Never End an Email With “Please Find Attached My Resume”

Updated June 18, 20223.9k

Following outdated career advice can hurt your chances of getting a job. Learn what you should write instead of “Please find attached my resume.”

Modern Ways to Say “Please Find Attached My Resume”

When including your resume as an email attachment, job seekers often wonder when and how to state their resume is attached. While you don’t want potential employers to miss an attached file, you want to make sure you come across as capable and competent in your message. You may see email cover letter examples that use the phrase “Please find attached my resume.” But is this the best way to do it? This guide will show you everything you need to know about informing potential employers of your attached resume during your job search.

Why You Shouldn’t Say “Please Find Attached My Resume”

When you are looking for a new job, you will be competing to get the attention of the hiring manager or recruiter. You want to sound capable but also personable. Career experts recommend using language that is professional but not dated. “Please find attached my resume” can sound old-fashioned and awkward. You want to write your message the same way you would speak in the job interview to your potential employers. Avoid using words or word combinations that sound antiquated. For example, rather than saying, “find attached my resume,” you can say, “My resume is attached.”

Try to avoid the terms:

Please find attached my resume
To whom it may concern
Enclosed (when not including a hard copy of your resume)
References available on request

These can sound slightly outdated as well as make your application sound generic, which is the opposite of what you want!

Five Modern Ways to Tell Potential Employers Your Resume Is Attached

There are a number of more current sounding phrases to tell potential employers your resume is attached to your email message. You can directly state that your resume is attached, or you can refer to the attachment indirectly. This will alert the hiring manager to its existence in a more natural way. Some phrases you can use include:

I have attached my resume for your consideration.
My resume is attached.
A copy of my CV is attached.
In my attached resume…
This is detailed in my attached CV…

Try mirroring the type of language that the hiring manager uses in the job description or job posting. You can also include a reference to the attachment in the subject line of your email, e.g., “Sales associate application and resume”.

When Should You Use These Phrases?

Job seekers often wonder when it is appropriate to attach a resume without saying anything at all. There are several situations in which you may want to submit your resume without stating it directly in your message.

- If the job you are applying for gives direct instructions on how to attach or submit your resume, then it goes without saying that you should follow them.

- If the job you are applying for requests specifically that you do not attach a resume, then do not. In some cases, they may ask you to include your resume in the body of the email. It is important to follow instructions in the job posting exactly as they are stated.

- If you are submitting a standard job application email to an advertised job, then it is expected that you will include your resume as an attachment. In this case, you don’t need to state that your resume is attached.

The times when you want to state your resume is attached are the times when the reader may not be expecting it. If you are cold contacting a hiring manager or recruiter about a job and want to make sure your resume is noticed, then you will likely want to make a point to say that you have attached it to your email.

Likewise, if you are following up with additional contacts you met at your job interview, then you may want to include a digital copy of your resume for them to review further.

Even if you include a link to an online resume or LinkedIn profile in your email, you should still include an attached professional resume, as this is considered standard practice for job submissions.

FAQ: Please Find Attached My Resume

What if I attach a document other than my resume? Should I state that it is attached?

If you attach another document such as a cover letter, portfolio, or references, then you should follow the same protocol for stating your attached resume. Do not include too many unsolicited attachments in an initial email, as this will make it less likely that your potential employers will open them or read them.

What if the job I am applying to uses formal language?

There are some exceptions in the hiring process when you may want to use more formal terms. Generally, you want to mirror the style of your potential employers.

What should I name my resume attachment?

Make the file name of your resume attachment obvious to potential employers who will be opening it. You can use a combination of your first name and last name, and the word “resume” (e.g., Jane_Smith_Resume.pdf”). The file name of your resume is important because a hiring manager or recruiter who receives your job application may be reluctant to open files that look like spam.

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About The Author

Jessie Oleson Moore

Jessie Oleson Moore is a Philadelphia-based freelance writer / ghostwriter and artist. As a writer, she has written extensively on finance, day trading, personal growth, and career development and has extensive experience producing in-depth, research-based articles and guides. In addition, she is an accomplished illustrator and author who has appeared on The Today Show and been featured in Publisher's Weekly. In her free time, she’s an avid traveler, Ashtanga yoga practitioner, and unicorn enthusiast.