Sending Your Job Application by Email: Tips and Examples

By taking the time to review the necessary professional components for sending job applications via email, you can increase your chances of continuing through to the hiring process.

In this article, we discuss why it is important to be able to write an application email, tips for writing and sending applications, what should be included in your message and some examples for you to use as a guide.

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Why is it important to understand how to write application emails?

It is important to know how to write an application email as it could most likely serve as the first impression the hiring manager will have of you. You should be able to demonstrate your professionalism by writing a clear, concise and error-free message that compels your reader to take a closer look at your resume and cover letter attachments.

Related: Email Examples: How to Respond to an Employer Interview Request

Tips for sending an application via email

Use the following tips to write a professional email that makes a positive impression on employers:

• Find an actual person to address in your email.

• Use the right email address.

• Add the recipient's email address last.

• Keep your message short.

• Check your attachments' names.

• Consider converting attachments to PDF.

Find an actual person to address in your email

Take a look at the company website to identify the name of a supervisor or director who oversees the department you would most likely work in. This is a technique that you can use to appeal as a personable individual to an employer. By directly addressing an individual by name, you are demonstrating that you have completed company research which further demonstrates your enthusiasm for the job.

Use the right email address

Make sure that you are using a professional email address. Sending an email application from an email address such as dolphinlover875@email.com can be seen as an immediate disqualification because it's unprofessional. Consider using an email that uses your first and last name or initials only, such as jsmith@email.com.

Add the recipient's email address last

This is important in preventing you from clicking send before you have thoroughly checked for mistakes. Only add the email address once you are sure that your message is free of grammar and punctuation errors and you have the appropriate documents attached.

Keep your message short

A proper application email should be short and direct, only including the most relevant information. Employers might be deterred by long and wordy messages when they have other applications to review.

Check your attachments' names

Make sure that the file names for your attachments are appropriate and correctly labeled. Consider placing your last name in front of the document title, such as Smith_Resume and Smith_CoverLetter. This can appear more professional and it can be helpful for employers to reference, should they download and save your application documents for further review.

Consider converting attachments to PDF

When you convert word documents into PDFs, you can increase the likelihood of a clear, easy-to-read application. It is important to do this as your recipient might have a different type of computer or software program that might alter how your documents appear when they are opened on their computer.

Related: 8 Best Practices for Business Email Etiquette

What to include in an application email

Image description

An illustration showing an email with the title "Elements of an email application" with each element of the email labeled with bubbles saying: Subject line, First paragraph, Third paragraph, Closing, Salutation, and Second Paragraph.

The email reads:

Your name - Job title

A short personal introduction, where you found the job posting, and any company references.

Highlight your qualifications. Sell yourself as a desired addition to their team.

Mention the attached documents. Thank them for their consideration.

Keep it professional, like "Sincerely" or "Regards." Sign your name and include your contact information.

Here are key elements to include in your properly-formatted email:

• Subject line

• Business salutation

• Job position in question

• Name of the source you used

• Description of why you are an ideal candidate

• Closing statement

• Email signature

• Contact details

Subject line

The subject line is important because it tells the recipient what's in your email, and will determine if the hiring manager will open or delete it. Your subject line should be short and to the point. Use a statement like 'John Smith Application', or 'Lauren Roberts Application for Marketing Specialist.'

Business salutation

The safest salutation to use when writing to employers is the term "Dear" followed by the full name of your recipient. If you have not been able to find any information regarding a specific name, address the recipient by job title, such as "Hiring Manager."

Job position in question

Directly under the salutation, you should include a statement that addresses the job you are applying for. Make sure that you name the position correctly to avoid confusing your reader.

Name of the source you used

Following your mention of the job position you are applying for, you should address the source where you learned of the position, for example, "that I came across on indeed.com." If your source is a current employee, even better, as this individual can potentially act as an advocate and/or professional reference to the employer.

Description of why you are an ideal candidate

This should be a short but impactful statement that highlights your most relevant qualifications that could be applied to the job position in question. You can view it as a condensed version of your cover letter, such as the following: "I am a former PR specialist with over five years of experience working in marketing and digital media".

Closing statement

Your closing statement should be placed on its own line, below the last sentence of your message. This should be a forward-thinking statement that expresses enthusiasm for further discussion about the job position with the employer, such as "I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience." In your closing statement, you should include a closing salutation such as "Sincerely" or "Best Regards."

Email signature

An email signature should be placed directly below your typed full name. You can create an email signature easily by selecting an email signature font and size in your email program's settings folder. You can save it for use in future professional emails.

Contact details

Below your email signature, you should include your phone number, email address, general location of residency and the link to your website or professional networking page, if applicable. Doing so, provides employees with readily available access to your contact details.

Related: Email Examples: How to Respond to a Recruiter

Examples of application emails

Using the above tips and outline, here are two examples of proper application emails that can help you craft your own response:

Example 1

Subject: Kyle Morley Application

Dear Jeremy Brown,

My name is Kyle Morley and I am contacting you about the available position for a mid-level civil engineer within your company. I was first made aware of this opportunity on indeed.com and I am intrigued by the opportunity to apply my 7+ years of experience in civil engineering to the continued success of your organization.

Below I have enclosed my resume and cover letter for your review.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

Kyle Morley

Kyle Morley
Civil Engineer
012-345-6789
kmorley@email.com
Grand Prairie, TX

Example 2

Subject: Idris Stewart Application for Quality Assurance Coordinator

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am contacting you to inquire after a job opening for Quality Assurance Coordinator that I learned about from your produce transport manager, Molly Clawson.

I have attached my resume and cover letter which outlines my 10+ years of experience in assuring the quality of products and produce in manufacturing plants across the United States.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Best regards,
Idris Stewart

Idris Stewart
Quality Assurance Specialist
145-167-1892
stewart_idris@email.com
Charleston, NC