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even before you meet. Letter 2-2 illustrates this principle. Best of all, turn this sum-
mary statement into one that suggests an advantage your next employer may gain
by hiring you instead of someone else.
Describe any special qualities that may set you apart from other candidates.
Use language that creates a feeling of what kind of person you are. If you have a
sense of humor, don’t be afraid to show it in a professional way. You’ll find ex-
amples in the sample letters throughout this book.
3. IN RESPONSE TO YOUR AD...NOT!
Don’t use standard openings.
Many people think that only one type of letter is acceptable in the business world:
one that follows a standard outline. In truth, the only type of letter acceptable in
the business world is an effective one. An effective letter accomplishes your ob-
jective, which in the case of jobhunting letters, means to stand out from your com-
petition. With this goal in mind, why send a letter likely to mirror the letters of
those against whom you’re competing?
Letter 2-1 opens with a standard line: “In response to your ad in Sunday’s
paper, I enclose my resume for your consideration.” What’s wrong with this open-
ing? It’s standard, or in general use. To stand out from the competition, your let-
ter should be anything but standard. In Letter 2-2, Mr. Tucker grabs the reader’s
attention immediately with a different opening. Furthermore, he successfully
weaves information from the advertisement into the opening to suggest that the
letter was written in response to a specific ad and is not a form letter.
Do not open your letter with a standard, predictable statement. Spend a few
minutes analyzing what is important to the person to whom you’re writing. Pe-
ruse the sample openings provided throughout this book. There’s no need to be
foolish, outlandish, or shocking. With thought and practice, you can create
unique, informative letter openings that will grab attention and deliver a mean-
ingful message.

4. “KISS” YOUR LETTERS (KEEP IT SIMPLY STATED)
Do write a person, not a letter.
There are also many people who believe that making a letter sound businesslike
means using stuffy, stilted language full of cliches and jargon. Certainly, your let-
ter should be professional. However, it must also be interesting, appealing, and re-
flect your personality.
To create a letter appropriate to the business world, include relevant facts and
succinct language. Ensure correct spelling and proper presentation. To make your
letter appealing, use the same tone of voice you would use during the interview—
when you don’t have time to consult a thesaurus and replace the words you’d
normally use with multisyllabic synonyms. Write with the attitude that you’re
writing to a person. That person may be your interviewer, your next boss, a
human resources executive, or a recruiter—but a person. Before you write, try to

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