1. WRITE A PROSPECTING LETTER
A prospecting letter is, in short, a letter written to a company that is NOT actively searching for a candidate publicly. Pick a company you would like to work for and apply for a specific position. This company can be a local company such as a hospital near your home or it can be a national company, such as a S&P 500 Tech Firm. The position for which you are crafting this letter can be one that already exists or one that you would create if you could to match your unique blend of talents.
Please do NOT reply to a job posting as that is NOT a prospecting letter.
Address your letter to the correct person or office. This may take some research. Follow the principles and examples provided in the pages mentioned above. Take some time to assess your interests and qualifications, too, as these are the first step in the employment process.
2. WRITE A RESUME
Thinking about the company you chose for the assignment above (the prospecting letter) and what it would be looking for in the position you desire, craft a resume that you would attach to your prospective letter. The resume should
1.demonstrate how your qualifications fit the job
2.be attractive and grammatically sound
3.have a clear and specific career objective listed
4.and have a list of references readily available (“Available upon request” is NOT acceptable).
You may create a resume that employs any of the examples (i.e. chronological, skills, etc.) Pay particular attention to “action verbs”
Do NOT just submit any old resume you have used for many years.
3. WRITE A FORMAL LETTER
FORMAL LETTER: Request a Letter of Recommendation from Your Instructor.
When submitting your prospective letter and resume from above, imagine you also wish to include a letter of recommendation from the instructor of this class. Create a formal letter that requests such a recommendation. What information does your instructor need to include? You would want to indicate the company and the position. It would also be good to include accomplishments that you would like included and, in particular, what you have done in your instructor’s class that makes you a good candidate for him or her to recommend.
Here are some additional pieces of information you would likely want your instructor to address: VERY IMPORTANT
What information you would like to see included in the letter
To whom to send the letter
When the letter needs to received
Where to send the letter
4. WRITE AN EMAIL
FORMAL EMAIL: Follow-Up with an Interviewer.
Imagine you have completed an interview for the position for which you completed the prospecting letter, your resume, and the recommendation from your instructor. Send an email thanking the person you met. Thank your interviewer for his or her hospitality. Demonstrate that you listened closely. Make yourself stand out by reiterating any points that you want the interviewer to remember about you, your interview, and your skills. Remind them of points that stood out during the interview and that separated you from everyone else (This may take creativity). Allay any negatives that remain. Be enthusiastic about the company.
TIP: It is illegal to ask the question, “Have you ever been arrested for a crime?” during an interview.
Your submission for this assignment should include all elements of the email: Address, Subject Line, Salutation, and Signature Block. Compose this in a document. Do NOT use screen shots.
