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You are here > Home > Job Search Resources > Writing Letters Writing Letters: How to Conduct a Job Search Is writing good letter is still important?
Yes. Absolutely. Whether you write an email, postcard or formal letter on paper, your letters are very important. When conducting a job search in this competitive market, the letter you write will impact what happens to you. The first thing you should always keep in mind is that many decisions will be made about you based upon the letter you write.
Perfection counts when writing letters for employment. All your job search correspondence should be simple, concise, grammatically correct and error-free. Here are tips and suggestions for writing employment letters which will help you stand out from the crowd.
Decision-makers will attempt to "size you up" based on the way you write. Did you get straight to the point? Was your writing clear? Did you spell your words correctly? Or, on the other hand, did you ramble? Did you have run-on or confusing sentences? Were you confusing in the way your presented yourself? The bottom line here is that your prospective employer will ask herself, "Do I want someone who writes this way working for me?" He may also think to himself, "My time is limited. Did this guy show respect for my time by making his goals and intentions clear?"
What kind of letters will impact my job search?
Several kinds of letters will be required in your ongoing job search. These include:
The way you leave your current job for the new job is important. Whenever leaving a job, always write a positive resignation or farewell letter. How you write a resignation letter is important, because it usually isn't easy to resign and stay on good terms with the company you are leaving. Even if you hate your job and can't wait to start your new job, it can be difficult to resign diplomatically and tactfully. Well-written resignation letters can help ensure your resignation goes smoothly.
Avoid any temptation to be sour or negative. Don't burn bridges, even if the relationship was contentious. Try to leave the job on a high note and let your farewell letter establish that you are a professional.
You never know when you might need that previous employer to give you a reference, so it makes sense to take the time to write polished and professional resignation letters.
A well-written resignation letter can help you maintain positive relationship with your old employer, while paving the way for you to move on.
A resume alone does not do the job. The most important thing for you to remember about a cover letter (that goes with the resume) is that it's sole purpose is to get you an interview. If you put anything into your cover letter that may cause someone not to want to meet you, your cover letter has failed. So, then, what does it take to write a good cover letter? Here are the basics:
Make sure you emphasize that your goal is to arrange a meeting or phone call in which you can learn about the person's work and organization. If you are sending many cover letters in a job search, keep these ideas in mind too:
What about email? Use email for cover letters, but, keep them short and include in the email message. Don't send as an attachment unless the employer specifically requests an attachment.
If you have not yet had your interview, don't just sit back and wait, or worse, give up. Send a follow-up letter. Though you may feel somewhat dejected or hurt since you have not yet heard from them, make sure none of that negativity shows through in your follow-up letter. Be positive, concise, friendly and to the point.
When dining or interviewing with a prospective employer, be sure to thank everyone you spend time with, both for the meal and for taking the time to discuss the position and the company with you. Then, follow-up with a letter.
Writing a thank you letter, or thank you email, after an employment interview is a must. In fact, some employers think less of those interviewees who fail to follow-up promptly. Plan to send out your thank you letters or thank you notes as soon as possible (preferably within twenty-four hours) after your interview.
As with all your letters, view your thank you letter as a sales letter. You are still selling yourself.
In other words, you can restate why you want the job, what your qualifications are, how you might make significant contributions, and so on. This thank you letter is also the perfect opportunity to discuss anything of importance that your interviewer neglected to ask or that you neglected to answer as thoroughly, or as well, as you would have liked.
Like any piece of writing, it is best to keep your audience in mind. Address their issues and concerns. In general, typed (paper or email) thank you letters are recommended.
However, some surveys suggest than hiring managers like hand written thank notes, too. So, consider the "personality" of the organization and the rapport you felt during your interviews. If your interview was a fairly informal process and/or you achieved an immediate rapport with your interviewer, a handwritten note is fine.
What if you spent an entire day being interviewed (and taken to lunch) with several people? Are individual thank you notes appropriate or should you write a "group" letter?
Choose your approach based on what you think will be most in keeping with the "personality" of the organization. Also, consider whether the interviews had very much in common with one another. If there was a great deal of similarity (i.e., shared concerns mutually voiced by your interviewers), perhaps a "group" letter will suffice. My preference though, would be to take the extra time and send an individual thank you letter to everyone you met with.
Check spelling, grammar, typos, etc. If in doubt about the correct names, spellings or titles of your interviewers, call the office to double-check. Your efforts will be worth it!
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