For many roles, your email is the first thing a hiring manager reads, and sometimes the only thing they read before deciding whether to open your CV. A short, clear email does that job well. Here is how to write one, with a sample you can adapt.

Write a subject line that does the work

Put the job title, the reference number if there is one, and your name in the subject line. For example: “Application: Marketing Manager (Ref MK-204), Omar Hassan”.

If the post asks for a particular format, use it exactly. Some teams sort their inbox by subject line. Avoid a bare “Application” or “Hello”, and do not write in capitals.

Greet a person, not “To whom it may concern”

Look for the name of the hiring manager in the post or on LinkedIn, and start with “Dear Ms Alharbi,”. If you cannot find a name, “Dear Hiring Manager,” is acceptable. Check the spelling of the name before you send, because a mistake there is noticed at once.

In the Gulf, a formal tone is the safer choice. Write in the language of the job post: if the post is in Arabic, reply in Arabic.

Open with the role and why you fit

Your first sentence says which role you are applying for and where you saw it. Your second gives your strongest match to the post. Keep the whole email to three short paragraphs, under 150 words.

Say what you offer, not what you need

Pick the two requirements that matter most in the post and give one proof for each, ideally with a number: a budget, a team size, a target met. Do not repeat your CV line by line, and do not write about how long you have been looking. The reader wants to know what you will do for them.

Your email is read in seconds. Make the first two lines count.

Attach your CV the right way

Send your CV as a PDF unless the post asks for Word. Name the file with your name, such as “Omar-Hassan-CV.pdf”, so it can be found later. Attach one CV, and a cover letter only if the post asks for one; otherwise the email itself is your cover letter.

Say in the email that your CV is attached, and open the attachment once before you send, to be sure it is the right file.

Close clearly and sign properly

End with one clear line, such as “I would welcome a short call at a time that suits you.” If the post asks for your notice period or current location, answer in one line.

Under your name, add a phone number with the country code, your LinkedIn link and your city. Use “Kind regards” or “Yours sincerely”.

A sample email to adapt

If you do not hear back

Wait about a week after you applied, or after the closing date if the post gives one. Then send one short follow-up as a reply to your first email, so the earlier message sits below it: “I wanted to check that my application for the Marketing Manager role reached you, and I remain very interested.” If there is still no answer, move on and keep your energy for the next application.