What to Do When You Forget to Attach Your Resume

There are many things that can go wrong during your job hunt. One of them is forgetting to attach your resume before sending an application in.

Right now, you might be worried that you’ve embarrassed yourself even worse, that this unfortunate slip might’ve cost you a good job opportunity.

Well, let us remind you that one of the harsh realities of being human is that we make mistakes. There’s no need to beat yourself up over a forgotten resume attachment.

In this guide, you’ll find advice on handling this situation, how to respond professionally, and other useful information.

What to Do If You Forgot to Attach Your Resume

While this is an unpleasant situation, forgetting to attach an important document is a mistake many applicants make, so take a moment to calm your nerves—panic won’t do you any good.

Try to see this as an opportunity to show your professionalism and problem-solving skills. There are certain steps you can take to minimize the impact of this oversight and make a good impression.

Assess the situation

After you’ve calmed down, review your email once again. Check for a response and whether the attachment is indeed missing.

Next, consider the timing. Is it outside work hours? If the recipient is likely off work, there’s no need to rush your response. Instead, take the opportunity to carefully craft a thoughtful and professional follow-up.

Revisit your resume

If time is on your side, then perhaps this blunder is a blessing in disguise.

Here at Enhancv, we have thousands of resume examples and guides—there’s a good chance that we’ve written one about the role you’re applying for.

You can use this opportunity to improve your resume and increase your chances of getting calls from hiring managers. Additionally, you can try our AI-powered resume checker.

Act urgently but professionally

If you sent the email without an attachment during work hours, then it would be better to respond with some urgency in mind. A quick follow-up would convey that you’re attentive, and respectful of the recipient’s time.

With these kinds of oversights, it’s best to acknowledge the mistake. You need to take responsibility and make sure that nobody is inconvenienced.

Draft a clear and polite follow-up

To resolve the situation, you need to write a professional email that explains what happened.

Here’s how you should go about it:

• Address the mistake in the subject line.
• Use straightforward language.
• Keep a professional tone.
• Start with a greeting.
• Recognize the mistake.
• Give an apology.
• Assure the recipient of the attachment.
• Express gratitude.
• Avoid giving excuses and unnecessary details.

You might be wondering what a sample apology email for a missing attachment might look like after going through this checklist, so we prepared one for you.

Example:

As you can see, there’s no need for a dramatic apology or convoluted explanations. Hiring managers will be much more appreciative of a straightforward honest follow-up.

Attach your resume and review your email

Make sure to attach your resume this time. It would be a bit embarrassing and annoying to forget to attach it a second time.

Give your email a final check. Read it carefully and correct any mistakes you might’ve made. You know how spelling and grammar checkers can sometimes fail to underscore mistakes, right?

A thorough review can help you remain professional and give you peace of mind before you send your email.

Tips for Double-checking Your Emails Before Sending Them

Surely you never want to deal with a situation like this ever again. What would help you in the future is to adopt a systematic approach to sending important emails.

Let’s take a look at some good practices.

• Have a checklist: Develop a personal list of things to double-check that addresses the most common mistakes you make.
• Attach first, write second: Simply include the files you want to send before writing the body of the email.
• Use alerts: Did you know that email platforms like Outlook and Gmail can be set to notify you in case your email mentions “attachment” but none are actually attached?
• Read aloud: To ensure your emails are clear and error-free, you can read them slowly out loud (this increases your focus) and more easily spot some of your mistakes.
• Use preview: Another way to ensure your messages are perfect is to preview them before you send them.

Even using just one or two of these strategies will significantly reduce any mistakes you might make in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will forgetting to attach my resume cost me the job opportunity?

No. This is a common mistake. Hiring managers and HR specialists actually expect this to happen from time to time. Still, it’s best to handle the situation professionally through the strategies we’ve outlined above.

How soon should I send a follow-up?

As soon as possible. Prompt correction of mistakes conveys that you’re attentive and don’t want to inconvenience the recipients. However, this doesn’t mean you have to rush things—make sure the follow-up email is perfect.

Can I resend the same email?

This might cause some confusion and inconvenience to the recipients. Also, it might be seen as negligent. It’s better to acknowledge the mistake in a follow-up email and apologize.

What should I do if I notice the mistake way later?

It’s better to send a follow-up even if some time has passed. Remember that candidate screening and interviewing is a lengthy process. If you’re a good fit for the role, your application will surely be considered despite the mistake.

Should I call to explain and apologize?

Better stick to email. Calling is intrusive, distracting, and time-consuming. Most hiring managers and HR staff will appreciate a follow-up email a lot more than a call.

In Conclusion

Mistakes happen and they’re expected in the vast majority of professional interactions. How you handle them is what makes all the difference. So don’t be hard on yourself and take the time to carefully amend the situation—you’ll surely make a great impression!