sure it is the right version.
• The recipient's email address is spelled correctly.
• You are sending from a plain address based on your name, not an old nickname.
• You attached every document the post asked for, and nothing it did not ask for.
• You attached files directly. Shared-drive links can fail if the permissions are wrong.
• The email is addressed to one employer. Do not send one message to several companies at once.

Email the application to yourself first and open it on your phone. You will see what the recruiter sees: the subject line, the first sentence and whether the PDF opens.

A short signature with your name, mobile number and LinkedIn link makes you easier to contact. You can make one with the free email signature generator.

How to follow up

If you have not heard back after about a week, one polite follow-up is fine. Reply to your original email so the recruiter has your resume in the same thread. If the post gave a closing date, wait until it has passed.

If there is still no reply after that, move on to other applications. You can always apply again when the company posts a new opening.