In a cover letter, this is critical. The person to whom you address your letter should be the individual who has the power to hire you. Usually, this will be your direct manager or the person to whom he reports. If the organization is small, writing to the president will attract attention. Whatever you do, don't email your letter to personnel unless you want a job in that department. Human resources screens applicants, but it doesn't make hiring decisions about anyone except its own staff.
You can locate the name you need by calling the company's main number, reading its annual report, or reviewing directories of corporate managers including Contacts Influential, Dun & Bradstreet Reference Book of Corporate Management, Encyclopedia of Associations, and Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations.
The first two paragraphs of the letter provide information about why the candidate is specifically interested in the company. This approach not only pleases readers, it shows them that the writer does his homework.
The third paragraph states compelling reasons for bringing this engineer on board. He has great experience, a personal commitment to helping Poland clean up its environment and a willingness to live there and use his relatives as contacts. How many American engineers gladly volunteer for such assignments or have a viable network of contacts in this part of the world?
The final paragraph shows that the writer plans to continue taking the initiative in developing this relationship. This is the best approach for maintaining control of your job search and proving that you're willing to go after what you want. But be forewarned: If you say you'll follow up and then don't your potential employer will view you more negatively than if you had never made the promise.
Targeted Cover Letter Sample
Wayne Saleski
223 Pinehurst Lane
Cleveland, OH 44129
216-682-3443
July 11, 2018
Mr. Gene Cunningham
President
Environmental Technologies Inc.
2222 Rimer Road
Irwin, 15146
Dear Mr. Cunningham:
For the past month, I've been doing research on the environmental consulting firms taking an initiative to work with countries in Eastern Europe. From the articles I've read in environmental trade journals and the documentaries I've seen on TV, there is a tremendous amount of work to be done in cleaning up the industrial pollution left from 40 years of Communist rule. I can also personally attest to this based on what I saw during a trip last year to visit relatives in Poland.
As I'm sure you know, many of the articles discussing efforts to tackle this multifaceted problem mention Environmental Technologies as a driving force in developing cost-effective solutions. I admire your organization's approach and the commitment you have made to help these fledgling capitalists positively impact their environment's future.
I am writing to you because I think I might be of potential help to ET. I've spent the past ten years as an environmental engineer for Benchmark Steel and the Corrigan Group in both water pollution and solid waste management. I speak and write Polish fluently, understand the country's culture, and have family and contacts in Warsaw that might be useful in generating new business for ET. Most of all I would welcome the opportunity to live in Poland and play a role in creating a safe and healthy environment for its citizens.
I've enclosed a resume for your perusal and will call you next week to confirm your receipt of this email and discuss whether scheduling a time to get together would be beneficial. I look forward to talking with you.
Sincerely yours,
Wayne Saleski
Other Cover Letters from Real People
Before-and-After Example
Nancy Lieberman worked for Estee Lauder for many years as a sales representative and a regional manager, specializing in conducting skin care and makeup clinics for her stores. She did an excellent job, but the company decided to eliminate positions such as hers because store revenues couldn't justify the marketing overhead for her services. Consequently, Nancy became a typical victim of downsizing-talented but traumatized.
Determined not to stake her future on a job with another large company, she decided to locate new and innovative players in the cosmetics industry and explore the possibility of landing a position with one of them.
Before
2222 Mount Holyoke Circle
Houston, Texas 77017
July 11, 2018
Ms. Lena Tande
Juin Rachele Cosmetics Inc.
1300 Post Oak Road, Suite 1815
Houston, TX 77056
Dear Ms. Tande:
I am writing to you concerning a potential management position with your firm,
As you can see, I've had quite a lot of experience in the cosmetic business and I would like to stress the fact that I "pioneered" a couple of positions such as the Account Executive job in Kansas City which, over the years, has become the basis for Estee Lauder's staying on top of their business.
Before Estee Lauder, I worked as a cosmetic sales and beauty consultant for several years in a department store in my hometown (in Ohio).
I enjoy the challenge of working with new products and ideas arid the excitement of watching them grow into successes.
Your new company interests me and I would like the opportunity of meeting with you to discuss the possibility of how my expertise could help your company grow and, in the process, start me on a new path in my career.
Looking forward to meeting you and seeing your products.
Sincerely,
Nancy Leiberman (name changed)
713-626-1934
Nancy included good information about herself in her letter, but she neglects to say why she's particularly interested in this cosmetic company. She also needs to take responsibility for following up on her resume.
In her second attempt, Nancy "baits her hook" with a complimentary paragraph showing why this small firm intrigues her. She also has polished her language, which makes her letter easier to read, and stated her intention to follow up on her resume.
After
2222 Mount Holyoke Circle
Houston, Texas 77017
July 11, 2018
Ms. Lena Tande
Juin Rachele Cosmetics Inc.
1300 Post Oak Road, Suite 1815
Houston, TX 77056
Dear Ms. Tande:
Last week I read an article in the Houston Post about your cosmetics firm and its new approach to skin care for teenagers and young adults. I applaud your efforts in teaching young people "the basics" while they are just beginning to develop lifetime habits. Much of my work for Estee Lauder has been devoted to a similar mission.
As you can see from my resume, I've had quite a lot of experience in the cosmetic business. I would like to stress that I ''pioneered" a couple of positions, such as the Account Executive job in Kansas City, which have become the basis for Estee Lauder's staying on top of its business. Also, before Estee Lauder, I worked as a cosmetic sales and beauty consultant for several years in a department store in my hometown (in Ohio). I enjoy the challenge of marketing new products and thrive on the ideas and the excitement of watching them grow into successes.
Your new company interests me greatly. I would like the opportunity to discuss in person how my expertise could help your company grow and in the process, start me on a new career path.
I will call you next week to set up a time to meet with you and learn more about your products.
Sincerely,
Nancy Leiberman (name changed)
713-626-1934
Here is a cover letter written by a person who (it seems) is a legend in her own mind. While she may have good reasons for saying these wonderful things about herself, what are they? What has she done to back up the statements in her letter? As they said in the popular TV commercial, "Where's the Beef?"
To make matters worse, she left space in the letter to insert addresses with a computer mail-merge program. This means she intends to use the same letter for who-knows-how-many people. Driving a final nail in the coffin, she suggests that potential employers call her if they're interested
Jane Doe Cover Letter
10336 Kingsley Road 213-683-7220
Buena Vista, CA 90623
July 11, 2018
Would your company benefit from increased sales? Increased profits? Professionally managed operations?
If you are interested in gaining a team player with a proven record of success as a Sales Manager and Marketing Representative, take a few minutes to look at the enclosed resume.
Your organization would be gaining a person with strengths that include:
Experience and expertise developed during 16 years in civic organizations .. . seven solid years in sales.
Self-motivated ... goal oriented ... ability to generate income ... reduce costs .., increase profit margin. Excellent bilingual communication skills... effective listener . . . easily develops rapport... identify needs and problems . . . solutions oriented.
Understanding people . . . what motivates them . . . working with them to resolve problems .. . coordinate, delegate, supervise ... to accomplish objectives.
Respected by peers ... known for honesty, integrity ... making things work . .. getting the job done.
If you are interested in knowing more about me and how my experience and accomplishments could benefit you and your organization, please contact me.
I look forward to hearing from you and meeting with you.
Sincerely,
Jane Doe
This candidate has a misguided approach to selling herself. Unfortunately, her grandiose, unproven claims will sabotage her chances of talking with a recruiter, unless she includes so many specific achievements on her resume that she manages to overcome this negative start.
A job hunter with an otherwise good resume added this note: "I simply can't afford to send one of these to everyone. Please feel free to make copies and distribute them to your branch offices, subsidiaries, and other potentially interested parties. Your cooperation in this matter is sincerely appreciated."
The Save-a-Tree Foundation should give him an award.
Here's a comment from another job seeker about his resume:
"Attached you will find six copies of my resume for your use. If you use them up, just let me know and I will send you lots more. If you have any use for ones that are old and out-of-date, I have tons of them, too,"
Thanks for the offer.
Two Different Cover Letters, One Candidate
Larry Frantz was CFO of Grace Energy when its parent company, W. R. Grace, decided to split up the organization in the hope that its parts were worth more individually than collectively. After thinking it over, Larry decided to start a consulting business specializing in investor relations and presentations for initial public offering (IPO) road shows, stockholder meetings, venture capital requests and other instances when complicated financial information must be explained in basic terms.
The following are two customized letters he prepared for a targeted direct- mail campaign. Larry knows never to send a cloned cover letter to anyone, especially presidents of companies. For this reason, each of his letters mentions when he heard or read about an organization.
LAWRENCE G. FRANTZ
6535 Southwestern Drive
Dallas, Texas 75248
214-233-1321
July 11, 2018
Mr. Charles M. Hansen, Jr.
President
Pillowtex Corp.
4111 Mint Way
Dallas, TX 75237
Dear Mr. Hansen:
I was reading about your recent IPO in the Dallas Business Journal and felt compelled to write and warn you of a potential pitfall on the rocky road of public offerings.
The biggest mistake we made after we went public in 1989 was not installing a proactive investor relations program immediately. We realized the error and hired an investor relations professional a year later. We spent most of the next year meeting individually with 100 analysts. These efforts were very effective in attracting interest in our stock, but by then, the industry had collapsed again, the stock price bottomed at less than half the IPO price, and the majority owner decided to exit the industry by liquidating the company.
The company was Grace Energy, a subsidiary of W. R. Grace & Co., headquartered in Dallas and traded on the NYSE, and I was the CFO. When I started my investor relations consulting business, I decided to help newly public companies avoid the same mistake
Grace Energy made. We will never know, of course, whether we could have altered the course of events had we aggressively pursued the analyst community right after our IPO. A good investor relations program cannot compensate for lousy business conditions nor poor company performance. But every day there are investors who, for various reasons, want to sell their shares in your company. If you are not actively attracting new investors, your stock price may decline even if your company and your industry do well.
I would like to discuss Grace Energy's story with you and offer feedback on your investor relations efforts. I will call next week to see when we might get together.
Sincerely,
Larry Frantz
LAWRENCE G. FRANTZ
6535 Southwestern Drive
Dallas, Texas 75248
214-233-1321
July 11, 2018
Mr. Robert A. Bishop, II
President & CEO
CBi Healthcare Systems Inc.
802 East Street
Garland, TX 75042
Dear Mr. Bishop:
I enjoyed your November 10 presentation at the Southwest Venture Forum. The concept behind your company is a fascinating one and your opening line, "Ozone gas is the most powerful oxidizer known to mankind," certainly got our attention from the very beginning.
Your speech and handout material obviously took considerable time to prepare. Wouldn't it be convenient to have a well-designed presentation ''on the shelf" to be pulled down and used whenever the opportunity arises? If you had such a pre-prepared presentation that you were confident would be well received, it would make the presentation a lot easier to give and the more it's given, the easier it is to raise new capital.
Such a presentation would include:
- An outline of a speech that hits all the highlights of your business in a way that is most meaningful to potential investors or lenders.
- Clear, concise presentation graphics that keep the audience interested and help them understand and remember your message (80% of us are visual learners).
- Handouts that include the key facts and ideas you want the audience to remember or pass on to others.
But I need your help. I need a track record of satisfied clients, and until I develop that record, you can take advantage of my expertise for a nominal cost. If you will ever again have to give a presentation to potential investors, then you will want to take my call next week.
Sincerely,
Larry Frantz
