The email that carries your resume is a quick, professional introduction — not the place for your life story. Three or four sentences is plenty: say which role you're applying for, why you're a fit in one line, point to your attachments, and make it easy to reply.
Use a clear subject line
Name the role and yourself so it's easy to find and easy to route to the right person.
Application — Customer Service Officer, Sam Taylor
Keep the email body short
Open with a greeting, state the role and where you saw it, give one line on why you're a good fit, and point to your attached resume (and cover letter, if asked for).
Dear Hiring Manager, I'm writing to apply for the Customer Service Officer role advertised on your website. With three years in retail customer service, I'd bring strong communication and problem-solving skills to your team. My resume is attached — I'd welcome the chance to discuss the role. Kind regards, Sam
Mention your attachments
Tell them what's attached so nothing is missed, and use clear file names like Sam-Taylor-Resume.pdf. PDF is usually the safest format unless the ad asks for Word.
Make it easy to reply
Close warmly and include your phone number under your name so they can reach you quickly. If you don't hear back in a week or two, a polite nudge is fine — see our guide to following up after a job application.
Key takeaways
- Keep the email body to three or four sentences
- Name the role in the subject line and the first sentence
- Point to your attached resume and use clear file names
- Add your phone number and keep the tone warm
Write your covering email
Add a few details and copy a short, professional message to send with your resume.
Open the application message tool