The short answer
Keep job emails short: a clear subject line, a greeting, two to four sentences that say why you’re writing, a polite close and your name and phone number. Use the templates below as a starting point, but always change the details so it sounds like you and fits the situation.
Before you copy anything
Templates save you from a blank screen. They don’t replace thinking. Every time you use one:
- Fill every gap. Anything in [square brackets] must go. Sending “Dear [Name]” is the most common mistake there is.
- Change at least one sentence so it fits this employer and sounds like you.
- Check the subject line says who you are and what it’s about.
- Use a sensible email address, ideally your name. Not the one you made when you were twelve.
- Read it once out loud before you send.
Before
Hi
After
Application for Weekend Team Member, Leah Morgan
Why it works The recruiter can see what the email is and who it’s from before they open it, and find it again later.
1. Asking if they have vacancies
For small local businesses, or places you’d love to work that aren’t advertising. Attach your CV.
Subject: Part-time work enquiry, [Your name] Dear [Name, or Hiring Manager], I’m [one line about you: for example, a Year 13 student at a local sixth form] and I’m looking for [part-time / weekend / full-time] work. I’d love to work at [Business name] because [one specific, genuine reason]. I’ve attached my CV. Could you let me know if you have any vacancies now, or might have in the next few months? Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [Your name] [Phone number]
2. Sending your CV for an advertised job
If the employer wants a full cover letter, see how to write one. If they just say “send your CV”, this is enough.
Subject: Application for [Job title], [Reference number if there is one], [Your name] Dear [Name, or Hiring Manager], I’d like to apply for the [Job title] role I saw on [where you saw it]. I’ve attached my CV. [One or two sentences linking you to the main thing the advert asks for, with a real example.] I’m available [when you can work or start] and would be glad to talk about the role. Kind regards, [Your name] [Phone number]
3. Following up on an application
Wait until any date they gave has passed. If there was no date, a week or two after the closing date is a reasonable gap. Send one follow-up, not several.
Subject: Following up: [Job title] application, [Your name] Dear [Name, or Hiring Manager], I applied for the [Job title] role on [date] and wanted to check whether there’s any update on my application. I’m still very interested in the role and happy to send anything else you need. Thank you, [Your name] [Phone number]
4. Confirming an interview
Reply as soon as you can, ideally the same day. Repeat the date and time so any mix-up gets spotted early.
Subject: Re: Interview for [Role] Hi [Name], Thank you for inviting me to interview for the [Role] position. I’m pleased to confirm that I can attend on [Date] at [Time]. Please let me know if there is anything you would like me to prepare beforehand. I look forward to meeting you. Kind regards, [Name]
5. Asking for interview details
If the invitation leaves out something you need, it’s normal and sensible to ask. Ask everything in one email.
Subject: Re: Interview for [Role], a quick question Hi [Name], Thank you for the interview invitation for [Date] at [Time]. I’m looking forward to it. Could you let me know [the questions you need answered: for example, who I’ll be meeting, how long it will last, whether there’s a task, the exact address or meeting link, and whether I should bring anything]? Thank you, [Your name] [Phone number]
6. Declining an interview
If you’ve accepted another job or changed your mind, tell them. It’s polite, it frees the slot for someone else, and you might want to apply there again one day.
Subject: Re: Interview for [Role] Dear [Name], Thank you very much for inviting me to interview for the [Role] position. [I’ve since accepted another offer / After thinking carefully, I’ve decided this role isn’t right for me at the moment], so I’d like to withdraw my application. I appreciate your time, and I hope to have the chance to apply to [Company] again in the future. Kind regards, [Your name]
7. Asking for reasonable adjustments
If you’re disabled, or have a condition that affects how you’d do part of the recruitment process, you can ask for changes that help. Acas explains that job applicants can ask for reasonable adjustments for any part of recruitment, such as a form in a different format, an accessible interview room or extra time for a test.
You choose what to share
Nobody has to tell an employer or potential employer that they’re disabled. If you ask for an adjustment, you only need to say what would help. You don’t have to give a diagnosis or medical details. Employers can find guidance on their duties in Acas’s reasonable adjustments guide.
Subject: Interview for [Role]: adjustments request, [Your name] Dear [Name], Thank you for inviting me to interview for the [Role] position on [Date]. To help me take part on an equal footing, I’d like to ask for the following adjustment: [what would help, for example: the questions in writing at the start, extra time for the written task, a quiet room, a step-free entrance, a short break part way through]. Please let me know if you need anything further from me to arrange this. Kind regards, [Your name] [Phone number]
Ask as early as you can, so they have time to arrange it. If something comes up closer to the day, it’s still fine to ask.
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In short
- Short emails: a clear subject, a greeting, two to four sentences, a polite close.
- Fill every gap and change at least one sentence each time.
- Confirm interviews quickly and repeat the date and time.
- Follow up once, after the date they gave.
- You can ask for reasonable adjustments at any stage, and you choose what to share.
Sources and further reading
- Asking for reasonable adjustments Acas
- Reasonable adjustments at work Acas
- How to write a cover letter National Careers Service
Checked against these sources on 14 November 2026. Rules and rates change: if something here looks out of date, tell us at hello@cvbuffed.com. How we check our guidance.