Letter writing

1. LETTER WRITING

2. Letter Writing - Intro
 Part of total job search process
 Communication skills indicator
 No single correct way, but generic
impersonal form letters don’t cut it

3. Types of ‘Job Search’ Letters
1. Application/cover – to apply for a
specific position
2. Appreciation/thank you – to follow up
3. Prospecting – to inquire about general
availability of positions
4. Networking – to arrange an informational
interview/meeting
5. Acceptance – to accept and confirm a job
offer
6. Withdrawal – to remove your job
application from consideration
7. Rejection – to decline a job offer

4. Examples of NON Job Search
Letters in Business
 Purposes:
1. To present a sales proposal to a customer.
2. To present a financial proposal to a customer.
3. To set up a committee meeting.
4. To set up a business meeting.
5. To offer a position to a new employee.
6. To communicate to fellow employees a new company policy.
7. To write a letter of recommendation in support of a colleague
for a new job.
8. To request and justify company support of a specific
departmental proposal (e.g. new equipment, additional
funding).
9. To request information or additional information.
10. To respond to an inquiry.

5. Letter Writing Principles
(apply to all letters)
 Identify purpose, at the beginning
 Organize material into paragraphs
 Be professional
 High quality paper
 Error free
 Address to specific individual
 Be succinct, get to the point

6. Letter Writing Principles
(apply to all letters)
 Be positive
 (optimistic, productive, reasonable,
responsible)
 Cater to reader’s interests
 Sign and keep copy

7. Letter-writing principles also apply
to letters:
 Handwritten
 Sent via e-mail

8. Other Technical Suggestions on
Letters
 Center letter (side to side, top to bottom)
 Capitalization
 Don’t overdo it (e.g. no need to cap job titles,
seasons of the yr, courses taken, senior, agriculture,
etc.)
 Punctuation
 Don’t overuse commas, semicolons; use periods to
avoid run-on sentences; no need to use period after
two-letter abbreviation of state or street
 Spelling
 No mistakes (use spell check); pay attention to
hyphenated words (e.g. in-depth, two word
adjectives preceding noun).

9. Other Technical Suggestions on
Letters
 Small words better than big words
 Examples: try vs endeavor
end vs terminate
begin vs commence
 Short sentences better than long sentences
 Example: ‘That’s one small step for man, one
giant leap for mankind.’ – Neil Armstrong
 Use consistent verb tense (active preferred)
 Example: don’t write ‘consistent verb tense
should be used’

10. Other Technical Suggestions on
Letters
 Use conversational style
 Example: ‘There has been an affirmative
decision with regard to program
termination’ vs ‘The company is ending
the program’.
 Example: ‘Enclosed herewith is the
aforementioned and requested
information’ vs ‘I am enclosing the
information you requested’

11. Q. What do the following have in
common?
 indepth
 first hand
 alot
 all around
 midwest
 coop

12. A. They all contain an ‘error’.
 in-depth
 firsthand
 a lot
 all-around
 Midwest
 co-op

13. Application Letter Paragraphs (e.g.)
 1st
– purpose, interest, position,
source
 2nd
– qualifications, evidence, refer to
resume
 3rd
(+) – sell yourself
 4th
– suggest action (interview,
meeting, phone call). Show
appreciation.

14. Thank You Letter Paragraphs (e.g.)
 1st
– purpose (express appreciation,
follow up)
 2nd
– reemphasize qualifications,
reiterate interest
 3rd
– provide supplemental
information (if any)
 4th
– reiterate thanks

15. Acceptance Letter Paragraphs
(e.g.)
 1st
– Purpose
 2nd
– Confirmation of terms, action to
be taken
 3rd
– Express appreciation, reiterate
interest