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LETTERS OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

conciseness,

LEARNESS, conciseness, accuracy-these are the chief requisites of the business letter that comes under the general heading of "Letters of Personal Information.'

These letters are classified under:

(1) Introduction.

(2) Application.

(3) Reference.

(4) Recommendation.

Their purpose is to advance certain definite information in a form as brief and accessible as possible. The problem in writing them is to get the facts clearly before the reader. The "point of contact" is established as quickly as possible; that is, the reader is promptly told the reason for the letter's being written to him. The facts to be made known to him are then presented in logical order.

The Letter of Introduction is a personal note to make known to a third person, a friend or an acquaintance of the writer's.

This will introduce to you Mr. James Ord, an editorial writer on the staff of the "Trans-Bay News."

Mr. Ord is preparing a series of articles on living conditions among workers employed in the iron trades in the Bay District.

You will find him honest as can be, accurate, conscientious and unbiased in conducting his investigation and in making his report. As Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, I have had occasion to follow closely his work on the "News" for the past five years. I personally shall appreciate any courtesy you extend to him.

Note that the above letter has four main bearings:

(1) It establishes business identity of the man it introduces.

(2) Explains definitely why he is seeking an introduction.
(3) Vouches for him.

(4) Expresses appreciation for any courtesy that may be ex-
tended to him.

In introducing by letter a casual acquaintance, you may omit elements. (3) and (4). But even then, your willingness to introduce him by letter to one of your business friends implies that you vouch for his integrity. The Letter of Application for a Position is made up of six elements:

(1) A statement that you are an applicant for the position.
(2) Your qualifications:

(a) Experience.

(b) Education.

(3) References.

(4) Information of a personal sort.

(5) Salary you expect.

(6) Request for a personal interview.

Establish at once the "point of contact" by letting the employer know that you are an applicant for the position he has vacant. Otherwise he will not be interested in reading your qualifications, references, etc., for it will not be clear to him what bearing these facts have upon his interests.

The second paragraph deals with your qualifications. In answering an advertisement that calls for certain definite qualifications, give yours in the order laid down in the advertisement. If not, ask yourself what questions your prospective employer would put to you if he were in his office talking with you. Give first your business experience and training. This carries more weight than your training in a university or school. If you have had no training in the position to be filled, clearly explain just wherein the position you have held has qualified you for the one you are seeking.

Be definite. Give the names of the firms you have worked for, the exact nature of the employment, the results accomplished, and the length of service.

If employed at the time of writing, explain frankly why you are seeking other employment. You may, for example, explain that, with

the consent of your employers, you are leaving your present position to seek a position that offers greater opportunity for advancement.

Be definite in telling of your education: what universities or schools you have attended, what courses of study you have completed. If you have pursued any definite line of study, explain in detail the bearing upon the position sought.

Then give your references. Write down names, positions, and addresses of men who will certify to your ability and to your character. Personal information comes next. Tell your age, nationality, habits of life, health, married or single, and so on.

Make statement of the salary you expect to receive. To this statement you may properly add that you will accept the position at the stated salary, advancement within a reasonable period being contingent upon your proved ability. Business men have little respect for an applicant willing to accept a position that offers no future.

As an earnest of your conviction that you are qualified for the position, in closing your letter, ask for a personal interview. State that you can come to the manager's office at any hour that suits his convenience. If your hours are limited, state what hours you have free. Give your address and telephone number so that he readily may get in touch with

you.

Make your letter carry conviction. Let no tone of apology creep into it, or of uncertainty as to your ability to fill the position. You are not "begging" for anything; your right to sell your services is similar to your right to sell a product in which you believe.

Here is an example illustrating the elements of a Letter of Application:

Dear Sir:

Mr. J. W. Smithson of the Smithson Advertising Agency has told me that you have open a position as Correspondence Supervisor. Please consider me an applicant.

My business experience is as follows:

From July, 1916, to January, 1918, as salesman with the W. K. Hanscom Co.

From January, 1918, until the present date, as Assistant Correspondence Supervisor with the same company. Under the direction of Mr. J. W. Monger, Correspondence Supervisor, I have

assisted in revising the system of correspondence of the company. Mr. Monger understands that I am desirous of leaving the Hanscom Co. to accept a position that offers promotion and a larger salary. His name is included in the list of references given in this letter.

My educational experience:

A four-year commercial course at the University of California, terminating in graduation in 1916. I was one of eight members of my class to be graduated with highest honors.

My references, by permission, are:

Mr. J. W. Monger, Correspondence Supervisor, W. K. Hanscom
Co., San Francisco.

Mr. J. A. Haskell, Sales Manager, W. K. Hanscom Co.
Prof. Ira B. Cross, University of California, Berkeley.

I am 25 years of age, of American parentage, and married.

I am willing to start in at a salary of $2,400 (the amount Mr. Smithson says you are offering), salary increases to be contingent upon my ability to prove the value of my services to your firm.

I shall be glad to call at your office for a personal interview between the hours of three and five o'clock Wednesday or Saturday afternoon. (Telephone Main 823.)

Very truly yours,

The Letter of Application you have just read has for its single purpose the presentation of that precise amount of definite data the prospective employer needs before calling the applicant to his office for a personal interview.

There is a second type of Letter of Application. In this, the applicant, in addition to using such of the above data as may serve his purpose, makes a definite effort to "sell" his services. His effort could be no more definite were he trying to sell his company's product. He regards the letter as purely and simply a "direct sales letter."

Here is an example of a "direct sales letter" made use of by a successful applicant in selling his services:

Dear Sir:

If I sat across from you at your desk and proved to you that over 25 per cent of the retail grocers in the western territory

rarely have a call from a S. W. Black salesman-rarely hear an S. W. Black selling appeal-year after year

If I showed you that at least two of your biggest competitors are getting these retail grocers' trade

And then if I could show you how YOU can get your share of this undeveloped business

You'd be interested, would n't you?

Well, that's exactly what I 'm going to tell you by mail.

A part of the 25 per cent are grocers at the little crossroads towns-towns off the beaten path, where your salesman can't reach them without too much travel expense.

The balance of the 25 per cent are grocers in the cities who are so far out and scattered that your salesmen can't get in personal touch with them more than once every two or three weeks. Perhaps you'll say, "Oh, yes, but these are little fellows, with trade. that does n't amount to much." But that trade, in the aggregate, amounts to quite a tidy sum each year, does n't it? And, besides, these little fellows have a way of "growing up." And you don't want your competitor to get their goodwill away from you while they are maturing.

NOW there's an easy way-a mighty inexpensive way-of getting in touch with the 25 per cent. Just by mail. Tell them -by mail-of your product, of your prices, of your guarantee, of your service to them, exactly as your salesman would. Sales will result I can prove it.

I can prove, too, that I can write the sales letters that will develop this untouched business.

I have had two years' experience as salesman on the road, with the C. A. Hexler Co.; three years' experience dictating correspondence for the H. A. Anderson Co. I am a graduate of the class of 1914 at the University of California, where I took the fouryear commercial course. I want to leave my present position with the Anderson Co. because they make comparatively few sales by mail; they sell an expensive product and develop only a limited territory.

Mr. W. L. Nedler, Sales Manager of the H. A. Anderson Co., and Mr. H. A. Anderson, President of the firm, have given me permission to use their names as references.

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