Hey job searchers,

Today, email has become as common as walking and talking (you can even send emails while you walk and talk). No one thinks twice about sending an email in place of a letter, birthday card, or, you guessed it, job application. Gone are the days of slaving over copy machines, fax machines and mailboxes, sending out package after package of applications. Today’s potential employers attach cover letters and resumes to emails and off they go!

But did anyone ever stop and explain to you the rules of sending a job application via email. Did anyone ever write out the formal etiquette of virtual job applications? Are you positive you know what information and how much of it should be included in the body of the email versus the cover letter? If so, no one told me. And a year ago when I was applying for job after job, I did my best to guess at the correct format. But instead of making my lovely ThinkTalkers guess, I’m giving you some answers I found from Careerealism.

7 Cover Letter Mistakes You Make When Applying via E-mail gives job seekers some pointers on how to format those emails to make the best first impression possible. It still amazes me how little it takes to get your resume tossed, or get it put at the top of the pile, so why not make sure something small like your email doesn’t ruin it for you. Take a second and read through these 7 points, they might just help you land the job you want:

1. Attaching the cover letter to the e-mail.

What’s wrong with that, you ask? Most hiring managers aren’t going to open the cover letter and read it. They’ll go straight to the resume instead. Want to ensure your cover letter gets read? Copy and paste it into the body of the e-mail. Whoever received the e-mail will be much more likely to read it if it’s already right there in front of their face.

2. Writing your whole life story in the body of the e-mail.

Don’t go overboard with details; keep it short. The hiring manager won’t be willing to invest a lot of time reading your e-mail. Keep it short and to the point.

3. Providing information not relevant to the position.

Here is a great example. When I want to bring an additional resume/cover letter writer on staff, I’m not looking for someone with technical writing expertise, article writing skills, or journalism savvy. Those forms of writing aren’t relevant to what we do here. I want a writer who has extensive expertise and certification in resume writing. If someone goes on and on in their cover letter (or in the body of the e-mail) about all their other writing experience, they will lose my interest. Instead, I want them to tell me about their most relevant experience as it relates to my needs. I want them to tell me about any resume writing experience they have. Give the hiring manager a brief overview of the most relevant experience you have, appropriate to the position they are trying to fill. This will pique their interest—rather than lose it.

4. Excluding information they’ve specifically asked you to include.

Depending on the position, the employer may ask you to submit a sample of your work, portfolio, hours of availability, or even salary requirements. Whatever it is they’ve asked you to include, make sure you include it in your cover letter. If not, you will most certainly be removed from consideration for failing to follow instructions. Following instructions and acknowledging everything the employer has asked you to address in the job ad not only saves the employer time but makes you look good. I can tell you this from experience because 9 out of 10 applicants will fail to address every stipulation the employer has listed. It happens to us all the time.

5. Not using a cover letter at all.

We’ve received e-mails from applicants, and the body of the e-mail provides either little or no information whatsoever. Some simply state, “Here is my resume for your review.” You are selling yourself short by not including at least a brief introduction. Especially if the employer outlines specific requirements. Take the time to write, “I see you need someone with availability to work nights and weekends; I would enjoy working these hours and am available to do so.” Or, “I have included a sample of my work for your consideration along with my resume. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.”

6. Forgetting to tell them why you’re the best fit.

Let me tell you about one of THE BEST cover letters I’ve ever seen: I could tell this person put effort into it—and she took the time to specifically and meticulously review our job requirements. She scrutinized our requirements and detailed in her cover letter how she had experience meeting those needs. It was applicable, relevant, and attention getting. It was probably one of the only cover letters that actually made us want to read the corresponding resume.

7. Using a boring closing statement.

Instead of using the same old boring line, spice it up a bit. One of the more daring cover letter closings I have read closed with, “Call today, don’t delay.” I applauded her boldness and had to call her. The closing was confident, feisty, and it certainly grabbed my attention. Not to mention the entire cover letter addressed everything she brought to the table as a potential employee and how these elements were relevant to meeting our needs.

"Keyboard” courtesy orangeacid via Flickr Creative Commons