How to Write a Prospecting Cover Letter | Telecommute Blog

Submitting a prospecting letter and resume can be the proverbial foot in the door for job-seekers. A prospecting cover letter ? also known as a letter of inquiry or a cold call letter ? is a useful tool if you have an interest in working for a company that isn?t actively hiring or isn?t widely advertising.

A letter of inquiry expresses your interest in learning about available positions, demonstrates initiative and eagerness, and puts you at the front of the interview line when the company decides to expand its talent pool.

Here are a few suggestions on how to pen an impactful prospecting cover letter:

Research Several Companies

Don?t limit yourself to submitting a prospecting letter to just one company. Cast your net wide by constructing a list of five to ten companies for which you would like to work and make it a point to target each one. Use the following research methods to compile your list of prospective companies:

? Contact industry experts and former college for suggestions
? Get in touch with former employers, colleagues, and professional organization members to see if they have any recommendations or connections
? Perform an online search for companies in your field of expertise using search terms like ?Top Marketing Companies? or ?Best U.S. Software Development Firms?
? Utilize online company directories from professional networking websites like LinkedIn
? Access Virtual Vocations database of telecommute-friendly companies

Find out Who?s in Charge

Since a cold call letter is not directly written in response to a job ad, odds are you will not know the name of the hiring manager or human resources point person to whom you should send your letter. While you can address your prospecting letter to a generic ?Dear Sir or Madam,? you will make the best impression if you do a little investigative work to reveal the man or woman behind the curtain. Try these methods:

Explore the company?s website staff directory or About.com page. Look for human resources contacts or a person with the title of Hiring Manager.

Check the company?s website for job listings. You can do this even if the jobs are not related to your desired position. The job ads will likely list a company hiring contact.

Call the company. Simply ask the receptionist for the name of the hiring manager. If you feel silly being so straightforward, ask to verify the correct spelling of the hiring manager?s name before you send out an important document.

Grab Their Attention

A prospective cover letter is a means to introduce yourself to a company, list your qualifications and inquire about open positions; however, your letter shouldn?t read like a technical manual. A hiring manager will read thousands of cover letters over his/her career ? use your prospecting letter to set yourself apart from the fold. Here?s how to make your cover letter stand out:

Draw in the hiring manager with a powerful opening sentence. Praise the company or immediately state your best qualification or experience

Write in a tone that is industry-suitable. Don?t use casual, regional slang if you want to work for a national company.

Use humor and whimsy when appropriate. Don?t try to be a comedy writer if you are interested in a position as a Senior-level Business Analyst.

Add personalization. Inject your own research about the company instead of submitting a stock form letter to all of your prospects.

For tips on how to complete your prospecting cover letter by adding additional business letter features like contact information, and professional salutations and closings, review How to Write a Cover Letter in Response to a Job Ad.

We Want to Hear from You!

Don?t forget to share your story! Whether you have your own tips and tricks for prospecting cover letter writing, or your stellar letter landed you the job of your dreams, share your thoughts, experiences and reactions in a comment below.

Source: http://www.virtualvocations.com/blog/articles/recent/how-to-write-a-prospecting-cover-letter/

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