The Best Method To Email Your Cover Letter & Get The Job!

From Career Point Kenya Archives

Chances are that you have qualified for a certain job and have probably crafted an eye catching cover letter and a keyword rich CV. Your next step is to send your application to the HR Manager and one of the easiest ways is by email.

“So how do you email your application/ cover letter? What’s the best subject line for an email in response to a job ad?” This is a question that many job seekers always ask?

To begin with, the best email subject line should be, “straightforward and informative,” explains Mr. Samuel Njoroge, Regional Recruiter Path International. For instance, you may say ‘Gladys Maina CV for Accountant Position’. It tells the recipient who you are, what you’re sending, and why you’re sending it.

However, Breneen Maloba of Seven Seas Technologies says that, this isn’t a concrete formula. “Some job ads require you mention a job posting ID number when you apply, you should substitute the name of the position with the number. For example one may say, ‘Gladys Maina CV for Job Ref ST 2014/05

How then do you include your cover letter on the application?

From a research on several Kenyan job seekers the common scenarios are either to; “copy and paste the full cover letter into the body of the email; attach the cover letter to the email, and include a brief note in the body of the email; or include the cover letter both in the body of the email and as an attachment.

But I sought to find out of the three methods, which is the most effective method in most cases?

Mr. Njoroge advises on including the cover letter both in the body of the email and then as an attachment.

Your cover letter is the most selling tool so “the recruiter can have a good chance to look at your cover letter at a glance.” Additionally, “in case s/he may require more insight and details s/he can proceed to check from the attachment which will be plus the CV,” he adds.

Mr. Maloba also points out that “a cover letter pasted into the body of an email reduces the number of attachments the HR manager is forced to open.” Pasting your cover letter into the body of the email will at least eliminate that one extra step for the busy hiring manager.

This however, is disputed by Ms. Flora Otieno, HR Manager Kenatco taxis who opts for “attaching a cover letter to the email and a brief note in the body.”

She explains that, “it is precise as one is able to see that at a glance without straining, and it makes short listing easier, especially when you have a pool of candidates who have applied for a post. She further urges that, “it is also easier to tell the type of candidate you want to shortlist i.e organized or not.”

“Including your cover letter in the body of the email, however, “gets to the point faster than writing the awkward “here is my CV and cover letter, Gladys Maina,” rejoins Mr. Maloba.

This will eliminate potential confusion between your cover letter and any introductory note you would otherwise have to include.

“If you attach both your cover letter and CV as Word documents and write a short introductory note, that note might be mistaken by the HR Manager as your cover letter.”

Mr. Njoroge concludes that, your cover letter is your big chance to promote yourself and summarize why you are perfect for the job, and you want to make sure it gets read. “It does not cost anyone who creates visibility of his/her details in any case it enhances clarifications and possible chances of getting a job.”

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