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Job Hunting Correspondence: Guidelines & Sample Letters 
Contents
Although personal contact is important, you will also write letters throughout the process of your job search. Sometimes they will be the basis for an employer's first impression of you. Therefore they deserve care and attention. To write letters which help your search, observe these guidelines:
In these letters, pay particular attention to writing a first paragraph which will motivate the recipient to continue reading. If a position has been advertised, the fact that you wish to apply becomes interesting. If that is not the case, it may be helpful to have an opening which appeals more directly to the reader's situation. The research skills you've developed as a graduate student should serve you well in approaching employers on a knowledgeable basis. Imagine that you are a busy consultant and have two letters in front of you:
These letters may be brief. They should convey your appreciation for the time an employer has spent with you or the offer which has been extended to you, demonstrate that you listened to what the employer had to say, and, where appropriate, confirm any agreements which were reached between you. Express appreciation for the offer. If you wish to decline, it is not necessary for you to give any particular reason for doing so. If you are accepting a position for which you have not yet received a written offer, use your acceptance letter to confirm the salary you were offered, as well as any special arrangements which you may have negotiated with the employer. It is important to do this in order to avoid any future misunderstandings, but avoid giving the impression that you distrust the employer or are writing a legal document.
The opening paragraph should explain why you are writing, giving your specific employment interest. Mention how you found out about the position. If it was advertised, refer to the publication in which you saw it. If it a contact told you about it, say so. The middle paragraph(s) should summarize the aspects of your background which will interest the employer. The more information you have about the organization and its needs, the better. Discuss your qualifications in terms of the contributions you can make. While you should not repeat your resume verbatim, don't hesitate to refer to the most important information discussed in it. Ideally, both your cover letter and your resume would be able to stand alone, if necessary. It is not necessary, and probably not helpful, to describe yourself in superlatives. Rather than saying, "I can make a uniquely valuable contribution to your organization," give the employer enough appropriate information to allow him or her to reach that conclusion independently! You may also explain why the position is attractive to you. Be specific and credible. The closing paragraph should pave the way for the interview. You may ask for an appointment, provide extra materials, or suggest that you will call the employer soon. Sincerely, Type your name under your signature. Enclosure Dear Ms. McAlpern, If you think you will need some short-term help this summer, I hope that you will consider me as someone who may be able to provide it. I'm a graduate student in Government Administration at the University of Pennsylvania and will spend this summer in State Capitol. Since I'm not sure what your summer needs may be, let me briefly mention some of the ways I might be able to be useful. As you'll note from the enclosed resume, I have done systems consulting for a company with many public sector clients, and I am familiar with the budget planning process. Your assistant, David Jones, also mentioned to me by phone this morning that your staff is just adjusting to using Lotus123 on a networked system. Since I know the software well and have had some experience writing documentation, perhaps I could be of some assistance in the transition. I'll be in State Capitol the second week in March and hope I might come in and meet with you briefly to learn about your possible needs and answer your questions about my qualifications. Even if you don't foresee any summer positions, I would welcome the chance to talk with you, because my interest in your office is ongoing. I'll call you next week to see whether there is a convenient time for me to come by. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Darrell K. Roberts Mr./Ms./Dr. Name Dear ______: In the first paragraph, explain how you learned about the person to whom you're writing and what you want from him or her. Do not ask for "an informational interview," which sounds formal. Instead, use a phrase such as "a brief meeting with you to discuss___________," or "a chance to meet with you briefly to learn from you about______________." In the second paragraph, explain something of your background and why you have developed the interests which you wish to discuss with this person. This paragraph can be brief and low key. You're asking to meet with someone for an informal conversation; this is not the place to try to overwhelm him or her with your qualifications. In the final paragraph, give a few specific examples of the kinds of questions you have. Make it clear that you will make good use of this person's time. Offer to call within the next few days to try to arrange an appointment. Sincerely, Type your name under your signature. Today's Post article on your study of intergovernmental cooperation captured my attention. Your recommendations about incentives for coordination of metropolitan transportation systems were particularly interesting. Could I meet with you briefly to get your views about the future of these proposals? As a graduate student in City and Regional Planning at the Graduate School of Fine Arts at the University of Pennsylvania, I'm taking advantage of the school's interdisciplinary resources to combine the study of transportation planning and government. Through this work I've gained a better understanding of the successes and failures of the Port Authority, where I was previously employed as an Analyst. When I complete my graduate training, I would like to work for a public authority which is making substantial progress in integrating transportation modalities. Perhaps you might be willing to make some recommendations, based upon your experience. I would appreciate fifteen or twenty minutes of your time. I'll call at the end of the week to try to arrange a time to speak with you. Thank You Sincerely, Robert C. Lin Mr. Pierre Augustin Dear Mr. Augustin, Thank you for taking the time to meet with me yesterday to share your experience in environmental consulting. Your stress on the importance of understanding the international nature of the business was something I'll take very seriously when I choose my courses next semester. I'm enclosing the paper on the relationship between infrastructure and development which we discussed. The Indonesian case study that interested you begins on p. 14. I know how busy your schedule is, so I do appreciate your generosity in making time to meet with me. Thank you again. Sincerely, Brenda Parker Enclosure Thank you for meeting with me today to discuss the Associate position. Everything I learned confirmed my prior impression of Matthews Associates' sophistication and high standards. I was particularly happy to learn how much stress you place upon teamwork; I feel I could learn from any of the people I talked with during my visit. You made it clear that you expect a lot from new employees, and I appreciate your candor. At this point I would be able to undertake the kind of hours and travel that you described. I hope you will find that my prior record of accomplishment demonstrates that I could be a productive member of your staff. If there is any further information I can provide, please let me know. Thank you again for your consideration. I hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely, John P. Mott Dear Ms. Fergusson, Thank you for your offer of the position of Planning Associate an annual salary of $34,000. I'm very happy to accept it. I'm very excited about what I learned during our earlier conversations about Planner's International's efforts to identify staff who have the ability to propose genuinely innovative projects in international development. The chance to contribute to this effort is a wonderful professional opportunity. In addition, I was impressed with everyone I met during our visit and am looking forward to working as part of your organization. I appreciate the accommodations you have made to allow me to begin work on August 1. At that point, my academic obligations will be entirely fulfilled, and I will be able to devote my full energies to this position. Thank you for your understanding. If you need any additional information from me before August 1, I'll be at (215) 833-1766 most of the time. During the week of July 13, I can be reached at (802) 423-1235. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need me. Otherwise, I'll see you on August 1. Sincerely, Martha P. Success
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