Letters acknowledging the receipt of a resume are usually written in the context of a company advertising a vacancy for a particular position and requesting those interested to send in resumes and cover letters. It tells applicants that their applications have been received and assures them that the company will contact them once their resumes have been processed. They are usually sent by members of a company’s human resources department. Although sending a letter acknowledging the receipt of a resume is not strictly necessary, it is a way for a company to show consideration towards applicants and build goodwill.

Apart from acknowledging the receipt of a resume, the letter should also give the applicant a time frame within which they will be contacted by the company (i.e. we will contact you within two weeks or by this date). Although it does not encourage the applicant to follow up their application, it may provide the name of a contact person along with contact information in case the applicant has some concerns that need to be addressed.

While the acknowledgment letter is ideally sent a few days after receiving the resume, sometimes the letter is not sent at once. In this case, the letter may open with an apology to the applicant for not replying promptly to their application; make sure that the tone of the letter is courteous since the delay may have inconvenienced the applicant.

The tone of the letter should be formal. The opening salutation should be ‘Dear’ and the closing salutation should be ‘Respectfully Yours’ or ‘Yours Truly’. The signatory to the letter should also include their position underneath their name.

The letter may also assure the applicant that even if they do not pass the initial screening, the company will keep their resume on file for a certain period of time in case an opening becomes available that suits their qualifications.

Below is a sample of a letter acknowledging the receipt of a resume.

SAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT LETTER

Dear (name of applicant)
Greetings!
Thank you for your interest in our company. We have received your resume and are currently reviewing it.

We will be in touch with you shortly to update you on the status of your application. We will keep your resume on file for twelve months in the event another suitable position opens up and we will contact you again.

Respectfully yours,

(Name of sender)
(Position in company)