The Three Paragraphs That Structure Your Letter

1. You

WHY WRITE TO THIS COMPANY
Why am I interested in this company?
Why did the job posting attract me?
Don't waste a paragraph by unnecessarily quoting the job posting you are responding to. Put the reference in a "concerne" or "object" above.

Example: "Concerning: financial analyst position published in... on..." You will thus begin directly with the crux of the matter: why are you interested in company X? Why would working in this sector motivate you (if the company name is not specified)?

2. Me


THE SKILLS YOU CAN BRING TO IT
My experiences, my achievements

Those that are requested. Rephrase (and do not repeat) the job's responsibilities to show that you understand the company's needs. Highlight what you have done that matches what it is looking for. Express your project and show that the company aligns with what you want. Demonstrate your qualities instead of just listing them.

Example: Instead of saying "I am autonomous", prefer the explanatory sentence: "Autonomous, I manage the laboratory's work plan myself and only report my activity once a week to my director".

Those you have in addition that do not appear in the advertisement. Don't hesitate! This will make your application stand out.

Example: "Perfectly mastering Winword and Wordperfect word processing software, I specify that I also have extensive experience with Excel and Lotus spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations".

3. Us

THE PROPOSAL TO MEET
Collaboration/interview proposal
Highlight what you have to offer the company, prove your added value, explain how you envision the collaboration. Finally, propose a meeting to the recruiter.

Instead of the usual phrase "Hoping that my resume will catch your attention", write: "I will contact you in eight days to arrange a meeting" and of course, don't forget to do it!

You end with a classic polite closing.

Successandcareer.ch

Posted on November 11, 2011.