A job prospecting letter, also known as a letter of interest, is a tool used to uncover employment opportunities by targeting the business you are interested in working for and sending them a letter (three examples are below). It is not a cover letter.
A letter of interest explains why they (the potential employer) should interview you and consider you for a position in their company.
A cover letter is something that describes the contents of another document, namely a resume. It’s usually a boring form letter that does very little in terms of actually selling your skills and talents.
How To Mail and Follow Up On Your Job Prospecting Letter / Inquiry Letter!
First, you have to find the name and title of the person you want to send your letter to. This person must be in charge of hiring, or at least have a great deal of influence when it comes hiring.
For example, if I am interested in a job at a large advertising firm and I am a graphic designer I would send my letter to the person in charge of the graphic design department.
A small but important detail – print your letters and resumes on high quality matching paper and envelopes.
About three to 5 days after you mail your letter I suggest you make a personal phone call to the person to whom you mailed the letter.
Below you’ll find one letter idea you can model for your employment prospecting efforts.
The first sample employment prospecting letter below is different than most. I think that you’ll stand out more if you acknowledge the person you are contacting rather than talking about yourself the whole time. After you do that you can express your interest and desire to work for them and then list a few reasons why you are a good candidate.
Also, a job prospecting letter is not a resume. It’s a tool you are going to use to hopefully get the person in charge of hiring (or at least has influence) to call you and ask you to come in for an interview. In other words, it is very similar to a sales letter. But in this case you are selling yourself.
Job Prospecting Letter Sample!
Recipients Name
Title
Company Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Name,
I was reading up on that latest trends in Vehicle Engineering in Name Of Trade Journal and it mentioned that you had received a promotion to Lead Engineer in the Autonomous Engineering Division of Name Of Company. Congratulations!
The reason I am writing you is because I was inquiring about a potential position in your department. A career in Autonomous Vehicle Engineering is my calling and I believe Name Of Company is on the cutting edge of this technology. Also, I will be moving to the Seattle area in March and I’ll be just four miles from your campus.
I have a Bachelors degree in Automotive Engineering and I have a certification in C++. Myself and my school team (The Fabricators) received 2nd place in the Formula Student challenge in 2019. Also, I recently completed a six month Internship at Tesla in Nevada where I learned a great deal about the processes of electric car manufacturing.
In addition I have a lengthy employment record where I worked for Name Of Company for three years during college, and I received employee of the month twice.
For your convenience I’ve enclosed my resume along with this letter which provides more details on my education, work experience, and skills. I would love the opportunity to discuss my potential candidacy in the Autonomous Engineering Division with you in more detail. You can reach me anytime on my cell phone, 555-555-5555.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I am looking for forward to meeting with you to discuss any opportunity you may have in your department.
Sincerely,
Your Signature (hard copy letter)
Your Typed Name
Employment Prospecting Letter / Letter Of Interest:
Recipients Name
Title
Company Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Name,
I was conducting some research on a project and I came across a very interesting article about your company in Name Of Trade Magazine. It revealed how your company grew from a small five person operation to a fortune 500 company within seven years. The article outlined the exceptional business strategies you implemented during this period of time. It also highlighted the creative and effective marketing strategies which you implemented to help your company grow.
I particularly enjoyed and learned from the tradeshow promotional strategy you used at the Telecom Conference which garnered you a lot of media attention.
I am writing to because I believe my creative skills and experience in marketing and communications would compliment your marketing department.
I believe in thinking outside of the box when it comes to marketing, but at the same time I also know that achieving results is the most important part of marketing.
If you were to decide to hire me I would be dedicated to marketing research and focused on creating marketing campaigns that get the results you expect.
I strongly believe in representing my employers with integrity and in a professional manner. I am a hard working and accountable person and have proven this during my employment since my freshman year in high school.
I have enclosed a copy of my resume with the hope that you’ll find my career path, and work experience a good fit for your company.
If you would like to meet with me to discuss my work experience, resume, or if you have any questions at all you can reach me on my cell phone at 555-555-5555.
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Name
College Graduate Letter Of Interest!
Recipients Name
Title
Company Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Name,
It is with great pleasure that I write to you in order to request your consideration for admission into the Hyatt’s Corporate Management Training Program. I have spent a great deal of time extensively researching this opportunity and reflecting upon the obligations, expectations, and benefits.
Based upon this information, I feel that I would be an excellent candidate for this program, which would greatly improve my leadership skills within the hotel management industry.
There are a number of reasons why I am well qualified for this program. First, I have recently earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from San Francisco State University, during which I gained great insight into the importance of leadership and administration towards guaranteeing continued success for a company’s profit margin.
Additionally, I have experience working within a Hyatt hotel as a bellhop during my college years, where I maintained a commitment to providing quality service and was named as employee of the month twice during my three years.
Prior to this experience, I served as a sales associate with Verizon Wireless, where I consistently achieved target outcomes for customer satisfaction and sales. I firmly believe that these experiences attest to my qualifications, work ethic, and commitment as an employee.
Overall, I believe that I am well qualified for acceptance into Hyatt’s Corporate Management Training Program. I am passionate about the hotel and tourism industry.
It would be an honor to participate in this program in order to improve my knowledge, experience, and leadership within the field. I would be pleased to setup a time to chat with you about my experiences and interest at your earliest convenience.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at PHONE NUMBER or E-MAIL. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Name
