<p>I’ve received conflicting advice about whether or not to attach a resume when contacting potential faculty advisors for PhD programs. One professor of mine said to never send attachments because advisors find them annoying. Another said to always attach a resume because it provides the advisor with your background and qualifications. </p>
<p>Can anyone weigh in on what’s the standard?</p>
<p>Barev!
I think you should include your resume.
If advisers find a 30kb attachment annoying, I would advise THEM to take some medication.</p>
<p>I did, and it did not appear to hurt me anywhere. When talking to or emailing a few professors (pre-application), some of them referenced things in my resume, so at least some glanced at it.</p>
<p>Attach. It’s not a pop-up. They have a choice.</p>
<p>I say not to attach. You should be able to succinctly outline your research interests and experiences in your e-mail to them. If they want a CV, they’ll ask for it.</p>
<p>Are you in a program looking for advisors or not yet accepted and looking? If you are in the former position, there is absolutely no point to attaching a CV. If in the latter, I still don’t think it’s necessary.</p>
<p>I agree with both TMP and MV. Don’t attach – at least, not in your first email. Some people automatically delete email with attachments if they don’t know the sender.</p>
<p>Outline your research and qualifications in your email, and offer to send your c.v. If the professor wants to know more about you, he will ask to see it.</p>
<p>I attached my resume to every single professor that I emailed who had research I’m interested in and have generated quite of bit of response because of it. Professors have the option of opening up the resume or not so I really don’t see the big deal at all with attaching one. If a professor gets annoyed by a simple resume attachment that is their problem and that means you probably wouldn’t want to study under a professor like that anyway. There is no official written book on the proper “ettiquite” on how to apply to grad school. So what if professors have to look at resumes and and answer a lot of emails from potential students interested in their research. I have little sympathy for them. Any professor that complains or gets annoyed over a resume attachment simply needs to shut up since this is all part of being a professor and working in academia. If they don’t like it they should leave because they are working in the wrong industry.</p>