How to send a CV by email: subject, body, attachment
How to send a CV by email in Mozambique: the right subject line, a short body, a named PDF attachment, and a proper follow-up to complete your application.
Sending a CV by email seems simple — and that is why most people ruin it. The wrong subject line gets deleted without being opened; an empty body saying "find attached" doesn't sell; an attachment with the wrong name gets lost in the folder. The complete package — subject line, body, attachment, and follow-up — takes ten minutes to get right and changes the outcome of your application.
In medium and large companies in Mozambique, email is the formal application channel: it is what job ads ask for when they say "send your CV to recrutamento@empresa.co.mz". Each opening receives dozens of emails; the recruiter decides in seconds which ones to open. Here is how to be among those that get opened.
The short answer
- The subject line decides everything: use the formula "Application — [Job Title] — [Name]" or, if the job ad asks for an exact subject line, copy it word for word.
- 6-10 line email body: never send an empty email with just an attachment, and never paste a massive letter in the email body.
- PDF attachment with your name in the file: "CV_Firstname_Lastname.pdf" — lightweight, recent, and the correct file.
- Professional email address: firstname.lastname@... — adolescent nicknames destroy credibility.
- Business hours and final check: attachment attached? correct name? correct email? before clicking send.
- Single follow-up after 5-7 business days if there is no response — after that, move on to the next opportunity.
The subject line: the decision to open or delete
The recruiter sees the subject line list first. Yours has two jobs: to identify you and to make screening easier. The formula that works:
Application — Administrative Assistant — Elsa Mabjaia
Job title first (how the recruiter filters), name second (how they find you later). And there is a rule above this formula: if the job ad asks for a specific subject line, copy it word for word. Many companies use subject lines to automatically filter applications — writing a different subject line, even a better one, drops your application out of the pipeline.
Subject lines that fail: "CV" (says nothing), "Application" (doesn't say for what), "Good morning, my name is..." (not a subject line), ALL CAPS (shouting), and emojis (too informal for an initial formal contact).
The body: 6-10 lines that sell the attachment
The body of the email is your cover message — neither empty nor a full cover letter. The 4-block structure:
Subject: Application — Maintenance Technician — Amosse Cuna
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Amosse Cuna, and I am writing to apply for the Maintenance Technician position advertised on your website. I have 5 years of experience in industrial maintenance and an electrician certification.
In my current role, I am responsible for the preventive maintenance of 12 critical pieces of equipment, reducing breakdowns by 30% over two years.
Please find attached my CV with full details of my experience. I am available for an interview at your convenience.
Best regards,
Amosse Cuna
[phone] · [email]
Block 1: who you are and which job you are applying for (including the source, if applicable). Block 2: your fit in 2-3 concrete lines — experience with numbers and results. Block 3: reference to the attachment. Block 4: full signature with contact details. Nothing more: anyone wanting details will open the CV; anyone wanting your full story will ask for a cover letter — and for that, check the cover letter guide.
Avoid in the body: excessive caps, emojis, long personal stories, salary demands (that topic has its own strategy), and dead phrases like "as you can see in my attachment..." — let the attachment speak for itself.
The attachment: PDF, right name, right file
The attachment is your CV — and three details separate it from amateurism:
- PDF format: preserves your layout on any computer and prevents recruiters from accidentally editing your CV. Word (.docx) opens differently on every machine — fonts break, pages shift.
- Filename with your name: "CV_Amosse_Cuna.pdf". The file will live in the recruiter's downloads folder among 50 others; those who name it well get found. And a file name with keywords helps anyone searching on mobile.
- Right file, right version: the classic mistake is sending a CV with a cover letter for a previous company, or an old version with an outdated phone number. Always open your attachment before sending.
If your CV isn't ready for this level yet, start with the complete guide to building a CV in Mozambique and check whether it can pass the applicant tracking systems (ATS) that large companies use.
Email address, account, and timing
The sender address speaks before the subject line. "elsa.mabjaia@gmail.com" is neutral and professional; "princesa_gatinha_2012@hotmail.com" undermines any CV, no matter how good. If you only have an old email with a nickname, create a new account in 5 minutes: firstname.lastname@gmail.com. It is your digital business card.
Also set your sender display name (in Gmail settings: "Elsa Mabjaia") — it is what shows up next to the subject line. And send from an account you check regularly: missing a recruiter's reply because you don't open that email wastes the entire application.
Timing: business days, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Emails sent in the middle of the night do not impress — they get buried under dozens of others. And reply promptly when they respond: speed of response shows genuine interest.
Regarding "CC" and "BCC": use CC only if the job ad specifies two addresses; BCC to hide recipients makes no sense in an individual application. And never forward an old email thread from another conversation — always start a new email with a clean subject line.
Follow-up: a single follow-up, not a campaign
You sent it. They haven't replied in 5-7 business days. The right follow-up is a short email under the same subject line (replying to your own email keeps the conversation in the same thread):
Subject: Re: Application — Maintenance Technician — Amosse Cuna
Dear Sir/Madam,
I submitted my application last week for the Maintenance Technician position, and I remain very interested in the role. I am available for any additional information or an interview.
Best regards,
Amosse Cuna
Once. After a follow-up with no reply, silence is the answer — and it is common: recruiters receive hundreds of applications and rarely reply to everyone. It isn't personal; it's volume.
What you do next is what sets you apart: move on to the next job opening with the same well-crafted package. Applications in your pipeline are your safety net — which is why creating a profile on Inademy and enabling alerts is worth it, so job opportunities come to you.
If the response is "we received it, we are processing it", thank them in a single line and wait for the timeframe they specify. If it's a rejection, thank them as well — and ask them to keep your CV for future opportunities; doors closed gracefully often reopen.
How Inademy helps you
On Inademy, you can create your free profile in minutes, apply for job openings in Mozambique through a simple process, and send your CV in PDF hassle-free. When a new job matching your profile is posted, you receive alerts by email and WhatsApp — keeping your application package ready to customize in minutes for every new opportunity.
Read also
- The mistakes that get your CV eliminated (and what to put instead)
- How to Build a CV on your Phone in Mozambique (Step-by-Step)
Where this advice comes from
- Application email structure and subject lines: standard professional recruitment practices, adapted to the context of Mozambican job ads (which frequently request specific subject lines);
- PDF vs Word: documented document rendering behavior across different operating systems;
- Follow-up: standard practice in recruitment processes (5-7 business days response timeframe for most processes).
Frequently asked questions
Should I send the cover letter in the body of the email or as an attachment?
If the job ad requests a cover letter, send it as a separate attachment (or in the body if specified) and the CV as the second attachment. If they don't request a cover letter, the short body of the email serves as your introduction — do not duplicate it. Two attachments at most: CV and cover letter. Anything more gets lost.
The recruiter asked for "subject: VAGA TECNICO-2026". Can I improve the subject line?
No. Copy it word for word, with the exact capitalization and format. Large companies use automatic subject line filters; your "improved" subject line will fall outside the screening criteria and no one will open it. Creativity in the subject line costs applications.
What if I don't have a professional email address?
Create one now: 5 minutes on Gmail with firstname.lastname. Use it exclusively for job applications and check it daily during your job hunt. Keep the old nickname for family — recruiters deserve your real name.
Can I send my application on a Saturday?
Technically it arrives; in practice it gets buried between Friday's and Monday's emails. Business day mornings (8 AM - 10 AM) are when recruitment inboxes are reviewed most attentively. If you just finished preparing your application package on a Saturday, schedule the email for Monday morning.
How long should I wait for a response?
It depends on the company: small businesses reply in days, large ones in weeks. Following up after 5-7 business days covers both scenarios. After that, keep applying — waiting on a single hiring process means letting the rest of the market pass you by.
I attached the wrong file and already sent it. What now?
Send a correction email immediately under the same subject line: "Dear Sir/Madam, the previous email did not contain the correct attachment. Please find attached my updated CV. I apologize for the oversight and appreciate your understanding." Honest, quick, problem solved. Everyone makes mistakes; what counts is a clean correction.
In summary, what to do today
- Create or organize your professional email and configure your sender display name;
- Save your CV as "CV_Firstname_Lastname.pdf" in a dedicated folder;
- Write your 6-10 line template body and save it to customize per vacancy;
- Send a complete application today using the correct subject line formula;
- Mark your follow-up date (5-7 business days) on your calendar;
- Create your free profile on Inademy and turn on job alerts — your next application is already on its way.
Continue reading: applying via WhatsApp and the Inademy Guide index.
