 |
Cover Letter & Business Correspondence Guide
Whenever you communicate in writing with a potential employer, you
want to make the best impression possible. Your written correspondence
gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself, express your interest
in a position, offer the employer insight into your personality through
your writing style, and impress the employer with your communication
skills. The impression you make is further enhanced through the use
of standard formats, which contain proper grammar and correct spelling.
Allow your personality to come through in your writing, and particularly
emphasize your interest and enthusiasm for the position desired and
the organization; focus on what you have to offer the employer as well
as what they have to offer you.
There are several types of letters and e-mails you may compose in the
course or your internship or job search:
Stylistic considerations for correspondence include limiting all letters
to one page only. Always print the letters on good quality paper, preferably
paper that matches your resume. This page provides a brief overview
of these common forms of correspondence, including some samples. The
Career Services Library also contains a number of books filled with
examples for your reference.
Cover Letters
Cover
Letter Template
The cover letter is a business letter and, at bare minimum, is used
to transmit your resume (or other documents, such as transcripts) to
a prospective employer. A good cover letter will communicate interest,
motivation, and self-confidence, as well as some understanding of the
position. Some things to keep in mind in order to accomplish this goal:
- Target your letter to match each particular organization or position
being sought. Most employers do not look favorably on cover letters
which look mass produced, so it is important to personalize your cover
letter.
- Make clear reference to the skills and/or experience that the organization
is seeking.
- Address your letter to a specific individual within the organization
whenever possible. Resources for helping you to find names of specific
individuals within organizations that recruit on campus are available
via TigerTracks (eRecruiting). You can also call organizations directly
and ask a receptionist for the name and title of the appropriate contact.
- If someone has referred you to this position or company (an alumni
contact, family friend, parent), be sure to mention that at the beginning
of the letter.
- Pay particular attention to grammar, typing and spelling; avoid
trite language and the temptation to turn your cover letter into an
extensive autobiography.
- Use a good quality paper stock (possibly the same type of paper
on which your resume was printed).
- Create a file that holds copies of all your cover letters, and make
notes outlining further correspondence between you and the employer.
It can be both confusing and embarrassing to receive a reply from
a company (particularly a request for an interview) and not be certain
of what you sent them.
When applying for internships and jobs online, you might not be asked
for a cover letter, but you will likely be asked to include a statement
of your interest in the position; the format used for a written cover
letter would be appropriate in this case. If someone asks you to e-mail
a cover letter and resume to apply for a position, you can do one of
two things, both equally acceptable:
- Write a brief e-mail, with the full cover letter and resume attached.
- Use your cover letter in the body of the e-mail, with the resume
attached (e-mail format does not require you to include your mailing
address, the date, or the recipient's mailing address; simply start
with the salutation, "Dear Mr. Smith:").
Thank You Notes
Thank
You Note Sample
Thank you letters are frequently overlooked by candidates and not considered
an important piece in the job or internship search. This could not be
further from the truth! By sending a thank you letter, you demonstrate
clear appreciation for the time the employer took to meet with you as
well as the consideration that has been given your resume. As a continuation
of the interview process, you want to show enthusiasm, motivation and
reiterate your interest in the position.
Thank you letters will be more concise than cover letters, but they
provide the same type of opportunity to point out your interests and
qualifications. They should be typed and use business letter format.
Some things to remember when writing a thank you letter:
- Mention the position for which you were interviewed, the date and
location of the interview.
- Reaffirm your interest in the position. Mentioning specific job
duties or topics discussed in the interview, as well as rearticulating
your strengths and experiences, will support your interests.
- Highlight a conversation you had with an interviewer, or something which increased your interest in the position.
- Express your willingness to provide additional information if necessary,
such as the names of references.
- If anything was requested of you during the interview, such as references,
include it with this letter.
- Send a thank you letter within two days of your interview. If a
decision will be made before the US mail will be able to deliver the
thank you note, it can be appropriate to send the thank you via e-mail.
If an employer tells you not to bother with the formality of sending
a thank you letter, it is recommended that you send them a short e-mail
message thanking them for the time they took to speak with you.
Letter of Inquiry
A letter of inquiry is a general term for any letter or e-mail used
to gather more information about options and opportunities, addressed
to anyone who might be able to provide details about a job, career field,
or organization of interest (e.g., potential employers, alumni, friends
of family). This letter uses the same basic format as a cover letter.
The content of this type of letter will vary slightly depending upon
who you contact and what you hope to learn from the correspondence.
For example, if you wish to speak with alumni working in a particular
career field, to learn more about the nature of the work and the types
of options that exist within the field, your opening paragraph should
make that goal plain. You still want to include examples of your accomplishments
and skills within the letter, but because you are not seeking an interview
for a job, the letter can be a bit more concise and should focus on
the request to speak further for career advice and information.
Letter Accepting an Offer
Acceptance
Letter Sample
Once you have decided to accept an offer of employment, you should
formally accept in writing. The main purpose of the letter is to confirm
and acknowledge the agreed upon terms, including position title, start
date, and starting salary or pay rate (when applicable). It also provides
one additional opportunity to re-express your enthusiasm for joining
the organization. In many instances, an employer may send an offer letter,
which you simply need to sign and date; in this instance, it is recommended
that you write a brief letter of your own, thanking them again for the
offer (and serving as a basic cover letter for the signed document you
are returning).
Letter Decling an Offer
Decline
Letter Sample
You may find yourself in the position of wanting to decline an offer
that is extended to you. Always express your appreciation for the offer
and the organization's interest in you. Keep the letter concise, offering
a brief comment about why you are declining but without lengthy explanation.
For example, you may feel that another position is a better fit for
your interests and skills, or you may have realized through the interviewing
process your preference to focus on another geographic region. You should
not feel bad about declining an offer, as this is an every-day part
of the process. However, you should always be respectful and positive,
given that this may be an organization of future interest to you.
Reference List
Reference List Sample
Employers often want the names and phone numbers of individuals they can contact to learn more about you and your work or academic experience. Do not make the mistake of listing your references on your resume or saying “references available on request.” This went out of fashion some years ago. On a page separate from your resume (but in the same style), list three to five people, their exact titles, the organizations they work for, their work addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses and their relationship to you. For undergraduates or recent graduates, several of these individuals will be professors. If you’ve been out in the work force for a few years, more of your references will be professional such as previous employers or close business associates. Anyone who has supervised your work whether in a paid job, internship, volunteer experience or extracurricular activity is appropriate to ask. You would not list family members. You need to always ask if it is acceptable to list someone as a reference.
Email Correspondence
If you cannot send written correspondence via regular mail (due to
time constraints in the process), you can send most of these letters
via e-mail. The exception: you may verbally accept or decline an offer,
but you should always provide a written/printed letter as a follow up
to those conversations.
Should you have questions that were not answered during an interview
or an informational meeting with an alumnus, for example, you can send
these to the individual via e-mail. To avoid inundating employers and
others with e-mail, be sure to carefully think about the questions you
have and try to include them all in one message. If you have a lot of
question, or they might require more in-depth response, you might simply
send an e-mail indicating that you have several questions and you would
like to inquire about a good time for a brief phone conversation.
E-mail is such a common tool that is can be easy to make simple mistakes
in spelling, grammar, and so forth. Remember that an e-mail message
will be an example to the employer of your communication skills, so
be certain to use proper grammar, check spelling and follow the guidelines
as presented in this page.
|
|
|