JobBlog

THANK YOU LETTER
Following an interview it is customary to send a thank you letter to the person or persons you met while at the company. Anyone who has provided any assistance during a corporate visit should be thanked in writing. It is a matter of professional courtesy, but it also helps to establish a line of communication between you and the company representatives.
Be sure to get the proper spelling of names and their titles before you leave the interview. Make friends with the receptionist so he/she will assist you in obtaining this info. Your letter need not be typed on business stationery. I suggest using formal notecards and hand writing the letter. The personal touch is appreciated.

LETTER OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Acknowledge the receipt of any correspondence or information. This type of correspondence may include: a letter or postcard from the company stating that your application or resume was received, an invitation to an informational meeting or tour of the company, a letter requesting a second or subsequent interviews, a letter of rejection, or a letter of postponement, delay or change in the selection process. It is important to acknowledge every piece of correspondence.

GENERAL OUTLINE FOR A COVER LETTER
Applicant’s Address
City, State, Zip

Date of Letter

Use complete title Employer’s Name and Title
and address Address
City, State, Zip

If possible, address Salutation:
it to a particular person
Opening Paragraph: State why you are writing, name the
position or type of work for which you are applying and mention
how you heard of the opening or organization.

Make the addressee Middle Paragraph(s): Explain why you are interested in
want to read your working for this employer and specify your reasons for
resume. desiring this type of work. If you have had relevant work
Be personable and experience or related education, be sure to point it out,
enthusiastic. But do not reiterate your entire resume. Emphasize skills or
Be brief but specific; abilities you have that relate to the job for which you are
your resume applying. Be sure to do this in a confident manner and
contains details. remember that the reader will view your letter of
Top and bottom application as an example of your writing skills.
margins should be
equal. Closing Paragraph: You may refer the reader to your enclosed
resume (Which gives a summary of your qualifications) or
whatever media you are using to illustrate your training, interests
and experience. Have an appropriate closing to pave the way for
the interview.

Closing Sincerely,

Always sign letters
Your name typed

If a resume or other Enclosure
enclosure is used,
note in letter

There are lots of examples of cover letters out there. Many use gimmicks and advertising lingo to attract the readers’ attention. While all letters of application should be personalized to be effective, the best letters follow certain basic principles. Many letters are disqualified or discarded because of minor details. Please note the following points:

• Type all letters on good quality business stationery, preferably matching your resume paper

• Use either block style or modified block style; do not use a memo format

• Use black ink only

• Limit your letter to one page, usually three or four paragraphs

• Write in your own words, using your own style

• Do not rehash the entire resume; instead, elaborate on specific points of particular interest to the employer; refer the reader to your resume for additional information

• Make it easy to read; use spell check and grammar check

• Make the format and layout attractive; center the letter on the page; allow ample margins; make it appealing to look at and inviting to the reader

• Watch your sentence structure; proof read the letter several times to be sure you are saying what you want to say

• Do not send photocopies or generic letters; you can create a model letter which can be used many times with slight revisions

• Do not e-mail or fax any business correspondence (resumes, applications, letters, etc) unless you are specifically asked to do so. Even then, follow it up with a hard copy in the mail

• Be sure to sign the letter before you mail it

• I recommend buying large envelopes (9×12) instead of matching business envelopes. That way you can mail your resume and cover letter without having to fold or crease them in any way. Be sure to add the extra postage for a large envelope

Remember that your letters represent you and may leave a lasting impression on the reader. It is very important to develop good letter writing skills.

The myth about business correspondence is that it must be formal, standardized and often terse. The writer seems to transform him/herself from the personal to the institutional. Letters appear to be written from one “institution” to another rather than from person to person. This does nothing more than create ineffective communication. It is important to develop a good writing style that not only reflects good grammar and sentence structure, but also gives the reader some insight into the personality of the writer. It is just as important, however, to be able to express yourself in clear, concise language so the reader knows exactly why you are writing.

Oftentimes, the first impression an employer has of a prospective employee is in writing, in the form of a cover letter or letter of application and resume. Opinions are formed and conclusions are drawn from the appearance and content of any correspondence you send.

It is important to make the best possible impression so that an interview will follow. When sending a resume, never send it without a cover letter. Usually, when the reader gets your cover letter and resume he/she will immediately flip the cover letter over and glance at the resume first. This is so that a few facts about you are easily obtained. (i.e. name, objective, education, extend of experience and skills). If the resume interests the reader, he/she will then flip back to the cover letter and read it in detail. In fact, the letter may get more attention than the resume because, although the resume is about you, it is assumed that you had help putting it together. But the cover letter is generally written by the individual and the reader can assess your writing style, communication style and how well you put your thoughts and ideas together. The intent of the cover letter is to introduce yourself to the potential employer, highlight the information given on the resume and convince the reader to grant you an interview. But an employer could receive hundreds of letters and resumes every day. It would be like receiving hundreds of pieces of junk mail. How much of it can you read and which ones do you even care to read? An employer may compare your correspondence with other candidates and determine which appears better. To increase your chances of being selected, your letter must spark the interest of the reader, create a favorable impression and look inviting to read.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but nobody cares if you like to shoot hoops, listen to music, jog , read or anything else. Activities should include those things that relate to your professional qualifications, leadership skills and community service. Use this section on your resume to list some of the following:
Honors, awards, leadership positions, varsity sports, scholarships, clubs, committees.
Professional associations and organizations
Include offices held.

You don’t need to list everything. Being Homecoming Queen may not be your best attribute, so use restraint and common sense.

Company Name City, State
Job Title Dates of Employment
Description of skills and responsibilities.
List in chronological order with the most recent first, or
List those experiences that best support your qualifications for the position, followed by relevant experiences in descending order. (Related Experience)
Include internships, part-time, summer and volunteer work as it relates to your objective.
This could be followed by a category called Other Employment in order to list your employment history that is not related to your major or objective.
Describe your experience using skills and actions. Do not list tasks or duties that are implied in the job title. For example: If you are a cashier, you don’t need to say: Handle money, ring up sales, make change, etc. But you could emphasize customer service, volume of sales or number of customers. If the assistant manager was on maternity leave and you had to assume those duties, but did not have the title, you could include: Assumed responsibilities of assistant manager for a period of twelve weeks.

Instead of imbedding your skills in your job descriptions, create a section on your resume that highlignts your qualifications. Bullet these items and emphasize the qualities that the employer requires for the position.
• Describe skill areas as they relate to your objective
• Highlight achievements
• Include special skills, i.e. computer, language, etc.
• Leadership, management, supervisory experience
• Communication and interpersonal skills

If your experience in these or any other categories is extensive you can create short paragraphs.

Marketing Communication Created marketing plans for clients that provided cost-effective solutions to both traditional and unique marketing challenges. Planned media strategy. Assisted in developing advertising and collateral materials that support and reinforce the marketing plan.

If you are newly graduated your Education is a major qualifier and should be listed in the top half of your resume. However, if you have acquired several years of experience in your field, then Education could move to the bottom half of your resume. Below is a sample of the format:

College City, State
Degree Date of Graduation
Major/minor. emphasis area GPA (optional)

You may have attended more than one college. List only the degree granting institutions. It is not necessary to list high school.
List the highest degree attained first e.g. PhD, MA, BA
You may have received certificates from technical institutions. If it applies to your objective, put it on the resume. Otherwise, leave it off. For example, if you have a certificate in Cosmetology but you now have an accounting degree, you need not list the certificate.
Workshops and seminars can be listed separately under Professional Development. These might include: Leadership Training, Time Management Training, Diversity Sensitivity, etc.