Resume/Cover Letter Submittal: Email or fax? (job application, applying, application)

[xacrosstime]

I'm applying for an entry-level job as a Program Advisor for an international education company in Manhattan after finding the job listing on their website. The listing says that I can send my resume and cover letter in the body of an email or I can fax the materials to their office. They didn't give me the name of the person who would be reviewing the materials (the listing says to send them to Human Resources and I tried contacting the office for an actual name, but couldn't get a hold of one) - only a number for the fax machine, an email to send them to, and that they were going to Human Resources.

At first, I thought it was a no-brainer that I would send them through e-mail since there's more of a guarantee that it will make its way to the hiring manager's inbox. The more I thought about it, though, the more I feel as though sending it through fax may be better in that 1) less people will send it through fax as opposed to email and it shows that I know how to use the device, 2) If I send it through email, the resume will lose its alignment and look less "clean cut" since I'm required to paste it to the e-mail's body can't send as an attachment and 3) I thought that if the Hiring Manager has a physical copy of the materials, it would be harder for the materials to get lost in the mix, whereas an email can easily be overlooked.

I could be wrong in these assumptions - I've never submitted a job application through fax before. So I'm hoping I can get some opinions. Do you think its wiser to send in the body of an email or by fax?

[EzPeterson]

Send it both ways then.

[groar]

i think the only important difference is that the fax will preserve your resume formatting. asking for a resume pasted into the body of an e-mail is pretty weird! but if that's how they're asking for it, there are going to be some weird formatting things, so i'd assume they won't hold formatting against you.

whether your application is on paper or electronic is going to constitute like .00001% of the reason a hiring manager pays more attention to it, if that. they'll pay attention to you if you're a good candidate. don't spend your time worrying about format.

[christina0001]

I've always preferred faxing, so the formatting doesn't get goofed up.

[groar]

one way to avoid that (with normal employers who let you attach things!) is to send your resume via e-mail as a pdf.