Formatting the letter o Use 11 – 12 font Arial or -Times New Roman is best o Center the letter on the page o Different formats can be used (play it safe-stick to standard business format) o Pat attention to Spacing o Pay attention to grammar and spelling

Heading  Your Address -Leave your name off (save it for the end) -Do not use commas between state and zip  Be consistent (St. or Street, MS or Miss. or Mississippi)  Today ’ s Date (Mail the letter within 24 hours)

Formatting the Letter  Inside address and salutation – Contact the company/program for the actual name of the employer to whom you are writing – Verify address and correct spelling of names – Do not use “ Dear Sir or Madam ” and avoid “ To Whom It May concern ” – If employer or recruiter is unknown, use “ Dear Employer ” or “ Dear Search Committee ”, etc.

Salutations  Your Signature – Use “ sincerely ” – Sign your name neatly in blue and black ink – Type your name under your signature

The Cover Letter  Accompanies your resume  Can illustrate more of your personality that the “ factual ” resume  Enables you to attract the employer ’ s interest and gets your resume read!  Communicates skills and highlights specific qualifications that are directly relevant to the job you are seeking

What Your Cover Letter Reveals About You  How Well you communicate  What your experience and qualifications are (in Brief)  Your level of professionalism  Clues to your personality  How detail – oriented you are

5 Things to Think About Before Writing  What does the prospective employer need?  What are your objectives?  What are 3 -5 qualities that you would bring to this employer/job/organization?  How can you match your experience to the job? - What are at least two specific accomplishments you can mention which give credence to the qualities you previously identified? Why do you want to work for this particular organization?

Cover Letter Format - The First Paragraph - Include information about how you learned of the particular company or position - Clearly state the particular position for which you are applying - “ Name drop ” if someone referred you or indicate how you have had exposure to the company (career Day, etc.) - Indicate what interests you about the position (based on your research of the company) - Example: I see from your website that Company X incorporates a teamwork atmostphere, which greatly appeals to me.

Cover Letter Format  The Second Paragraph – Sell yourself in this paragraph! Tell the employer why he/she should hire you. – Describe your educational background and relevant experiences that qualify you for the position – Illustrate through SPECIFIC examples how you will be an asset to the company/program – Use key words from the job listing and focus directly on the skills/qualifications the company/ program is seeking – Okay to use 1-2 paragraphs for this section.

Cover Letter Format  The Third paragraph – Invite the employer to contact you by including your phone number and address and the best time to reach you – Illustrate open dates for an interview (especially if you are visiting that city during a particular week) – Thank the employer for his/her time and consideration – Consider using the aggressive approach: inform the employer that you will call during a particular week to follow up/set up an interview.

Cardinal Rules for Cover Letters  Target your letter to the specific job  Talk more about what you can do for the employer than about what the employer can do for you  Convey focused career goals  Maintain a positive tone  Cut to the chase – don ’ t ramble  Don ’ t make empty claims that aren ’ t backed up by examples

Cardinal Rules, Cont.  Typically limit cover letter to one page  Proofread!!!  Never mail a resume without a cover letter  Do not staple your cover letter to your resume  Don ’ t forget to sign your name  Use quality paper and envelopes  Get other people ’ s opinions before you mail

Thank You Letter The First Paragraph:  Thank the interviewer for meeting with you without apologizing for taking his/her time  A reminder of the interview date or when/where you made the contact may be necessary  Examples: “ After meeting you at the Clinton High School Career Day… ”

The First Paragraph (cont.):  Clearly state the particular position for which you applied  Indicate what made the meeting valuable to you, what impressed you about the company or job, any new information that you learned, etc.  Example: “ I was impressed to learn that XYZ company has recently opened new offices in 13 states. ”

Thank you Letter The second Paragraph:  Reaffirm your interest in the position (First assess whether you are more or less enthusiastic about the position after the meeting)  Restate one or two points why you are a top candidate for the position  (This could include strengths already discussed in the interview, or new points that you forgot to emphasize in the interview)

The Second Paragraph (cont.):  Sell yourself! This is another opportunity to remind the employer of why you would be an asset.  Ask yourself: What interests me about this company and how do these things match my interest abilities?  You may also want to use the thank you letter to overcome any concerns that you felt the employer had regarding your qualifications.

Thank You Letter The Third Paragraph:  Let them know the next step you intend to take for follow up, etc.  Name the company and let the employer know you are genuinely interested in the position  Indicate if you have included any materials that the employer may have requested  Include your contact information in case the employer has further questions

When to Write a Thank You Letter..  References  Recommendations  Networking Contacts  Office/Site visits  Career Day Contacts

When to Write a Thank You Letter..  Interviews  Providing Additional Info to Employer  Informational Interviews  Job Acceptance  Rejection of Job Offer  Resignation

Benefits of Thank You Letters  Interviewing Helps the interviewer to remember you. Could give you the edge over other candidates that did not send a thank you letter!  Networking/References/Recom mendations Your contact may be more willing to assist you with your job search once they see your thoughtfulness and attention to detail.

Benefits of Thank You Letters  Job Offer Rejection Don ’ t burn any bridges! You may want to work for the employer some day.  Resignation Thank former employer- They ’ ll remember that they are losing a great asset!  Acceptance Reassures your new employer of your commitment and promise of productivity. Could possibly establish a mentor relationship.

Common Mistakes for Both  Failing to communicate a clear purpose  Appearing unprofessional in form, structure, and design  Spelling, grammatical, and punctuation errors  Awkward language/ use of passive voice  Being Overly assertive, boastful, obnoxious  Appearing self-centered rather than job-or employer centered  Saying little about your interests, skills, accomplishments, etc.  Addressed to wrong person and/or wrong place  Produced on cheap, crummy paper