A prospecting letter, or letter of inquiry, is utilized to inquire about potential internships or job opportunities with a particular company when you are not certain if they have any current openings. Prospecting letters are similar to cover letters in that they are written in hopes of ultimately generating an interview; you just are not applying to an open position. Before you initiate writing, there are 4 things you should know:

Know Your Network

Take a moment to assess your network of contacts. If you are a college student or graduate, check with your career development office to see if there are any alumni contacts at the company to which you would like to apply. Maybe you share a LinkedIn connection with a current worker at said company or you are active in the similar professional organization. Having a good connection never hurts and it can just empower your chances of obtaining a position.

Research

Forget about dealing your prospecting letter “To whom it may concern.” It is better to address your letter to a specific person within the organization: preferably someone with the authority to hire. You are taking a chance by sending a prospecting letter, so odds are you’re truly interested in being a part of the company. Your enthusiasm should come across in the letter, but instead of writing something generic and gauche, such as, “I’d love to have the opportunity to work for ABC, Inc.

Because it seems like such a cool company,” get into the details. Research. Maybe you recognize with their philosophy or you read a news article about the company that piqued your interest. Establishing a personal connection will make your interest evident.

Be Yourself

Prospecting letter templates are great starting points, but you should not follow them word for word.

Following a template simply assists to keep the letter organized, but following one too closely will make the letter read like you copied and pasted, plugging in certain information when necessary. Hiring managers pick up on that kind of inauthenticity. If you do not think you sound like yourself, you probably don’t sound like yourself.

Keep the letter concise, too, and try to keep it under a page in length.

How to Send Prospecting Letter

You need your prospecting letter to fall into the right hands and get results, so how should you send it? Email is fast and free, and if you email a recruiter, they can simply forward your letter to the suitable contacts within the company. But inboxes fill up quickly, and your letter could end up getting lost in the shuffle. Unless you are emailing human resources straightly, there is no way of knowing your letter got to the right people.

A hard-copy letter printed on nice paper, although, can actually set you apart. Sure, you will have to pay for postage, but it is a gutsy move that will show hiring managers and other higher-ups at the company that you’re really interested.