Letters of Inquiry
If you are committed to making your way into an organization and cannot find a contact, one possible route is a letter of inquiry, the written equivalent of a cold call. You may use one to request an informational interview, or to find out whether your skills and experience might interest the company.
Sample letter of inquiryJames Fox
Fox@CrazyLaneExpeditions.com
Dear Mr. Fox,
I found your name and the name of Crazy Lane Expeditions on the Internet as I was researching agencies specializing in unusual travel arrangements. Your trips to Patagonia sound fantastic!
After eight years as a travel agent in San Jose, I have now decided to move toward the specialty travel field. Crazy Lane Expeditions is the gold standard in outdoor adventure travel, and I would like to explore how I might make a contribution to your continued success.
I have many years of experience leading backpacking trips, for both teenagers and adults, in the American Northwest. My outstanding leadership, communications and group facilitation skills, in addition to my hiking, paddlin, and climbing skills, prepare me well for tour management. I am fluent in Spanish, having spent two years in Ecuador as a student, and feel at ease and at home in Latin America.
I believe I could play a part in your organization, and would appreciate the chance to talk with you about this possibility. I am enclosing my resume so that you will have a sense of my background and skills. I will call you next Friday afternoon to follow up. If that time is not convenient, could you please e-mail me some times that would work better for you?
Thank you in advance for your attention.
Sincerely yours,
Suzanne Carolina
Cover Letters
Networking Letters
Letters of Inquiry
Thank-You Notes
List of References