Writing Effective Letters of Introduction

Summary:
Here's how to write letters of introduction which generate information/referral interviews for carrying out your market research about the job and employer which are right for who you are.

Purposes of a Information/referral Interview

A Letter of Introduction Template

Real-life Example

Guidelines for Writing Letters of Introduction

Final Notes

Related Links

Related Content


Purposes of a Information/referral Interview

An information/referral interview takes place whenever you are not being interviewed for a specific job. It's a purposeful discussion about your career with another person.

Every information/referral interview has five specific purposes:

• Establish rapport with your contact person. Get to know that person, take a genuine interest in him, let him know who you are and make sure they see you and your objective clearly.
  
  
• Give and receive information. You're establishing a professional relationship with your contact person. Avoid looking upon that person as someone who can pull strings for you or give you a job or find one for you. Remember, you are simply seeking information about your targeted job sector so you can more easily navigate the job market.
  
  
• Get advice on and reaction to how you're conducting your career marketing campaign. By sincerely asking for advice and politely accepting suggestions, you are acknowledging your contact person's expertise. He'll want to help you, as a result of your request for feedback.
  
  
• Build your contact network by asking for one or more referrals. The person you are interviewing is now part of your personal contact network. When he sees who you are, what you can do and where you want to go, he'll want to help you get there. Ask for one or more other people to contact. Always have this question on the tip of your tongue: "Who do you know who??"
  
  
• Be favorably and actively remembered. Ask for permission to keep your contact person informed about your progress. He now has a stake in your career marketing campaign and will likely have thoughts and ideas that later occur to him which he'll want to share with you. That's why you want to routinely touch base with him throughout your campaign.
  
  

Your letter of introduction to this contact person, then, needs to set the stage for this type of professional relationship. In short, it's your first chance to build a rapport with that person and put that person at ease.

You can put your contact person at ease by recognizing that he probably likes to say "yes" instead of "no," he likes and needs honest recognition, he likes to give advice and he prefers to be approached gradually (instead of feeling he's under pressure).

So, it's important to recognize that, when you mistakenly ask your contact person directly for a job, you are putting him under pressure and will likely get a negative answer. You are making him feel uncomfortable -- which is exactly the opposite of what you want to accomplish in an information/referral interview. The following template for a letter of introduction will show you how to sidestep that trap by being sincere and avoiding job-hunting jargon (such as the word, "opportunity").

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A Letter of Introduction Template

Here's a template for a five-paragraph letter of introduction I have used during my own career marketing campaign. It works well in generating in-person interviews but can be adapted as well to set up telephone, instant messaging or e-mail interviews.

Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip
Date

Contact's Name
Title
Company
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr./Ms. ________:

(You can use first name after your first correspondence when you know the name the person likes to be called.)

First Paragraph:


• Establish a connection by focusing attention on your contact, perhaps by again addressing the person by name and his knowledge within one of the several industries you are researching.
  
  
• Mention your career marketing campaign at the end of this paragraph (i.e. "I'm conducting a career search, and I would like some information or advice about _____ from you."
  
  
Second Paragraph:


• Make it clear that, at this time, you are seeking information and advice -- not a job or leads to a job.
  
  
• Refer to your career marketing campaign and what you want to accomplish with it.
  
  
Third Paragraph:


• Provide information about your situation, your strengths and your key success factors, using your "15-second elevator pitch" as a jump-off point.
  
  
• Mention the specific industry you're targeting.
  
  
Fourth Paragraph:


• Ask for a personal meeting, a telephone call, instant messaging meeting or an e-mail conversation.
  
  
• List three open-ended questions you plan to ask your contact person.
  
  
• Mention that you'll also be asking for advice and feedback about your career marketing campaign.
  
  
Fifth Paragraph:


• State clearly when your contact person can expect to hear from you about meeting in person or connecting by telephone, instant messaging or e-mail.
  
  
Sincerely,
Your Name

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Real-life Example

Below is an actual letter of introduction I wrote. It shows how I used the preceding template.

January 4, 2000

Mr. (first name, last name)
Partner
Smith & Jones
2828 Any Avenue
Madison, WI 53705

Dear Mr. (last name):

When I met you last spring, Mr. (last name), I found your philosophy about organizational development refreshing -- particularly your view that training should grow out of strategic planning. That's why I am writing you this letter.

I am conducting a search for my "second career" because I plan to "retire" from (name of company). years. I'm including background information about myself so you have a better understanding of my career focus.

Please understand that I don't expect you to be aware of job "openings" at this time. I'm more interested in how you view the market among emerging companies which have a need for what I can offer.

I am a resource person for defining direction and managing change within an organization. I have 28 years of experience in aligning people behind important efforts through strategic planning, visioning, attitude research, effective management and strategic communications.

I would like a brief meeting with you to discuss these topics:


1. How do you see the need for my skills developing in the next three years? What are the gaps within the business/association/foundation landscape right now that are not being filled by either consultants or internal advisors?
   
   
2. What is the potential for subcontracting my skills to several consultants (or forming a partnership with a complementary contract employee) who could use a resource person with my skills (for instance, training tied to a strategic plan, management system and communication plan)?
   
   
3. What is the potential for offering my skills to an emerging company in the Midwest as an internal advisor (reporting to the CEO)?
   
   
I will call you on Monday, January 10, at about 11:30 a.m. to see if we can get together for a brief meeting at a time that's convenient for both of us.

I'm looking forward to meeting with you.

Sincerely,
James R. Hasse
Enclosure

I ran this letter off on my letterhead (good quality white stock) and sent it flat in a 9-by-12 white envelope with my one-fold resume (a 17-by-11 sheet of very light gray cover stock).

Whether you send your resume with your letter of introduction depends on who you are contacting, how specific you can get about your career objective in third paragraph of your letter and whether sending your resume makes it appear like you are applying for a job (or asking for a job). Contacts who know you well may not need your resume. You may want to use it as handout when you meet someone who is actively involved in the recruiting process within a company.

If you do include your resume, explain it in the letter this way: "I include background information so you can get a better understanding about my objective."

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Guidelines for Writing Letters of Introduction

First Paragraph:

Do:


• Immediately describe the source of your connection, if no referral is involved.
  
  
• Sincerely compliment the individual.
  
  
• End this paragraph with a line such as this: "______ recommended you highly as an individual experienced in the ______ field, one which I am currently exploring in my career marketing campaign."
  
  
Don't:


• Talk about yourself here.
  
  
• Avoid job-hunting jargon.
  
  

Second Paragraph:

Do:


• Make it clear you don't expect the contact person to pinpoint job openings or offer you a job in his own company.
  
  
Don't:


• Don't talk about yourself or career here.
  
  
• Don't specifically ask for referrals here.
  
  

Third Paragraph:

Do:


• Describe two or three of your strengths.
  
  
• Mention the need for confidentiality if it is important to you.
  
  
Don't:


• Focus on job history.
  
  
• Try to fully describe your capabilities.
  
  

Fourth Paragraph:

Do:


• Be brief but specific about what you'd like to discuss.
  
  
Don't:


• List specific questions which are not open-ended and do not lead to a discussion.
  
  
• Ask for referrals.
  
  

Fifth Paragraph:

Do:


• Give a specific time and date for your next contact.
  
  
• Choose a time that is convenient for you.
  
  
• Refer to the interview as a "brief" meeting.
  
  
• Include any accommodations you require for the interview.
  
  
• Acknowledge the value of the contact person's time.
  
  
Don't:


• Undersell the value of your time.
  
  

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Final Notes

Enrolling a contact person as an active participant in your career marketing campaign is easier through face-to-face contact than by telephone, instant messaging or e-mail -- especially if you haven't met him in person before.

And, finally, remember the chief purpose of a letter of introduction: to obtain an information/referral interview (no matter what form that takes).

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