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letters, which are equally promotional. Here are just a few of the more powerful
options available to you.
Adjust your margins so that the reader never has to read more than
five inches from left to right across a page.
Never justify your right margin. (Always justify your left.)
Don’t use long paragraphs; they are overwhelming to the eye. (This
will help you write more succinctly, too.)
Indent sections with key ideas by using bullets, dashes, or asterisks to
set them off (like these indented tips).
For important ideas, use bold, underlining, and UPPERCASE LET-
TERS.
For short sentences, try centering.
Use numerals (20) rather than spelling out numbers (twenty) when
describing your accomplishments, to attract more attention. (Excep-
tion: Always spell out numbers that begin a sentence.)
Italics are hard to read; use them sparingly, if at all.
If your letter must run to two pages in length, end the first page in the
middle of a sentence to encourage the reader to read on to the second
page.

If these techniques seem too pushy to you, remember that advertisers have
been using them for decades because they work!

7. THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE...
AND THREE, FOUR, OR MORE TIMES
Do write frequently.
Your competition hates to write as much as you do. Chances are that most of the
people vying for your next job will find numerous excuses to avoid writing job-
hunting letters. Don’t make the same mistake. You should write these letters often.
Always write a thank you letter for a referral, and a follow-up letter after a meeting
or interview. If your candidacy seems to have stalled, write again to make some-
thing happen—don’t allow yourself to be forgotten. You might send your prospec-
tive employer an additional reference, or a recent newspaper article supporting an
issue discussed during your interview. As far as you should be concerned, until you
get a definite rejection, you’re still in the running. In many cases, this perseverance
and follow-through are essential requirements for the job you want.
8. TELL THE TRUTH OR PAY THE CONSEQUENCES
Don’t be dishonest.
Do not exaggerate, mislead, or lie in your letters. Even if you get hired, dishonesty
is grounds for immediate dismissal. Don’t risk it.

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