A company can either request a letter of interest from you, or you may send a letter of interest (sometimes also called a letter of inquiry) to a company you’re interested in but which hasn’t yet publicly advertised a particular position. [2] X Research source Whereas you typically give a very brief explanation in a cover letter, a letter of interest gives you a bit more space to sell yourself to the prospective employer. [3] X Research source

A letter of interest is often more appropriate when making yourself known to a company that hasn’t posted a specific opening to which you’d like to apply. This allows you to express interest in the company or organization even if you’re uncertain about their current openings.

Make a list of the skills you possess as related to the potential job opening as well.

Refer to any recent media coverage, interviews, company press releases, or other information that shows you’ve done your homework regarding the company and what they do. [9] X Research source Highlight the position or types of positions you are interested in within the first few sentences. If a particular position is available, include the department or division of the company and indicate the source from which you learned about the position. Try to avoid starting the first sentence of the first paragraph with “I. ”[10] X Research source The majority of the letters the person who reads them receives will start this way, so avoid it to immediately set yourself apart. For example, “Your company’s CEO (use his or her name here as well) expressed some truly innovative ideas during a recent TED Talk. I’d love to be a part of what the company is working on, and I’ve written to inquire about any openings on the Production team. ”

Address specific criteria or requirements listed in the job advertisement or description. Match your skills and qualifications to the job’s required qualifications. Do not simply repeat the information that the employer will find in your resume. [13] X Research source Instead, take the opportunity to expand and contextualize select pieces of that information that communicate your potential value to the organization. For example, “During my two years with Company X, I worked as a Senior Producer, coordinating multiple teams of programmers and artists to help deliver content to clients on time. My teams never missed a milestone, and I think these are the organizational skills that can help your company’s next project succeed. ”

Do not, for instance, write that you “think outside the box. ” This isn’t only a cliche, but it also lacks concrete detail. Instead, write about a specific instance where you updated a process in a novel way that saved a previous company time and/or money. This concretely illustrates the idea without resorting to a cliche.

You may also choose to specify a time when you will contact the person’s office as a follow-up to your letter of interest. [16] X Research source [17] X Research source For instance, “You will find both my resume and a breakdown of projects I produced for Company X attached. I would love the opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you further. You can reach me at…”

If you’ve gone over a page, review the first two paragraphs closely to find spots where you can pare down the language.

This is also the time to use a fine-tooth comb on the letter to find any typos, misspellings, run-on sentences (comma splices especially), sentence fragments, or anything else that could immediately send your resume to the “pass” pile. [21] X Research source [22] X Research source