Letter Writing: Cover Letters, Query Letters, and Blog Posts
This week is National Letter Writing Week. Sometimes we
think that letters are a lost art. Who writes letters anymore? They’ve been
replaced with emails and text messages. But letters are still a big part of our
lives, especially in a professional capacity.
There are three kinds of letters that I write
regularly. I thought I would share these three
types and provide some practical tips.
Cover Letters
After 15 years of working as a recruiter in the temporary
staffing industry, I learned a few things about job hunting. I know that many
people don’t put a lot of time and effort into their cover letters, but they
should. A cover letter allows you to address the recruiter or hiring manager
directly, share insights about why you’re a good candidate, and showcase your
interest in the position.
There were so many times that I received an emailed resume
attachment on a blank email. Not only did this not tell me anything about the
candidate, but it also made me wary of opening the attachment in the first
place. Lots of dangerous things can masquerade as a resume, so if you don’t
tell me you’re a legit candidate, I’m probably not reading an email from you at
all.
In today’s digital world most companies are offering an online application process. Many of those have a field to include a cover
letter or at least an introduction. Always make use of that. Address it
personally if you know the name of the manager, share a few details that aren’t
on your resume, and show that you’ve done your homework and know what the
company does. This will go a long way toward getting a call back.
Query Letters
I’ve also recently become intimately familiar with another
kind of letter. I would not consider myself an expert in this one quite yet,
but I’m trying. A query letter is something authors send to potential agents to
entice them to read a new manuscript. I’m trying to take what I know about
writing cover letters along with the best practices for hooking a reader into a
query letter and craft something that will draw attention.
I have not yet succeeded, but I try and try again. One thing
I do know for sure is that it’s not usually the book that makes the
difference. It's the pitch. All you need to do is convince the agent they want to request pages
or the complete manuscript. Once you do that, your work can speak for itself.
I have a long list of agents that I’m only part of the way
through. I send a few query letters at a time and then revise and try again
down the list. I am still hopeful that I will get some bites on it soon. Cross
your fingers for me.
Blog Posts
I know what you’re saying. Why is a blog post in a list
about letters? Well, the reason is simple. A blog post can act as a letter to
your readers. Using a letter format to write a blog post can be a very
effective way to draw readers in and keep them coming back for more.
Sometimes editorials are framed as “an open letter” to an
individual or group of people. When you do this, you address your audience
directly. Another common use of a letter in a blog post is around the holidays.
Just like the letters that would come in family Christmas cards, you can do the
same thing digitally on your blog. This can update your readers about your
personal and professional goals from the previous year.
In any case, letters are an excellent communication tool.
Even outside of these formal uses, writing letters doesn’t have to be a lost
art. Grab some stationary and get a pen pal. Send cards to your family. However
you want to, keep letter writing alive.
Can you commit to writing a letter this week? Tell me about it in the comments.
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