How to Send a Cover Letter by Email: Format and Best Practices

Direct email applications are less common than applications through job boards, but they still happen — particularly for speculative applications, smaller employers, or roles where you have a direct contact. When applying by email, the cover letter requires some specific decisions.

Option 1: Cover Letter in the Email Body

The most natural approach for a direct email application is to write your cover letter in the body of the email itself. The email IS the cover letter — your CV is the attachment.

This works well because:

The recruiter sees your cover letter immediately when they open the email
No additional files to open
Clean and professional if formatted correctly

Format the email professionally — use paragraphs, not bullet points, and sign off formally. Avoid overly casual email language even if you know the person slightly.

Subject line: "Application for [Role] — [Your Name]"

Option 2: Cover Letter as a Separate Attachment

Some candidates prefer to attach a formally formatted cover letter document and write a brief note in the email body ("Please find my CV and cover letter attached for the [Role] role"). This is appropriate when:

The employer has specifically requested a cover letter file
You want to maintain a very formal, letter-style format with your address and the employer's address
The cover letter is longer or more detailed than works well in an email

Option 3: Both

For formal professional roles, some candidates write a brief introductory note in the email body AND attach a full cover letter. This ensures the recruiter sees some cover letter content immediately, with the full version available in the attachment.

Keep the email body brief in this case — two or three sentences directing attention to the attachments.

What to Avoid

Sending only a CV with no accompanying text in the email body (even one sentence of context is better than nothing)
Using overly casual language in the email body ("Hey, I've attached my CV for the role!")
An uninformative subject line ("Application" or "CV enclosed")
Sending in formats that require special software to open

CVCircuit's Cover Letter Generator

CVCircuit generates cover letters you can paste into an email body or download as a document.

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