| |
JOB SEARCH TIPS
COVER
LETTERS
Presenting
yourself effectively to prospective employers on paper is one
of the challenges of every job campaign. A well-planned letter
can stir interest, arrange meetings, and ensure that you will
be remembered.
Two general types of job campaign letters are:
- Approach
· Requests for information meetings
· Requests for interview
- in response to ad
- direct to company
- employment agencies
- Thank
You
· Following an information meeting
· Following an interview
· In response to a turndown
· To accept or decline an offer
General
Guidelines
- Use good
quality paper. A local printing shop can print letterhead paper
with your name, address, and telephone number. We suggest you
use the same paper for letters as is used to print your resume.
- Type neatly
using good business form. If you don’t have typing skills
or a word processor, arrange for someone to perform this service
for you. Erasures and misspellings create a poor first impression.
- Always
address your letter to a specific person. Check with the company
switchboard operator to verify correct spelling and title.
- Your letter
should answer the question, “Why should I see you?”
Emphasize in some way how you can be valuable to them. Show
how you can make a contribution. Remember, people who do the
hiring for companies are interested in what you can do for the
company. They are not interested in what you want.
- Keep your
letters brief and your sentences short. Focus on the purpose
of the correspondence, make your points clear and the required
action evident.
- Proofread!
Proofread! Proofread!
- Keep a
copy of every letter you write and on file in the appropriate
category. You may wish to use these copies to note follow-up
action.
|
|
