LETTER WRITING

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
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
 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.
 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 concise, get to the point
 Letter Writing Principles
(apply to all letters)
 Be positive
 (optimistic, productive, reasonable,
responsible)

 Cater to reader’s interests

 Sign and keep copy

Letter-writing principles also apply
to letters:

 Handwritten

 Sent via e-mail

 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, 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
 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)
 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’
Q. What do the following have in
common?

 indepth
 first hand
 alot
 all around
 coop
A. They all contain an ‘error’.

 in-depth
 firsthand
 a lot
 all-around
 co-op
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.
Thank You Letter Paragraphs (e.g.)

 1st – purpose (express appreciation,

follow up)
 2nd – reemphasize qualifications,
restate interest
 3rd – provide supplemental
information (if any)
 4th – restate thanks
 Acceptance Letter Paragraphs
(e.g.)

 1st – Purpose

 2nd – Confirmation of terms, action to

be taken

 3rd – Express appreciation, reiterate

interest
 Thank you