When E-Mailing Do I Still Need a Cover Letter?

While cover letters are still expected in most professions, when e-mailing you may want to consider condensing the letter to what we call a cover note.  A cover note is a short 4 to 8 line message which seeks to introduce you and highlight one or two of your major experiences or qualifications.  Cover notes are ideal for less formal industries and entry level positions.

Cover Note Example:

Subject: Associate Product Manager - New York

Steven Q. Ludlow
sludlow@gmail.com
987-456-1234
54 Wisteria Place
Brooklyn, NY 11202

Dear Mark Smith:

As an experienced development manager with more than 10 years experience, I am interested in meeting with you to discuss your opening for an Associate Product Manager in your New York office.  I have successfully led teams of more than 25 developers working on both large and small concurrent projects as well as mentoring new managers on leadership, time management and budgeting.

I believe my education and experience would make me a great asset to your organization and will e-mail you next week to see when it might be convenient for us to meet.

Sincerely, Steven Q. Ludlow

————————-[begin resume] ————————-

When e-mailing your resume for higher level positions or in a more traditional industry you can incorporate the cover letter into the message or send the cover letter as an attachment to be printed.  When attaching the cover letter be sure to include a short introductory message in the e-mail and always mention the name of the position you are applying for in the subject.