How to Start off an Email for a Job

Submitting a job application online ensures the person or company receives your email as soon as you click the “Send” or “Submit” button on the Web or email page. Sending a job email, as you would a friendly message to a friend or family member, is not appropriate. Being professional at the very start of the email ensures that the message is not immediately deleted and that you and your resume and/or application are taken seriously.

Enter a subject for the job email inside the “Subject” box on the email page. “Application for (insert job position here)” or “Re: (Job position title)” are two examples of suitable email subjects. Leaving the subject box blank increases the chances that the email is deleted before being opened.

Use an appropriate greeting at the start of the email. “Dear” is perfectly acceptable when writing such an email.

Place the appropriate honorific after the greeting. Use “Mr.” or “Ms.” followed by the person's last name at the start of the email. Using “Mrs.” is inappropriate unless you know for a fact the woman is married (Reference 1). Use “Sir or Madam” after “Dear” if you do not know the last name of the person receiving the email.

Skip down a line past the greeting as you would if writing a cover letter. Then, begin the email with a phrase such as “I am writing to you regarding the (job title/position) posted on (website name).”