Resume E-mail Attachments: Do’s and Don’ts

Recruiters see hundreds, and possibly thousands of resumes in a given day or week. To assure yours gets through the first round of review, use the following tips recruiter Yolanda M. Owens uses to screen resume submissions via email.  

Use This Formula For Ideal Resume File Names:
Last name, First Name Resume

Tips on Naming Your Resume Attachments:
DON’T use general file names that are meaningless to another person. File names such as:

• My resume/my_cv
• My_pages/Doc 1.doc
• Resume (1), Resume 2014, Resume New
• Use only first names

 
Tips on File Types and Extensions:

• DO use .pdf file extension. PDFs are universally accepted and read by all computers. Word documents or .docs are preferred second.
• DON’T use .pages files. Files with the extension .pages open only in Macbook. As most recruiters do not have MacBooks, in preference to Microsoft Windows, dot pages files would not easily be read by Windows machines.
• DO assure your file is keyword searchable. If files are not readable, they are not keyword searchable. Many recruiters may not even read the resume, they may browse hundreds of resumes at a time using keywords, like searching on Google. Therefore, global readable file formats are preferred.

Tips on Formatting Text:  
 DON’T use:

• All Caps
• All Bold
• All lower case

Tips on Writing Your Name:

• Use your first and last name when using your name
• Capitalize the first letter of your first and last name
• Use short and sweet names, less than 15 characters, if possible
• Include your FULL address (street, city, state, zip (US)/PIN code (India) if applicable)
• Include the phone number where employers can best reach you
• Don’t forget to include your email so recruiters can send you confirmations

What should I do if the email gets sent, but the attachment doesn’t?
Don’t panic. Simply send a follow up emailing saying “The resume attachment is missing from my previous email. I have attached it to this email for your reference. My apologies for any inconvenience.”

Take note: This email should be a proper email with an opening and a closing. Do not write to recruiters in the form of instant messages or text messages. 

CareerSensei is a career consulting company focused on resume writing, career coaching, job search education and advice for individuals looking for the next best steps on their career path. With a proven corporate recruiting and career advice background, CareerSensei knows what companies want and what you need to gain an inside edge over the competition. So if you’re looking to spruce up your resume, polish your interviewing skills, or need a complete job search make-over, CareerSensei has you covered! To learn more, check out the link to my website page and spread the word.


Related Posts: 
Video Tutorials on Business Email Formatting (Get your email read and responded to faster)
How to Close an E-mail  
Interviewing Successfully with Western Recruiters (Cross-Culture Training PPT)  
Review of Yolanda's Career Search Guide  

Networked blogs link: http://nblo.gs/YqC4T

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Career Building, Get a Job, Guest Blogs