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Letters For Special Situations Anne McKinney, Editor PREP PUBLISHING F A Y E T T E V I L L E, N C PREP Publishing 1110 ˚ Hay Street Fayetteville, NC 28305 (910) 483-6611 Copyright © 1999 by Anne McKinney Cover design by David W. Turner All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conven- tions. No part of this book may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems—without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published in the United States by PREP Publishing. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Letters for special situations / (edited by) Anne McKinney. p. cm. ISBN 1-885288-09-3 (trade paperback) 1. Commercial correspondence. 2. Business writing. 3. Correspondence. I. McKinney, Anne, 1948- HF5721.L395 1999 808’.066651—dc21 99-11353 CIP Printed in the United States of America First Edition By PREP Publishing Business and Career Series: RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS THAT HAVE WORKED RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR MILITARY PROFESSIONALS RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS FOR MANAGERS COVER LETTERS THAT BLOW DOORS OPEN GOVERNMENT JOB APPLICATIONS AND FEDERAL RESUMES LETTERS FOR SPECIAL SITUATIONS Judeo-Christian Ethics Series: SECOND TIME AROUND BACK IN TIME WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT…Words that can lead to success and happiness A GENTLE BREEZE FROM GOSSAMER WINGS BIBLE STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT This page intentionally left blank This page intentionally left blank v TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTERS FOR SPECIAL SITUATIONS Introduction 1 1. Formatting Your Letters . 3 2. Addressing Your Letters and Writing Your Salutation . 6 3. Letters of Appeal (also see Letters of Complaint) 11 A. Appeal of a court action 12 B. Appeal of a dismissal from a job 13 C. Appeal to a corporation from a franchisee challenging a fine and employment policies . 14 D. Appeal of a supervisor’s rating . 16 E. Appeal of a company’s failure to pay retirement funds . 18 F. Appeal to a teacher about a child’s grade . 19 G. Appeal to the housing board 20 H. Appeal of a transfer . 21 I. Appeal of a military medical board decision . 22 J. Appeal of a supervisor’s rating . 24 K. Appeal of a suspension 26 L. Appeal of a false accusation 28 4. Letters of Application, Personal Statements, & Essays . 29 A. Letter of application for admission to medical school . 30 B. Letter of application for admission to physician’s assistant program 32 C. Letter of application for dental school . 34 D. Essay “My Greatest Personal Failure” . 36 E. Essay “My Greatest Professional Risk” . 37 F. Letter of application for the Peace Corps 38 G. Letter of application to medical school . 40 H. Letter of application to law school 42 I. Letter of application for a superintendent of schools position . 44 5. Business Marketing Letters and Press Releases . 45 A. Business estimate used by a cleaning company in marketing its services 46 B. Business proposal by a resume-writing and outplacement service . 47 C. Letter of introduction used by a specialty steel company . 48 D. Letter expressing “thank you” to existing customers 49 E. Letter of welcome to new customers 50 F. Letter used in a chain letter mailing 51 G. Press release for an art gallery 52 H. Press release for a new book . 53 I. Letter marketing a courier service 54 J. Letter following up on an initial verbal proposal . 55 K. Letter used to accompany a business resume 56 L. Business resume 57 M. Letter used to market a landscaping service . 58 vi 6. Career-Changing Letters . 59 A. From dental assisting to flight attendant (see also p. 83) . 60 B. The direct approach 61 C1. Answering blind ads . 62 C2. Answering ads with names and addresses . 63 D. All-purpose cover letters, seeking management trainee position 64 E. Responding to recruiters 65 F1. All-purpose cover letters, background in criminal justice 66 F2. All-purpose cover letters, entering pharmaceutical sales field 67 F3. All-purpose cover letters, sales and accounting skills 68 F4. All-purpose cover letters, communication and customer service skills . 69 F5. All-purpose cover letters, sales skills and versatility 70 F6. All-purpose cover letters, military professional in transition 71 G. Young professional emphasizing strong personal qualities 72 H. College graduate seeks her first professional job 73 I. From profit making to human services . 74 J. From commercial sales to health care . 75 K. From government to academia . 76 L. From aviation to sales 77 M. From food industry to accounting and finance . 78 N. From private to public sector . 79 O. From retail to retail-related 80 P. From managing people to managing money . 81 Q. From the grocery industry to a career in human resources 82 R. From small business management to flight attendant (see also page 60) 83 S. From social services to academic administration 84 T. From store manager to fireman 85 U1. Entrepreneur seeking a new industry 86 U2. Entrepreneur seeking a new challenge in automotive industry . 87 U3. Entrepreneur returning to previous field 88 V1. Seeking first job in chemistry field 89 V2. Seeking first job in computer science . 90 V3. Seeking first job in publishing or advertising . 91 V4 Seeking first job utilizing history degree 92 V5. Seeking first job in media journalism and English . 93 V6. Seeking first job in nursing field . 94 V7. Seeking first job in social services field 95 W1. Seeking to advance in retail . 96 W2.Seeking a career change from retail . 97 X. Seeking to return to public health field or to university teaching . 98 7. Collections Letters 99 A. Collections letter #1 .100 B. Collections letter #2 .101 C. Collections letter #3 .102 D. Collections letter #4 .103 E. Collections letter #5 . 104 F. Collections letter #6 . 105 vii 8. Letters of Complaint (also see Letters of Appeal) . 106 A. Letter seeking ownership of insurance agency . 107 B. Letter complaining about unprofessional legal representation and refusing to pay in full . 108 C. Letter to Senator Jesse Helms about a father’s medical benefits 112 D. Letter to Department of Transportation with copy to Attorney General . 114 9. Letters in Confidence 115 A. Letter #1 expressing interest in employment 116 B. Letter #2 expressing interest in employment 117 C. When they ask for salary requirements . 118 D. When they ask for salary history . 119 E. Letter expressing interest in a competitor 120 10. Letters as Bids 121 A. Bid from a building subcontractor 122 B. Bid from a professional sign company 123 11. Letters related to Consumer Credit and Finance . 124 A. Letter to credit bureaus requesting fraud alert on your credit file after a robbery 125 B. Letter to Trans Union Credit Bureau . 126 12. Follow-up Letters 127 A. Follow-up letter #1 from retailer 128 B. Follow-up letter #2 from retailer 129 C. Follow-up letter #3 from restaurateur seeking accounting job 130 D. Follow-up letter #4 from MIS manager . 131 E. Follow-up letter #5 to pharmaceutical company . 132 F. Follow-up letter #6 from MIS manager . 133 G. Follow-up letter #7 from a retail executive seeking internal promotion 134 H. Follow-up letter #8 from retailer 135 I. Follow-up letter #9 to consumer products company . 136 13. Last Will and Testament .137 Letter expressing the final wishes of Chandler McDoogal, Jr. 138 14. Legal Letters and Notices 139 A. Child custody proposal 140 B. Letter of support and affidavit . 141 C. Legal financial agreement in a divorce settlement 142 D. Letter of notice regarding an option agreement 143 15. Letters of Apology . . 144 Letter of apology from one business to another 145 16. Letters of Appreciation . 146 Letter of praise for an employee and a company 147 viii 17. Letters of Introduction 148 A. Letter of introduction from a consultant . 149 B. Letter of introduction from a business introducing its services . 150 18. Letters of Invitation 152 A. Invitation to a job fair 153 B. Invitation to an Eagle ceremony 154 C. Letter of invitation to a meeting 155 19. Letters of Negotiation . 156 A. Letter negotiating an insurance settlement 157 B. Letter negotiating final payments when subcontractor failed to complete a job 158 20. Letters of Nomination . 160 Letter nominating an individual for a leadership award 161 21. Letters of Notice 162 A. Letter of notice to real estate commission 163 B. Notice from a treasurer regarding a bank account . 164 C. Notice regarding lapsed alimony payment 165 D. Notice of a sealed bid land and timber sale 166 E. Notification & Certificate of Destruction 167 22. Letters of Opposition 168 Letter of opposition to a rezoning proposal 169 Letters of Recommendation (see Reference Letters, page 200) 23. Letters of Regret and Condolence . 170 A. Letter of condolence to an employee whose husband died 171 B. Letter of regret to a job applicant 172 24. Letters of Reprimand .173 A. Letter of reprimand to an employee . 174 B. Reprimand and memo to the file 175 25. Letters of Solicitation 176 A. Letter of solicitation on behalf of disadvantaged children 177 B. Resume used as a method of soliciting funds for business sponsorship 178 26. Letters of Support . 179 Letter of support on behalf of a party in a child custody dispute . 180 Letters of Termination (see letter on page 158-159 as well as the letter on page 174) 27. Letters of Understanding and Intent 181 A. Letter of intent and investment agreement 182 B. Letter of understanding and services agreement 183 C. Letter of understanding and agreement with independent subcontractor 184 ix 28. Letters of Welcome 186 Letter of welcome from a church . 187 29. Letters to Public Officials 188 A. Letter to a senator requesting a letter of congratulations for an Eagle Scout 189 B. Letter to a senator requesting an appointment to a military academy 190 30. Minutes and Agendas 191 A. Agenda for a fraternal organization meeting 192 B. Minutes of the meeting of a fraternal organization 193 31. Networking Letters 194 Networking letter sent to an industry colleague 195 32. Postponement Requests . 196 Letter requesting postponement of an interview . 197 33. Promissory Notes . 198 Promissory note . 199 34. Reference Letters and Letters of Recommendation . 200 A. Letter of reference for a respected office manager . 201 B. Letter of reference from a business professional 202 C. Letter of reference from a friend 203 D. Letter of reference from a supervisor . 204 E. Letter of reference from a teacher 205 35. Relocation Cover Letters 206 A. Cover letter for a nurse relocating to a new town . 207 B. Cover letter for a versatile young manager 208 C. Cover letter for a food service professional relocating to New Hampshire 209 D. Cover letter for an office professional relocating to Iowa . 210 E. Cover letter for an office professional relocating to New York 211 36. Requests for a Raise . 212 A. Letter from a comptroller requesting a raise 213 B. Letter from a production worker requesting a raise . . 214 37. Requests for a Transfer 216 Request for a transfer because of a supervisor . 217 38. Requests for Financial Aid . 218 Letter requesting financial aid for a mother with Alzheimer’s . 219 39. Requests for Promotion . 221 A. Formal letter in military style seeking promotion to lieutenant 222 B. Letter requesting an internal promotion in an educational system . 224 C. Letter requesting promotion within the United Way . 225 D. Request for promotion within state government . 226 E. Request for promotion and consideration for multiple job openings . 227