At some point, everyone finds him or herself on the job market. Individuals who haven’t looked in awhile will find that the Internet forever has changed the way employers and employees interact. With the advent of online job search sites, cover letters and resumes submitted by mail have gone the way of the buggy whip.

The following guidelines will help ensure that e-mails are opened and resumes are fully reviewed.

1. Get a professional e-mail address. Yourname@aol.com is more professional than surferdude@aol.com.

2. Identify the position in the subject line. Always put the job title and location.

3. Always include a short message. This is your cover letter. Limit your e-mail to two or three paragraphs and no more than 150 words.

4. Write targeted messages for each position. Review the job requirements and specifically and concisely state your qualifications.

5. Explain any ambiguities in your resume. Talk about any employment gaps or brief tenures, and how your current skills in one field translate to jobs in different fields.

6. Include all contact information. Give cell and home telephone numbers and include your e-mail address.

7. Paste your resume into your e-mail, and also attach it. Some employers don’t want to open attachments, so always paste your resume into the body of your e-mail.

8. Proofread before you send. Blackberrys have contributed to poor grammar and spelling in the name of brevity. This is not the time for that. Typos, incorrect spelling or grammatical errors could mean your resume gets deleted before it’s even read.

Source: Trina Lawry, Executive Property Management Recruitment, The EMLIN GROUP, Ltd.

Published in NAAHQ – Units, April 2008