如何写出高质量的求职信

 　　本文是《200封求职信》(美国出版)一书中的一篇摘录。作者提出了几个简单易行却颇为实用的写作方法。正如本文所讲，写出高质量的求职信不是一项简单的工作，即使你有丰富的写作经验。用心去做--这是唯一的诀窍。

　　When you begin to write, your mind may give you random¹, disjointed thoughts. Your ideas probably won't come out logically or sequentially, but write them down as they appear, without worrying about order or logic². Don't judge and evaluate, simply collect them. Later you'll evaluate, sort, and organize them. At this stage you just want to get them down on paper, on tape, or on computer disk.

　　It is easier for most people to write this way, because the creative part of your brain isn't very logical, and the logical part of your brain isn't very creative. Don't expect your mind to perform both functions at once (although some can).

　　Use the "card trick" to organize your thoughts

　　Sometimes it helps to put all your thoughts on individual index cards, exactly as they come to mind. Later, you can sort the cards to get a finished product, eliminating cards that don't fit.

　　This is also a beautiful way to write a magazine or journal article with very little stress--and very little "writer's block," because nothing you write down has to be said perfectly³ or accurately⁴. Everything can be sharpened up later. Your first goal is simply to collect your rough thoughts. Once you've accomplished⁵ that, here's what to do next:

　　1. Spend time on your letter. Someone once said, "With part-time effort, you get part-time results." This is especially true in letter writing. You can expect to spend several hours, or even several days, on a letter.

　　2. Write a draft, then let it cool off overnight.

　　3. Rewrite if necessary.

　　4. Use a strong close, like these: "After you have had a chance to review this letter, I will call you to get your reactions." "I will call your office next week to arrange a time when we might be able to get together. If you have any questions before that, please call me at [phone]."

　　5. Avoid weaker endings like these: "Please call me at your earliest convenience." "I believe that a meeting could prove to be mutually profitable, and ask that, if you agree, you contact me so that we can arrange a convenient time." "Thank you for your consideration. I am available for a personal interview at your earliest convenience and look forward to hearing from you." "In the next week or two when your schedule permits, let's meet and discuss my aspirations⁶ in more detail. Please give me a call." "I look forward to your reply."

　　6. Ask for opinions, advice, and feedback from friends, and from sales, marketing⁷, and advertising⁸ experts.

　　7. Mail a small sample to test your letter. This is important. A consultant⁹ friend once mailed 76,000 brochures at a cost of nearly $15,000, and only got three responses. What a shame! The material was poorly written, badly designed, and poorly tested. Test your letters before you roll them out on a large scale.

　　8. If you're getting the kind of response you want, mail larger numbers.

　　9. Enclose a response form to increase your response.

　　10. Remail the same letter to the same people two or three times. Repetition often helps.

　　11. Don't mark letters "Personal and Confidential," unless there's a solid reason why they can't be opened by a secretary. If the letter is persuasive¹⁰ enough, it will get through.

　　Give yourself time

　　You can't expect to produce an exceptional document overnight. Letter-writing is actually harder than resume-writing because you're starting with a clean slate¹¹. In resume-writing at least you have your background--which is definite--to work with. In letter writing, you start with nothing. Letters can be about anything. That's why they're so difficult.

　　I once took a class called "How to Market a Book." The class focused on writing query¹² letters to publishers to get a book contract. The course lasted six weeks and met for two hours each week. I spent several hours per week on homework--staying up all night several nights--and the end product was a one-page sales letter to publishers. Lots of work for just one letter.

　　I mailed the letter to about 30 publishers and got 13 responses. No one bought the book, but one publisher did offer to publish it for royalties¹³ only (no advance), which I declined. That book was the forerunner¹⁴ of this one.

　　Writers often say, "I don't like writing, but I like having written." That's how many of us feel. Writing can be hard work. Don't take it lightly, and don't feel bad if you can't write a high-impact marketing letter in half an hour. Neither can professional copywriters! Writing is a profession, like rocket science. Don't expect to learn or perfect it overnight.

　　Don't copy someone else's letter

　　Take these letters as samples and modify them to fit yourself, but don't copy them verbatim(逐字地). I've found that people who copy someone else's letter seldom get a good response, regardless of how good the letter is. Be original.

　　It would be easy to take the letters in this collection and use them word-for-word. That would be quick, but probably not effective. Your letter has to be "you." It should sound like you, feel like you, read like you--because you have to follow it with a phone call, or answer questions about it.

　　So, don't send a really "hot," aggressive letter if you're introverted and laid-back. You'll have trouble following up on the letter and you may not come across well. Send a letter that mirrors your style--and only you can write that letter.

　　Get professional help

　　If you're a skilled writer, fine. The project may be easy for you. But if you're not, you may need help. Consider hiring a professional freelance writer(自由撰稿人) to help you compose and edit your letters, but not to do them for you.

　　Where can you begin to look? Call your local ad club for the names of direct mail freelance writers. Read the classifieds in Writer's Digest. Check the Yellow Pages under "Writers." Contact your local writers' guild¹⁵. Check with local advertising and PR firms. They use lots of freelancers¹⁶. Newspaper and magazine editors know writers too.

1 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

2 logic   

n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性

参考例句：

• What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑？
• I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。

3 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

4 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

5 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

6 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

7 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

8 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

9 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

10 persuasive   

adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的

参考例句：

• His arguments in favour of a new school are very persuasive.他赞成办一座新学校的理由很有说服力。
• The evidence was not really persuasive enough.证据并不是太有说服力。

11 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

12 query   

n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑

参考例句：

• I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily.我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
• They raised a query on his sincerity.他们对他是否真诚提出质疑。

13 royalties   

特许权使用费

参考例句：

• I lived on about £3,000 a year from the royalties on my book. 我靠着写书得来的每年约3，000英镑的版税生活。 来自辞典例句
• Payments shall generally be made in the form of royalties. 一般应采取提成方式支付。 来自经济法规部分

14 forerunner   

n.前身，先驱（者），预兆，祖先

参考例句：

• She is a forerunner of the modern women's movement.她是现代妇女运动的先驱。
• Penicillin was the forerunner of modern antibiotics.青霉素是现代抗生素的先导。

15 guild   

n.行会，同业公会，协会

参考例句：

• He used to be a member of the Writers' Guild of America.他曾是美国作家协会的一员。
• You had better incorporate the firm into your guild.你最好把这个公司并入你的行业协会。

16 freelancers   

n.自由作家，自由记者( freelancer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A lot of proof-reading is put out to freelancers. 校对工作有很多是请外人做的。 来自辞典例句
• Its benefits plan for freelancers is highly competitive in the industry. 在本行业内它的福利方案是很有竞争力的。 来自互联网