Resume/cover letter question

urahonky

I'm finally getting my resume together and I have a question. On my university's website there's a job post for a job that I'd like to apply to. The posting says to email my resume to the given address...

Now here's the question: What do I do for the cover letter? What I mean by that is, do I attach two files to the email? The cover letter and the resume, or combine the two? Or do I even need a cover letter, and then in the email I put what my cover letter would say?

I hope this makes sense.

VisionOfClarity

I've always written a brief email that states the position and that my resume and cover letter are attached. I tend to attach them as two files.

urahonky

Okay fantastic, thank you. I just didn't want to be sending too many files if they aren't going to read it.

L Ron Howard

I used the email as a cover letter, and put a sentence that said such a thing.

Lux

I pretty much just cover myself and write the cover letter in the e-mail, stating that a copy of the cover letter is attached to my resume. Then my letter and resume are in the same file.

Haven't had a problem with it, so far.

urahonky

Haha, so it seems like it probably doesn't matter as long as you have all the material? I might just attach the cover letter and resume separately, and then note what job I'm applying for in the email.

Lux

The way I figure, they're adults, I can't see why they would discredit me for putting a cover letter as an attachment or in the body. Their main goal is to see it, an extra click shouldn't really make a difference in their impression of me.

Modern Man

urahonky wrote: »

Haha, so it seems like it probably doesn't matter as long as you have all the material? I might just attach the cover letter and resume separately, and then note what job I'm applying for in the email.

It probably doesn't matter. The cover letter's purpose is to tell them why you're sending them the resume, basically. If the e-mail does that, there's no need to send a separate cover letter as a file.

CelestialBadger

I have always put the contents of the cover letter in the email body.

My thinking is that the purpose of a cover letter, in snail mail days, was so that a resume did not arrive on its own with no explanation. It is meant to briefly introduce yourself and tell them which job you are applying for. The email body serves that purpose these days.

If you leave the body more or less blank, or very brief, then the secretary or HR person who reads it might get annoyed since they don't know where to file your application without opening an extra file. They might file it straight in the "deleted items" folder if they are swamped. Remember a lot of viruses come in mysterious attachments to very short emails.

The only reason to supply the cover letter as an attachment is if the employer specifically requests it.

L Ron Howard

Even when the employer requests a cover letter and specifically states it, my first sentence is usually something to the effect of: "please consider the contents of this email as my cover letter."
I've never had an issue with it.

I also basically redid my cover letter/email anew each time, since, to me at least, they always sounded contrived when they sit there all perfect and rehashed a thousand times.

Willeth

Modern Man wrote: »

urahonky wrote: »

Haha, so it seems like it probably doesn't matter as long as you have all the material? I might just attach the cover letter and resume separately, and then note what job I'm applying for in the email.

It probably doesn't matter. The cover letter's purpose is to tell them why you're sending them the resume, basically. If the e-mail does that, there's no need to send a separate cover letter as a file.

I'd always include it as a separate file as well. When I'm sending out applications, I usually include writing samples and my cover letter all as one document, on separate pages.

A lot of the time, HR will print out CVs and cover letters for the line manager to read. It makes it easier for them if it's all in one place, and less likely that they'll miss something because it's a separate attachment or in the email body, or whatever.