Letter of Inquiry or Prospecting Letter

If you are in the job market, but there are no openings of interest currently being advertised, it is often a good idea to write a job inquiry letter or email to hiring managers where you would like to work. Oftentimes jobs are not posted, so sending out a Letter of Inquiry may ultimately result in identifying jobs that may be a perfect fit. But you have to write a compelling letter to gain the attention of the recruiter. This will give you a head start, if the company is getting ready to hire in your desired field. 

Unsolicited letters inquiring about job opportunities are most useful to recent graduates, individuals changing careers or for highly experienced professionals wishing to advance to a new organization. A Letter of Inquiry will place your name in front of a recruiter, and gain attention, when a job has not otherwise been posted. 

It is best to find a contact person in the company to make it more personal. Check LinkedIn for contacts in HR or in the functional area of interest. Always do research on the company so that you know about their mission, culture, goals, revenue and profitability; then try to identify a proper contact. A Prospecting Letter, like a sales pitch, shows that you are proactive and are genuinely interested in connecting with that company. Sometimes HR will engage with prospective candidates for an Informational Interview - even when no job is listed - if they are intrigued by your background. This will put you on their “radar” for future reference.

• Begin by writing a great introduction, and why the company interests you.
• Highlight your skills and how they might match with those required by the company, and how you would be a valued contributing employee.

Since there may not be a job description, and therefore no Keywords, try to match your skills to the company’s Mission Statement and Goals. You may find similar jobs that were posted in the past which will provide clues to the company’s requirements. However, showcasing your skills and experience, and how you might add value to the company is the best approach. Your resume alone may not pass the ATS scan since no job is listed, and your skills may not directly match up, so an inquiry email with your resume can sometimes bypass the ATS and go directly to a hiring manager or recruiter.

The decision to include your resume with your Letter of Inquiry is subjective. Sometimes writing an introduction about yourself and then offering to follow up by forwarding your resume at a later date, will expand the communication process. In any case, an Inquiry Letter should include:

• Information about how you learned about the company
• Briefly - why you’re interested
• How your skills might be of benefit
• Call to action - how you will follow up

For example:

EMAIL SUBJECT LINE - (Name; Inquiry - Job Opportunity)

JOHN W. APPLICANT
Sales Manager - XYZ Company
City, State
Phone: 123 456 7890
LinkedIn profile.

(You can choose to include your complete identification details at the top or at the bottom of your letter.)

Dear (Name), 

I am pleased to submit my inquiry and resume to XYZ company for future  consideration. Having recently relocated to (City), I am extremely interested in opportunities at XYZ which has a wonderful reputation and  matches my skills and career goals.

OR

As a Software Designer at (ABC company) for over 10 years, I have been  following your company for several years and am impressed with the  growth and success you have had in your IT division.  

I am currently interested in bringing my skills and accomplishments to a  new organization where I can be of value and contribute to its success.

Add bullets here:

OR

I am interested in a Sales Role at XYZ where I will be able to leverage my  ability to promote and sell retail products throughout the US.

It would be an honor to speak with you to discuss potential job openings at XYZ and how my skills might be of benefit in the future. I would be delighted to submit my resume (or attached please find my resume). Etc.

Sincerely.

OR

I am writing to inquire about [specific information, job or topic].

Here, you should specify your questions, requests, or areas of interest.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could provide more information on [specific project, topic] in which I am interested.

Thank you for considering my inquiry. I look forward to your response and am available for further discussion at your convenience.

Sincerely,
FULL NAME

Writing a Letter of Inquiry, and following up, is a great way to establish a relationship with a specific company and recruiter - even if a job does not materialize right away. If they are impressed by your interest, enthusiasm and experience, it is likely that they will consider you as a candidate when the right job becomes available.