nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Best way to attach resume to e-mail?

Gundamtdk

What is the best way to attach my resume to an e-mail? (In e-mail itself, Word document, PDF?)

Find more posts tagged with

SAVE $250 on Your Boot Camp — Use Code "EXAM26"

Exclusively for TechExams members for Infosec Boot Camps starting before April 30, 2026

View Boot Camps

Comments

ajs1976

I would include it as a word doc attachement (not a docx), unless they request otherwise.

Slowhand

The most common way I've seen is as a Word (.doc) file. That seems to be the generally accepted way of sending out your resume, unless specifically asked by the hiring company or manager for another format.

blargoe

.doc is pretty much standard. Like someone else said, if you are using Office '07 don't let it save in the default .docx format. A couple of times I have had them request a plain text resume but that's rare.

tech-airman

Gundamtdk wrote:

What is the best way to attach my resume to an e-mail? (In e-mail itself, Word document, PDF?)

Gundamtdk,

Prior to attaching it, you might want to password protect the .doc file to protect it from being modified.

KGhaleon

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y62/KGhaleon/hakitty.jpg?t=1184877263

<_< >_>

blargoe

I disagree with the password protection - HR people and recruiters are morons and complicating the process makes it easier for your resume to get tossed. If tampering is a concern, use a PDF and copy protect it.

ms_visio

tech-airman wrote:

Gundamtdk wrote:

What is the best way to attach my resume to an e-mail? (In e-mail itself, Word document, PDF?)

Gundamtdk,

Prior to attaching it, you might want to password protect the .doc file to protect it from being modified.

I cannot think of a good reason as to why would an employer want to modify your resume..

Lets say for a min they want to make some comments for themselves then i believe it should not concern the person who applied for the job.

If something concerns you then PDF will be lot better than protecting it with password. It may become "over" protected and HR may not even bother opening it

martinedwards

its not the employer that would modify it, its the recruitment agencies. they like to put their contact details over yours.
whats to stop them messing it up?

GregD

I like using HTML docs. Nice and easy to format, and they can be read quite prettily even if the person doesn't have Office on that computer, for whatever reason.

Smallguy

go with doc unless asked for something different

also be aware that there is a lot of PDF spam lately making your resume into pdf format may get it caught in junk folders.

garv221

Gundamtdk wrote:

What is the best way to attach my resume to an e-mail? (In e-mail itself, Word document, PDF?)

hands down PDF

JDMurray

PDF is more likely to make it through email filters than a Word file or HTML. Still, I'm always concerned that any email with an attachment might be tossed in the bit-bucket, so if I don't get a reply I always send a follow-up email with no attachment to inquire.

Munck

PDF hands down. I use Adobe InDesign to make very professionally looking documents. To me, .doc is not even an option. You don't know if they use Word. And if they do, you don't know if the format is getting f*cked. (You could use a plain font/format, but that's not professionally.

bighusker

It really depends on the company. For a long time, I sent all of my resumes in PDF until I got an e-mail from some company that wanted me to resend my resume as a .doc. In some companies, WORD is more standard than Acrobat Reader, as stupid as that may be.

Schluep

I usually use PDF as well since I know it will look the same to them as it does to me and also does provide write protection on the document. I always mention that I would be willing to send it in another format if they are unable to view it and always follow-up to ensure it was received.

druid318

I always use a simple .txt. Easy to read and everyone has it. I carry a hard copy of my resume in with me to interview though. I would love to use word but you never know if they have it or if what year they have. I just see alot of format errors in word when I move between computers...

GeoDude

I use PDF. Especially when I have complex tables in word. It only takes a click of the mouse and the layout gets totally screwed. So with a PDF there is little chance that anyone can accidently mess up the layout when sending it around between HR people.

Inc

PDF

networker050184

Almost every company I have spoken with specifically asked for a word document.

Kasor

I perfer on the email body unless the announcement specific that attach with doc format.

The Office 2007 is s@uk. My co-worker told me that an increase on helpdesk ticket regarding those doc and docx. User want to default setup to .doc on Word 2007 because other companies don't have Office 2007. I would say most of the companies still running Office 2003. Some great idea from Mgmt that want us to upgrade to Office 2007.