Give your
complete
address,
avoiding
abbreviations.
Address the
contact
formally;
never use a
first name,
even if you’ve
spoken to the
contact.
Get right to the
point: State your
purpose and why
you are a
qualified
candidate.
Joe Smith
555 Main Street
Blue Springs, MO 64014
Ms. Nancy Roberts
Vice President, Operations
Bigco Incorporated
123 Bog Street
Techtown, California 91234
Address your letter to the appropriate person. If a
name isn’t given, try calling the company to track
down a specific contact. Make sure to double-check
the gender, title, and correct spelling of the contact’s
name. If you can’t get a specific person, use a jobspecific title such as “hiring manager” or “recruiter”
rather than “sir or madam”.
In a cold-contact
introduction, identify
where you saw the ad or
how you heard about the
job.
Dear Ms. Roberts:
Your advertisement in Sunday’s Techtown Chronicle stressed Bigco’s need for an information
systems manager to efficiently administer the technical resources of your growing company. After
five years as a LAN administrator for Another Co., I am up for the challenge and thrilled about the
opportunity to contribute to Bigco’s success.
Your IS team needs an innovative manager who can capitalize on your existing assets, and I can
provide that leadership. I offer the following skills to your team:
The technical expertise to provide end-user system support in a multiplatform
environment.
Success in designing and maintaining an efficient network with remote access.
Separating your
skills or
accomplishments
from the body of
the letter draws
attention to them.
When listing
technical skills,
be specific but
not cryptic.
Highlight key
accomplishments
but tie them back
to the employer’s
needs. Use
company
knowledge to
show how you
can bring
solutions.
Hands-on experience with network operation systems, including NetWare and Windows
NT.
Strong managerial skills developed through the supervision and training of a small IS
support staff.
Certified Novell Administrator training and an Associate’s degree in computer science.
At Another Co., I took an office of disparate systems and designed a productive infrastructure within
the confines of a limited budget. Bigco is on the verge of breaking ahead of its competitors, and its
information systems will be critical. As a cost-conscious and creative administrator, I will make
sure a solid infrastructure is in place. I look forward to discussing my ideas with you and will call
you next week to set up an interview.
Best regards,
Joe Smith
Enclosure: Resume
You can use boldface to
highlight your selling
pitch.
In conclusion,
initiate a
response and
future contact.