Ten Rules for Using E-mail in Your Job Search

By Scott Kane
Gray Hair Managementsm

The new economy has mandated that every employable person be capable of using e-mail effectively as a form of communications. A recent survey of recruiters indicated that there is an 85% preference to receive resumes by e-mail than by any other method. Adhering to these rules will increase your chances that the recruiter or prospective employer will read your resume.

1. Get a real e-mail address. Cutesy names like Slide2b@, Debbynooch@, hottotrot@, etc. tend to diminish the seriousness of your search. The closer your e-mail resembles your name, the better off you will be.

2. Don't share your e-mail address with members of your family. Get your own account with your own e-mail address. Sending a resume with your spouse's or family's return address is confusing and indicates that you may not possess the technological skills needed to communicate in today's economy.

3. Your resume and every other personal document should have your e-mail address included.

4. Your resume file should be a stand-alone attachment and not a zip file with several documents included. (Note: AOL generally "zips" all multiple attachments.)

5. Always make sure your full name is included in the resume file name you attach to your message. For example, "Scott Kane Resume.doc," and not "resume2001.doc." When the receiver copies your attachment to a folder, it will carry your name on it so that it can be easily retrieved.

6. If you're not using a mainstream word processing program (like MS Word), you will want to ensure that your document will open. You can do this by making it an .rtf file, or even a .txt file if you don't care about the formatting.

7. Always include a cover letter along with your full name and contact information in the body of the message. Don't include your cover letter as a second attachment with your resume for it will only confuse things.

8. Do not send your resume attached to a blank message. Because of the threat of a virus, it won't get opened or read.

9. Make sure that your reply address in your e-mail account is set up correctly. You don't want replies to you to be undeliverable.

10. Treat and use your e-mail address as you would your own telephone number. In the not too distance future, it will become the more common method of contacting you.

Ten Rules for Using E-mail in Your Job Search
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