No job opening?
No problem.
Just because the company of your dreams isn’t hiring right now doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to get their attention.
So keep reading to learn how writing a letter of interest could bag you the perfect position.
What Is A Letter Of Interest?
A letter of interest is an application letter that can be sent to a company that’s not hiring to express your interest in working with them in the future.
So, if you’ve spotted your dream company during your job hunt, only to find out that there are no openings, all hope is not lost.
Sending a letter of interest can help you stand out from other applicants, and if it’s written well enough, they may just consider you for a future opportunity!
Why Write A Letter Of Interest?
Just because you haven’t seen an opening advertised doesn’t mean there isn’t one.
Plenty of open positions are never posted on job boards – so if you’re relying on the likes of Indeed or Glassdoor to bag you your next opportunity, you may be missing out.
Writing a letter of interest may land you an opening you didn’t even know existed.
By starting the networking process yourself, you’re also giving yourself a head start against other applicants.
After all, what’s more personal – sending your resume through a job board or emailing the company directly and introducing yourself?
Your letter of interest is also unlikely to be buried under a tonne of other applications, especially if there are no current vacancies.
This gives you an even better chance of being selected in the future.
How To Write A Letter Of Interest
Ready to get started?
Here are a few tips to bear in mind before you begin.
Contact The Right Person
You may think this is a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many applicants don’t forward their queries to the right person.
Instead of starting your letter with the ever-so-overused ‘dear sir/madam’ or even ‘to whom it may concern,’ try and find the right person and department to direct your query to.
This may require calling the company directly, but don’t be deterred – it’s a simple enough conversation, and by getting the right information, you’re subtly showing off just how interested you are in the company.
If you need to make a phone call, here’s a short script you can use to get the details you need:
“Hello, my name is (your name), and I’m keen to learn more about employment opportunities in your (department of interest).
Could you tell me the name of the individual responsible for hiring and how to contact them, please?”
Structure It Like A Business Letter
Your letter of interest is essentially a first impression.
It’s the first time a prospective employer will get a taste of who you are and what you stand for, so keep it formal and professional and stick to the standard business letter format.
Find Out About The Company
Have you ever wondered what your dream company’s ideal candidate looks like?
Well, if you do the right research, you can emulate it.
Your company will probably have a content-heavy website and plenty of social media accounts, so set aside an hour or two to read through these in-depth and see if you can get an insight into the type of people they hire.
To do this, you could take a look through any previous job descriptions or other open positions.
If they have a ‘meet the team’ section on their website, take a read through and find out what experience and qualifications their employees have.
This will give you an idea of what the company will be looking for in their next job advert.
Sell Yourself
Although you don’t need to detail specific skills and traits like you would on a cover letter, you should still convey what skills and experience you have, and these could add value to the company as a whole, rather than for a specific opening.
Remember not to be too much of a show-off.
Instead, you want to convince your prospective employer what you can do for them, so don’t make it all about you.
How To Structure Your Letter of Interest
Not sure where to start?
Use the template below to layout your letter of interest.
Date
If you’re writing a letter by hand, start by sticking the date at the top.
Don’t worry about doing this on an email; the automated date stamp will suffice.
Contact Information
Again, this applies to handwritten letters only.
Underneath the date, include your contact information, such as your phone number and email address.
Greeting (By Name)
Don’t be informal – put your research to use and greet the person you’re contacting by name.
Opening Paragraph
Kick your letter off with an opening paragraph that describes who you are and why you’re writing to them.
Make sure you convey your enthusiasm for the company, too – what is it about them that makes you want to work with them?
Experience And Qualifications
Now, it’s time to start selling yourself (in a non-showy-offy way).
What experience or qualifications can you bring to the company?
List any relevant experience and qualifications here, and discuss how these could add value to the company’s mission, values, and culture.
Call To Action Sign Off
Don’t be tempted to sign off with a “thank you for your time, and I hope to hear from you in the future.”
Take it one step further and actively encourage them to reach out to you.
This will make you far more memorable than other candidates, plus, it shows confidence!
Mastering the ‘call to action’ sign-off is simple. All you need to do is ask for an informal ‘interview.’
This is less of an interview and more of a meeting to get to know each other and find out more about future positions.
It also gives your prospective employer a chance to know you in a slightly more informal way than an interview.
You’ll still need to focus on making a good impression, but you can relax a little more, and you’re unlikely to be put on the spot with any of those dreaded curveball interview questions.
Final Thoughts
Just because you haven’t seen a job opening advertised, it doesn’t mean there isn’t any.
Use our tips above to craft the perfect letter of interest, and put yourself in the running for the opportunities you deserve.
