Appearance
Each letter should be printed on plain paper with a matching envelope. If you
are enclosing a resume, the letter and resume should be on matching bond paper.
Type size should be 10-12 point.
Your Letter should contain NO ERRORS: no typos, no misspelled words,
no grammatical errors, period.
Form
Letters should be short -- no more than one page, with generous
margins. Paragraphs should be limited to 4-8 lines whenever possible. The first
line of each paragraph should clearly state the message of the paragraph.
Use the standard business format, with your address and the date at the top and
the addressee's name and address on the left just above the salutation. Your
full name should be typed at the bottom under your signature. Don't forget to
sign your letters and keep a copy for your files.
Letters should ALWAYS be addressed to an individual by name,
with her correct title and address. If you don't know this information, call
the company and ask for it. Titles should also be used in the salutation as
appropriate, "Dear Dr. Carley", "Dear Ms. Smith." First
names should not be used unless you are personally acquainted with the
addressee.
Style
Clarity. Impact. Information. Individuality. Your letters should express these
four elements and show that you are a "fit" with the organization.
Simple direct sentences are preferable. And remember that each letter is a
sample of your writing style.
TYPES OF LETTERS
- Career Exploration Letters
- Employment Inquiry Letters
- Cover Letters
- Thank You Letters
- Letters of Acceptance/Refusal
- Withdrawal Letters
- Follow-up Letters
- Samples
Career Exploration Letters
When asking for an informational interview, engage your reader! You are
asking them to give up time in their busy schedule to talk to you. Your letter
should give enough information about you and why you selected the addressee to
make him want to meet with you.
Paragraph 1: Describe who you are and why you want to
speak to them. Request an opportunity to meet. Keep it to 3 or 4 lines.
Paragraph 2: Describe your interest in the field or
company. State what you want to learn in the informational interview. Describe
any background reading or research you have done.
Paragraph 3: Talk about yourself. Highlight your relevant
experience. BE BRIEF! You should enclose a resume to communicate your
background as well.
Closing paragraph: Be specific about the next step. State
when you are available for an interview and that you will call within a week to
arrange a mutually convenient time.
Employment Inquiry Letters
If you have identified a specific organization for which you would like to
work, you may want to meet with someone who has a position similar to what you
are seeking, or with the department head that has the power to hire you. This
letter is similar to a career exploration letter. You are not asking for a job
but for advice and very specific, applicable information.
Paragraph 1: Start the letter by introducing yourself and
explain concisely why you are writing.
Paragraphs 2 & 3: In the middle paragraphs, show that
you have researched the company and the industry. Highlight your relevent
experience. Make it clear why you think you are well qualified for this type of
work.
Paragraph 4: Express your interest in seeking advice from
this person and that you will call at a specific time, usually in about a week,
to arrange a time to meet.
Cover Letters
What is a Cover Letter?
It is a way to introduce yourself to a potential employer. Never send a resume
alone when you are applying for a job. Use your cover letter to describe your
qualifications, motivation, and interest in the job so that the employer will
want to interview you. Do NOT repeat the information already listed in your
resume; rather, you want to translate those experiences into the skills honed,
knowledge gained, and questions raised that are relevant to the particular job.
Cover Letter Writing Tips
- Cover letters usually have
three parts:
Paragraph 1: Identify what job are you applying for, how
you heard about the opening; and why you are interested.
Paragraphs 2 & 3: Discuss your qualifications for the
job and your interest in the organization. - Use one or two
accomplishments to illustrate the skills and experience you bring to the
job.
- Do not make evaluative
statements, such as "I believe I am an outstanding candidate."
Your job is to present your qualifications; the employer will evaluate
them.
- Communicate your
interest! Express enthusiasm for their product line or services, or
mention a recent news item that concerns them.
- Order these statements
based on the message you want to convey and what you consider most
important.
- Closing paragraph:
Express your interest in meeting with the employer to discuss the
requirements of the job and your qualifications.
- Know as much as you can about
the industry, company and position to which you are applying. This will
show your interest, as well as enable you to articulate why you belong
there.
- Be clear and concise. A cover
letter should be one page long. Ask yourself the point of each statement
that you make. Does it add to what the reader needs to know? If a cover
letter is too long, an employer may not read it.
Thank You Letters
Always write thank you letters to everyone you meet with, within 24 hours of
meeting. After a job interview use this letter to reinforce your qualifications
and how they relate to the job requirements. After an informational interview,
use the letter as a gesture of thanks for the person's input and a door left
open for future contact.
Letters of Acceptance/Refusal
This is a formal way to accept or decline a job offer. In declining an offer,
you want to express your appreciation for the offer and thank the employer for
their consideration. Your objective is to reject the offer, but maintain a
relationship with the employer.
Withdrawal Letters
Once you accept a job offer, you should inform other employers to whom you've
applied that you are withdrawing your application. It is appropriate to tell
them what position you have accepted, but do not say it is a better job! You
might be interested in working for any one of them at a later time in your
career.
Follow-up Letters
There are a variety of times during your job search when you might want to
write a follow-up letter:
- to reinforce the first letter
of any type, if you have not received any response.
- to add new information to an
employment application.
- to request reconsideration
after being rejected for a job interview.
- to communicate a continued
interest in a job or in being interviewed, when the search process is
protracted.
- to report progress---for
example, to update a member of your network or to report to an adviser on
action taken on his advice or referrals.
Coverletter Samples
Courtesy of Harvard University's Office of Career Services
