letters to employers
Cover Letters | Thank You, Acceptance, Withdrawal Letters | Emai l Tips
At certain points in your job search, it will be necessary to write (or e-mail or fax) employers. This handout contains information and guidelines for writing professional correspondence including cover letters, thank you letters, networking, acceptance, withdrawal and rejection letters.
Purpose
of a Cover Letter
Highlight Experience - A cover letter accompanies
a resume being sent to an organization for a specific position
or area of interest. The well-written cover letter highlights
selective aspects of your background which best suit the employer's
needs. In other words, the cover letter bridges the gap between
your skills and experience and the qualifications of the position
or area of interest.
1. Capture Attention - A well-written cover letter commands
the reader's attention.
2. Stimulate Interest - It stimulates interest in you and
your resume as well as reflects your interest in the job and/or
the organization.
3. Specify the followup - Will you call the employer (and
when) or vice versa?
4. Ask for an Interview - The opportunity to interview is
the ultimate goal of your cover letter and resume.
Content
of a Cover Letter
A cover letter usually includes three to four paragraphs.
Each paragraph has a different goal. View samples of application
letters and inquiry
letters.
1. First Paragraph - This opening
paragraph explains why you are writing the letter. State your
purpose; identify the position you are applying for (if known
for a "letter of application") or the type of position
you are seeking (a "letter of inquiry"), and how
you learned about the opening. If you are responding to an
advertisement, state the name and date of the publication
where you found the ad. If a well-respected person referred
you to the organization, mention the person's name and connection.
2. Second Paragraph - Here you should tell the employer why
you are a strong candidate for this employer/job. Highlight
relevant achievements, skills and/or experience, mentioning
the most interesting points on your resume. Explain how you
intend to help the employer and contribute to the organization.
Take the time to market yourself - don't be too general, too
brief or send them immediately to your resume for details.
3. Third paragraph (optional) - This extra paragraph isn't
always needed, but can be included if there is additional
information that hasn't been mentioned on your resume or needs
to be described in more detail (your cooperative education
experience, for example).
4. Closing Paragraph - The final paragraph should be action-oriented.
Here you should ask for an interview and state when and how
you will contact the employer to arrange a mutually convenient
time to interview. Alternatively, be sure to state how and
when they may best contact you. Do not assume an employer
will contact you once you have sent your cover letter and
resume. It is your responsibility to follow up, if necessary.
Finally, thank the individual and mention that you are looking
forward to meeting him or her.
Essentials
For Success
• Communicate your ambition and enthusiasm.
• Stress accomplishments by explaining how you have
met or exceeded specific employer needs.
• Show how previous experiences/accomplishments relate
to the position for which you are applying.
• Also, the reader may be judging you on how well you
write so do your best to make the words come alive!
• Don't overuse the word "I". Rather than
starting with "I", turn some of your sentences around.
It is better to give examples of how you did something than
to say, "I did this or that..."
• Use active, not passive, verbs. For example use arranged
instead of "I was responsible for arranging" (See
Resume Writing
handout for a list of action verbs.)
• Research the organization before you write the cover
letter. Ideally, every cover letter is unique and targeted
to a specific position or type of work. Use the information
obtained through research to demonstrate that you know something
about the company.
• Address the letter to a specific person within an
organization. If you don't know the person's name, title,
or gender call the organization and ask for the correct information.
If you are unable to get a specific name, then using "Dear
Sir/Madam" or "Dear Human Resources Representative",
are acceptable alternatives. When responding to a "blind
ad" (a P.O. Box number in a newspaper ad) with no opportunity
to address your letter to an individual or the follow-up person,
you can only ask the employer to write or call you.
• Be sure to use an acceptable business letter format.
Keep a copy of each letter for your records.
• Print your resume and cover letter on good paper and
enclose them in a matching business envelope for a more professional
image.
• Make it perfect. Check to make sure your cover letter
is free of typos and grammatically correct.
Additional
Information On Correspondence To Employers
• See your program coordinator; he/she will be happy
to critique your letters.
• The Office of Co-op and Career Services web site provides
guides and handouts on
the topic of job search correspondence.
• Wallace Library has additional resources for your
review.
• The following resources are available in the Office
of Co-op and Career Services Resource Library:
High Impact Resumes and Letters (5th edition) by R. Krannich
& W. Banis
Dynamic Cover Letters for New Graduates by Katharine Hansen
Cover Letters that Knock 'em Dead by Martin Yate
The Adams Cover Letter Almanac by Adams Media Corporation
Cover Letters for Dummies by Joyce Lain Kennedy
Thank You Letters
This is one of the most important, yet least used, tools in
a job search. Fewer than 20 percent of candidates bother to
extend this basic courtesy. As an interviewee, not only does
the thank you letter show your appreciation of time, but also
if well constructed, it is an excellent opportunity to again
market your skills and interest in the position.
• Thank you letters should be sent as soon as possible
after the interview, preferably within 24 hours.
• Sending thank you notes by fax or e-mail is acceptable.
• If you are interviewed by a committee, you may opt
to send each committee member a thank you letter, or one letter
to the committee chairperson asking that they share it with
the other members.
• State that you remain interested in the job, or at
least that you are interested in taking the next steps.
• View sample thank
you letters
Networking/Informational
Interview Letter
This letter is designed to generate informational interviews,
not job interviews, which allow you to meet individuals who
can give specific information about a career, an industry
of interest, or their position and company.
• View sample networking
letters and informational
interview letter.
Acceptance
Letter
Use this letter to accept a job offer and to confirm the terms
of your employment (salary, starting date, medical examinations,
etc.). An acceptance letter often follows a telephone conversation
during which the details of the offer and the terms of employment
are discussed. The letter confirms your acceptance of the
offer, expresses your appreciation for the opportunity, and
positively reinforces the employer's decision to hire you.
• View sample acceptance
letters.
Withdrawal
Letter
Once you accept a position, you have an obligation to inform
all other employers with whom you have had an interview (or
have one pending) of your decision and to withdraw your employment
application from consideration. This should be done by e-mail
because of the immediacy of the job offer process. In either
case, you should express appreciation for the employer's consideration
and courtesy. It may be appropriate to state that your decision
to go with another organization was based on having better
job fit for this stage in your career. Do not say you obtained
a better job.
Rejection
Letter
Employers are not the only ones to send rejection letters.
Candidatesmay have to decline employment offers verbally (ideal)
or in writing that do not fit their career objectives and
interests. Rejecting an employment offer should be done thoughtfully.
Indicate that you have carefully considered the offer and
have decided not to accept it. Also, be sure to thank the
employer for the offer and for consideration of you as a candidate.
This will improve your chances should you later reapply to
the employer.
• View sample rejection
letter.
E-Mailing Job Search Correspondence
Treat the e-mail message you
send along with your resume as if it were a formal cover letter. To insure the employer will get your resume, place
a text version of your resume in the body of your message
and attach a formatted version as an attachment or link to an online version (PDF).
State Your Topic
Always fill in the subject line. Flag your message with a succinct, informative header: ”Interview Follow Up”.
Be Brief
Lengthy e-mails – more than a screen long – are daunting and annoying. If you want a quick reply, be concise. Break long thoughts into separate paragraphs or a numbered list. With friends you can be chattier. It is okay to send a short note in answer to a long e-mail, as long as you acknowledge the information you received: “Thanks for that comprehensive update. I will do X, Y, or Z.”
Identify Yourself
Create a standard signature that is automatically attached to your business e-mails. Include your full name, title or major (if you are a student), phone number, address.
Answer Promptly
When an e-mail begs a reply (to a question or an update), do so within a few hours, definitely within the day. When you go out of town, program an “I am away” reply into your e-mail system.
Links
CareerLab: Access to over 200 Letters for Job Hunters from
the well known book by the same name. You definitely should
check this one out. http://www.careerlab.com/letters/default.htm
Job Search Correspondence: Many types
of letters and descriptions are given on this site. Also covers
e-mail as part of the job search.
http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/coversamples.htm
MonsterTRAK: Great info on job
search correspondence, including: protocol, cover letters/application
letters, thank you letters, accepting and rejecting offers.
Many samples!
http://content.monstertrak.monster.com/tools