Communicating professionally is an important part of the job search process and can leave a lasting impression. Your interactions with prospective employers will require you to demonstrate skills in verbal and/or written communication, which is an essential career readiness competency. Consider the following when preparing your correspondence and communicating with prospective employers.
- Carefully review position descriptions, application instructions, correspondence from employers, organizational websites and materials and all forms of communication from prospective employers.
- Think through what you want to communicate to the employer, what you need and the best and most appropriate method to communicate.
- Be clear and concise in your communication.
- Organize your letters, emails and other correspondence to make it easy for employers to read.
- Make sure all correspondence is free of grammatical and spelling errors.
- Consider your tone and stay positive.
- Be understanding and flexible as you may not always get an immediate response.
- Show respect and use appropriate language and salutations.
- Always proofread your work.
- Follow Career Center recommended formatting guidelines and schedule an appointment with an advisor to review your documents.
Examples of Professional Correspondence
Cover Letters
Cover letters introduce you to the organization and explain how your values and goals align with the prospective employer. It is also an opportunity to develop a personalized and professional statement, demonstrate your writing skills and set a good first impression.
Tips
- Always tailor your cover letter to fit the skills and qualifications of the position. You may be able to recycle parts of your cover letters for similar roles.
- Make sure to reiterate why you are interested in the company/position and why you are a strong candidate for that role.
- Do not simply repeat your resume.
- Avoid downloadable templates.
- Follow Career Center recommended content and formatting guidelines (e.g. heading, salutation, paragraphs).
Learn more about cover letters.
Emails
You may have a need to email or call your hiring contact or prospective employer. It may be as simple as making sure you know the right office number for your interview or following up on the status of a submitted application.
- Use professional email address.
- Use professional salutation.
- Use clear subject heading.
- Be concise and keep it simple.
- Use a signature.
- Proofread it.
Whenever you are invited to interview, it is crucial to send a thank you email within 24 hours after the interview. In your thank you message, you can briefly incorporate specifics about the interview, your qualifications and your positive impression of the company or staff.
Linkedin is the most common professional networking platform that can be used to find jobs and network. Creating a strong, compelling and professional profile leaves a positive impression and can enhance your visibility and engagement with potential employers and recruiters.
Tips
- Use professional profile picture and banner.
- Create an Informative and unique headline and avoid cliches and buzzwords.
- Weave your brand into your summary (about).
- Use accomplishment statements with strong action verbs in your experience section.
- Include majors, minors, strong GPA, awards and work samples in your education.
- Highlight your skills and own them.
- Use a positive tone.
- Keep it professional and do not use Linkedin for social purposes.
- Follow Career Center recommended guidelines for developing your Linkedin profile.
LinkedIn is also a powerful networking tool to help you connect with alumni and professionals in your field. When you send a connection request, be sure to add a short note to explain why you are reaching out. For example:
Dear Michelle, I see you graduated from UC Davis — go Ags! I’m a 3rd year pre-law student, and I would love to hear about your work at the ACLU. Would you have time to connect for 15–20 minutes via Zoom to share more about your work? I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks, Alejandra
Elevator Pitch (Introducing Yourself)
The goal of an elevator pitch is to briefly introduce yourself, engage your audience, and to start a conversation in less than a minute or two.
Tips
- Pace Yourself: Don't speak too quickly - slow down so the listener doesn't miss what you're saying.
- Be Engaged: Make eye contact - avoid becoming distracted or looking disinterested.
- Follow-up: Make sure you follow up in a timely manner.
- Practice, practice, practice: Put it on paper! Write out a script or talking points, then craft your pitch and practice.
- Follow the Career Center guidelines and recommendations for developing an elevator pitch and practice with an advisor.
Learn more about networking and how to craft an elevator pitch.