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Career Services Center
215.951.1075
Division of Student Affairs careers@lasalle.edu
Quick Guide to Job Search Letters
During the course of the job search, there are a variety of letters that you may need to compose. These letters
serve to “sell” you to an employer or to keep the doors open for future consideration.
Cover Letter Application Status Letter
Follow-up (Thank You) Letter Declining an Offer Letter
Here are some general rules to follow when constructing and writing ANY correspondence during your job
search process:
Ø Individually type each letter.
Ø Type the letters in proper business format on 8 1/2" x 11" bond paper that, preferably, matches your
resume.
Ø Keep the letters clean, neat and free from misspellings and grammatical errors.
Ø Address your letter to a specific person using name and title. Unless unavoidable, do not use generic
salutations like "Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Personnel Director, Dear Human Resources Manager". If the
specific name and title is not known, contact the company/organization directly to determine this
information.
Ø The letter should reflect your individuality and style. However, avoid appearing familiar, cute,
humorous or over-confident. Remember, you are writing to a stranger about a subject serious to both
of you. Your letter should reflect a professional tone.
Ø Keep your letter short. One page consisting of three to five paragraphs should be sufficient to convey
your message and hold the recruiter's/employer's interest.
Ø Open your letter with a strong, attention-grabbing sentence.
Ø Appeal to the self-interest of the potential employer. Propose a mutually beneficial association with
him/her.
Ø Include challenging thoughts that will entice a potential employer to uncover more information via a
personal interview.
Ø Remember to close the letter by taking initiative. Ask for a response, request an interview or
information, and indicate when you will be in contact with employer.
Before you send the letter, you should ask yourself:..
ü Are your letters written effectively?
ü Do they communicate your abilities and skills?
ü Are they written and organized in a logical, thoughtful fashion?
ü Do they present you in the best possible light?
ü Does your value and personality shine through?
ü Do you understand the letter you have written?
ü Be sure to keep copies of ALL correspondence you send to ensure effective and timely follow-up!
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COVER LETTER (LETTER OF APPLICATION)
Whenever you send a resume to a prospective employer it MUST be accompanied by a cover letter. The
purpose of this letter is to introduce you to a prospective employer and highlight appropriate qualifications and
transferable skills you possess. The cover letter gives you a chance to differentiate your resume -- to tailor your
skills, experience and education to the specific employment opportunity you are seeking.
A good cover letter will...
... create desire in the employer to read the resume and talk to the applicant.
... show your ability to effectively communicate in writing.
... compliment and expand upon your resume.
... indicate the position for which you are applying.
... include information indicating the value that you will bring to the position and organization.
... show the prospective employer how you will help to solve the organization’s problems.
... indicate that you can follow directions by describing, in order, your qualifications, for the position.
... reflect what you know about the particular company's products or services and why you would be an
asset: research the company and personalize!
... give the prospective employer an opportunity to contact you as well as indicate that you will be
following-up in a timely fashion. (generally 1-3 weeks is sufficient time).
All printed cover letters should include these basic elements:
SAMPLE:
1234 Chestnut Drive
Philadelphia, PA 19181 Your Inside Address NOTE:
When corresponding by email, you
November 5, 2009 Today’s Date do not need to include your inside
address, today’s date or the
Mr. Kenley Foxx, Manager employers address.
BIGG Super Stores Employer’s Inside Address
5678 Moneybags Drive (including name & title of person
Lake Success, PA 17125 addressed) Begin with the Salutation and
include the text of your letter in the
body of the email; then attach your
Dear Mr. Foxx: Salutation resume.
Dr. Jones, Professor of Marketing at La Salle University, suggested that I write you concerning the opening your
company has for an Executive Trainee. With a B.S. degree in Marketing, and retail experience, I am confident that I
could make a positive contribution to your firm.
As you can see from my resume, the last two years I have worked parttime and summers in a large department store. I
have over one year of instore retail experience. I learned that I perform well under pressure and enjoy hard work. My
ability to learn quickly should prove to be an asset to your organization and in my career performance.
I am particularly interested in working for BIGG Super Stores in light of the recent progress you have made in meeting
customer service needs. Your innovative approaches to store management give me even further incentive to join your
organization.
I would like to arrange an interview with you so I can show you why I am a strong candidate for this position. I will
call you next week to see when your schedule will be open. If you need additional information, please call me at (215)
2345678. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours, For written letters, be
sure to include enough
Carrie Hunter space to sign your name.
Enc: Resume
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During the job search process, you should keep the lines of communications open with potential
employers. You may find the following additional job search letters helpful.
FOLLOW-UP LETTER (APPRECIATION/THANK YOU)
This type of letter is sent within 48 hours after an interview or informative phone conversation with a
prospective employer. This basic courtesy, which should never be forgotten, keeps communication open with
the employer. It also permits you to provide new information and to re-state your sincere interest in the
position. You should...
... thank each person individually who interviewed or spoke to you.
... remind the interviewer(s) of your talents, skills and enthusiasm.
... affirm or re-affirm your interest in working for the organization or in the specific position.
... add any pertinent information that will assist you in getting hired.
… mention some point of mutual interest or agreement that you discussed -- this helps to reinforce a
positive image and remind the interviewer of the details of your conversation.
... tactfully inform the employer of your desire to see him/her again.
SAMPLE:
Dear Mr. Jones:
Thank you for inviting me to visit your company on December 8 to discuss a possible future for me with Gillette. The
Executive Training Program, which you outlined, sounds exciting. This program would give me the opportunity to
demonstrate my initiative as well as my interpersonal skills.
It was evident from our discussion that the successful Gillette employee has entrepreneurial talent, learns quickly and
assumes increased responsibilities. I am confident that I possess all of these characteristics. While at college, I ran my
own small business selling plants to both wholesale and retail markets. During may summer work for Acme Markets, I
advanced rapidly from stock work to sales and then to night manager.
I have included a copy of my marketing research project as we discussed. If additional information is needed to reach a
positive decision on my application, please feel free to call me. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Thank you again.
DECLINING AN OFFER
It is both professional and courteous to notify an employer, in a timely fashion, when you have definitely
decided to decline a bonafide job offer. In this letter you should...
... express appreciation for the offer of employment, being certain to reiterate pertinent details of the
position such as job title and date of the offer.
... politely decline the offer by honestly stating your reasons.
... close the letter with a courteous statement of gratitude to keep the door open for future consideration.
SAMPLE:
Dear Mr. Jones:
Thank you for the attractive offer that you extended to me on May 26 for the position as a Research Assistant position
with the Environmental Protection Agency. I had much to consider in reaching my decision.
Unfortunately, I am declining your offer to accept a position as a Researcher at the Library of Congress. Their
specialized resources and location in Washington, where my family resides, were the deciding factors in this difficult
decision.
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I appreciate your interest in me and wish to express my gratitude for your courtesy and consideration.
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INQUIRING ABOUT YOUR APPLICATION STATUS
After you have applied for a position, it is essential to determine the status of your application. You may want
to write this letter either before or after your first interview - it all depends on the time frame and the
circumstances. If you do not hear from the company within a reasonable time, it is perfectly acceptable to
inquire when a decision is expected. If you interviewed for a position, 3 -4 weeks without feedback is a long
time. However, if the interviewer said you would be notified by a certain date, and a week has passed without
any response, contact the interviewer. Your letter should...
... recap the history of your application or interview.
... request the status of your application.
... indicate why you need clarification of your application status.
... re-affirm your interest in the position.
... thank the individual for his/her cooperation.
PROVIDING OR SEEKING FURTHER INFORMATION
At times it is necessary to re-contact a potential employer if you have inadvertently left out important
information regarding your abilities or interests. Additionally, you may need further information from the
employer should you have any questions or concerns. Do not hesitate to supply or request this information.
When writing these letters...
... indicate your interest in the company and position.
... give or ask for the information required.
... be specific and clear in your communication.
... express your thanks for their cooperation.
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