Ellen Perlmutter-Gumbiner 3335 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90007 enperlmu@usc.edu (818) 605-1592 Mr.

. Stefan Pollack President Pollack PR Marketing Group Dear Mr. Pollack, If Pollack PR Marketing Group values communicative, motivated, and multitalented individuals, then it should consider scouring local coffee shops for its next Interactive Strategist. Like most of your applicants, I too have a great GPA and an expansive list of internships, but the top reason you should hire me is because of my background as a barista at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Though the monetary pay can be paltry, baristas leave their post with a bevy of skills directly applicable to the PR and marketing world. My ability to turn barista skills into PR skills and drive to push boundaries will bring a fresh and positive outlook to the PPMG team. Day after day, baristas hone their communication and reasoning skills by dealing with the most challenging of clients: those whove yet to drink their morning coffee. If Reagan was the Great Communicator, then baristas collectively form the second tier. Behind the counter, we learn to adapt to the needs of every customer from the foreign tourist to the busy mother, while simultaneously handling boiling water. I came out from Coffee Bean not only knowing how to make a killer vanilla latte, but also how to smoothly and clearly communicate with anyone ages eight to eighty. My ability to easily communicate with both colleagues and clients will ensure a level of trust and understanding that will allow you to comfortably delegate assignments in high-pressure situations. Baristas must also quickly learn how to pitch the latest product. In the pursuit of driving sales, we were forced to understand our influence and master the art of the pitch in order to convince customers to buy a $15 bag of coffee or a $50 coffee thermos. While some questioned the possibility of the task at hand, I approached the job with the PPMG attitude of why not? In turn, I sold over a hundred bags in a three-week period and was named the stores top salesman. I will bring this same tenacity and drive to PPMG to insure that clients are at the forefront of the target audiences eye. Lastly, as baristas we learn to wear many hats and constantly multitask. We are often given a wide array of responsibility and are taught not to rely, but to be relied upon. Flexibility is a must, and conventional hours a rarity; thus, as your potential Interactive Strategist, I am equipped to take on any task and assist team members in any way necessary. Whether influencing the purchase of a $150 coffee machine to a customer who came for their $1.50 cup of coffee or just understanding the needs of clients, baristas leave with a powerful command of persuasion and an immense ability to create consumer engagement that will prove endlessly beneficial to the goals of PPMG. In my two years spent as a barista, I gained the type of raw skills applicable to Marketing and PR that complement an undergraduate public relations education. With my hunger for learning and constant desire to improve, combined with my education and agency and in-house internship experience, I am a strong candidate for a distinguished intimate-sized agency such as Pollack PR Marketing Group. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to meeting with you over a cup of coffee. Sincerely, Ellen Perlmutter-Gumbiner