Getting your CV read: writing speculative job search letters
Where to start…
Many jobs are never actually advertised. The organisations concerned either already have someone in mind for the job, or they have a good selection of candidates who have already sent their CV ‘on the off-chance’.
Because of this, it’s well worth making speculative approaches to companies. Send them your CV and a speculative letter even though they aren’t currently advertising for staff - let them know who you are and what you can do.
The aim of a speculative letter…
The aim of a speculative letter is to get an interview with the person you are writing to. This may be an informal interview for you to get more information about the company and their requirements, or it may be an interview for a specific job.
Doing your research…
There is no job description to work from as there would be with an advertised vacancy – so you need to do some research to compile a speculative letter that will get the attention it deserves.
What you need to find out…
| • | what’s happening in your field of work; |
| • | what’s changed, what’s new, what’s coming up in the future; |
| • | who the companies are that do your type of work; |
| • | what their background is, organisational structure, reputation; |
| • | where they’re heading, what’s new for them; |
| • | who’s moving into the area or expanding; |
| • | the names and addresses of the key people to contact within these organisations. |
Sources of information…
Information about the business world can be found in newspapers, general interest magazines, trade and business publications and newsletters, annual and financial company reports, on the Internet and by word of mouth.
Writing a speculative letter…
To increase your chances of getting your CV read, always send the letter to a named individual in the organisation and always follow up your letter with a phone call to make personal contact.
When putting together your speculative letter, try to stick to the format below:
The opening gambit: A brief paragraph that gives your reason for writing to this particular company at this particular time. The more topical, immediate and relevant you can make this section, the better.
The persuasive section: The main body of the letter (two – three paragraphs) outlining exactly how you can contribute to this company – and conveying the benefit to them of employing you. State the sort of position you’re interested in, include your most relevant skills and experience and highlight your achievements.
The closing paragraph: A short paragraph emphasising your interest in the job, mentioning any enclosures such as your CV and stating what you’re going to do to follow-up, for example ‘I will call early next week to request a short meeting’.
Broadcast letters and topical letters
Speculative letters fall into two major categories:
Broadcast letters:
These contain rather generalised information focusing on your skills and strengths. Their advantage is that, as they are general, you can send or email them out to all your chosen companies.
Topical letters:
These are individual letters written to specific companies. Topical letters are prompted by current events such as the company being in the news, or a meeting with a member of the organisation. Being more personal they do get a much better response than broadcast letters.
Example 1 – a sample broadcast letter
Dear Mr Walker
I am aiming to further my career in administration and office management. I am writing to you to ask if you have any vacancies in this area at present.
I have an extensive knowledge of the field, including four years as an office supervisor, and seven years in general administration. My current position is with Read-Hall Assurance, where I am responsible for a department of 25 staff dealing with the collation and administration of all documentation and records for the company.
I am a good communicator, with a high degree of initiative and self-motivation. I enjoy the challenge of a demanding work environment, and have the ability to maintain a consistently high standard of work under pressure. The skills and experience that I have which would be of particular interest to you include:
- good staff management skills;
- an excellent track record in administration;
- proficiency at prioritising workloads;
- the ability to implement standard procedures correctly and efficiently.
My recent achievements include organising and supervising training for staff to integrate Microsoft Office applications. This resulted in a significant increase in departmental efficiency.
Please find enclosed a copy of my CV.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further and will call within the week to arrange an appointment. I look forward to speaking with you.
Yours sincerely
Allison Tripp
| • | Allison calls each company and finds out the name of the right person to send it to. She opens the main body of the letter with her background and current position, indicating her level of responsibility and what she’s looking for. |
| • | Allison knows what’s required of a good administrator and can make an educated guess about what the company will want - she includes these key qualities in her letter. She lists her specific skills separately, which makes them stand out more. |
| • | She closes the main part of the letter with an emphasis on her most recent achievements and makes it clear she’ll follow up her letter, showing her commitment and initiative. |
Example 2 – a sample topical letter
Dear Ms Robbins
I read with interest of your college’s plans to expand on to the new site at Addendale in yesterday’s Leeds Chronicle. It occurs to me that due to the projected large increases in administration, you may have an opening for someone with my career record.
As my enclosed CV will show you, I have in-depth experience on the administrative staff of a large college, and am well versed in organisation and management. You may be particularly interested in my experience with the introduction of an extensive new database system similar to the one outlined in the newspaper article. I also have experience of staff training in connection with this.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my skills and experience can contribute to the continued efficient running of the college and will call within the week to arrange an appointment. I look forward to meeting you.
Yours sincerely
Elinore Downs
Enc CV
| • | Elinore’s letter was prompted by an article in the paper about the college’s planned expansion - she has thought about what this expansion will mean to the college in terms of increased workload, and offered her services accordingly, showing her initiative and intelligence. |
| • | Note she is clearly offering to help the college with their problem of increased administration needs rather than asking them to help her with her own need of a job. |
| • | Elinore doesn’t go into great detail about her general skills and experience. She concentrates on the specific points raised by the article, emphasising where she can help with these – particularly with the new database system. |
To sum it up!
As you can see, the two letters are very different in approach. Allison focuses on her own skills, qualities and achievements because, knowing the job very well, she is sure that they will match what the company is looking for. Elinore’s letter concentrates on the specific points in the newspaper article and how she can help with these.
While the style of letter may vary, the end result should be the same: take the trouble to write the winning letter and get your CV to the top of the pile!
About Lynn Williams
Lynn Williams has worked as a life-coach and trainer for nearly fifteen years helping individuals and groups develop their full potential. She writes regularly about job search skills such as CV writing and interview techniques. She also runs workshops and classes on a variety of topics from career strategy to leadership skills. She is the author of Readymade Job Search Letters and The Ultimate Job Search Book, due out this autumn.
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