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Guide · 15 October 2026 · 5 min read

Job application by email: template and mistakes

Your email is the first thing anyone reads from you. It does not have to be original, but it should be clear, complete and free of mistakes. This guide walks you through a job application by email, with a template and the most common mistakes.

1. Preparation: the job ad first, the email second

Read the job ad once more and note down:

• how the company wants applications (email, online portal or form). If the ad asks for a portal, an email is usually the wrong route,
• the contact person by name, so you can address them correctly,
• a reference number, if there is one,
• the documents they want, the file format and any size limits,
• start date or salary expectations, if the ad asks for them.

Then take care of your own side: a professional sender address (for example firstname.lastname), a sender name that matches your name, and a signature with your contact details. Send your documents as PDF files with clear names, for example Mustermann_Max_CV.pdf. If the ad gives a size limit, stick to it. Otherwise keep files small, because some mailboxes reject large attachments.

2. The subject line

The subject line decides how quickly your email is filed correctly. Name the job the way the ad does, add the reference number if there is one, and add your name.

An empty subject, just “Application” or “Hello” is too weak. Someone has to open the email first to learn what it is about.

3. The email text, with a template

The usual approach: your cover letter is attached as a PDF, and the email itself is short. It says which job you are applying for, what is attached, and that you would be glad to talk. Do not repeat the whole cover letter in the body. If the ad explicitly asks for the application in the body of the email, put the cover letter in the email and attach only your CV and certificates.

All details in the template are made up. If you do not know the contact person, use “Dear Sir or Madam,”. Address the company formally, even though this guide addresses you informally.

4. The attachments

• Content and order: cover letter, CV, then references and certificates that fit the job. Not everything you have, only what the ad asks for.
• One PDF or several: follow the ad. If there is no rule, a few clearly named files or a single combined PDF are common.
• File names: your name and the content, not “Scan_001.pdf”.
• Readability: open every file yourself before sending. Check that nothing is cut off and that scans are legible.

5. Common mistakes

• The company name or salutation is left over from an earlier application.
• The subject line is missing or does not say which job you apply for.
• The attachment is missing, or the wrong file is attached.
• Placeholders are still in the text, for example “[Company]” or “[Date]”.
• Typos in the contact person’s or the company’s name.
• Very large attachments that can block the company’s mailbox.
• A sender address that looks unprofessional or does not show your name.
• The full cover letter appears twice, in the body and as an attachment.
• Phone number or email address are missing from the signature.

6. Checklist before you send

• ☐ The route is right: does the ad really ask for an email?
• ☐ Recipient address and contact person are correct.
• ☐ The subject names the job, the reference number (if any) and your name.
• ☐ Salutation and company name are right in the email and the cover letter.
• ☐ All requested attachments are there, with sensible file names.
• ☐ Every file opens, and no placeholder is left in the text.
• ☐ Your signature has complete contact details.
• ☐ You sent yourself a test email and looked at it.

7. After you send

• Record it: note the date, company, job, route and contact person straight away. Leave the sent email in your Sent folder.
• Follow up: set a date to ask if nothing happens. Use the deadline from the ad, otherwise a time you set yourself.
• Sort the replies: answer invitations promptly, file rejections and confirmations with the application.

A short note on OKApply