This is a copy of a spec letter I've just sent out to eleven employers. During the next few weeks I will sending out several hundred more copies. It is much more direct and personal than other other letters which were totally ineffectual.
Dear Sir/Madam:
I am writing in order to enquire about the possibility of working for your organisation.
I have spent twelve years working in the voluntary sector in community arts and community development, undertaking a broad range of mainly administrative and managerial tasks. During this time I accrued experience of staffing the office at a local Community Resource Centre; answering the telephone, initial contact with visitors and members of the public, and dealing with any day-to-day contingencies involved with the operation of a busy building.
I am comfortable working with computers, but, due to a minor eyesight problem cannot spend prolonged periods of time in front of a screen. However, possessing excellent written English standards, being one of the country’s leading writers of imagist and minimalist poetry, with several hundred examples of my work appearing in magazines or online I can guarantee that any documents and correspondence produced under my supervision will be of a consistently high quality.
Considered to be hard working and enthusiastic, I enjoy rising to a challenge, whilst being equally competent working alone or in a small team. I realise though that I’ve got very little work experience, although I did do voluntary work for a dozen years. When I was looking for my first job in the 1980s the coal industry was being dismantled, and living in an isolated and insular pit village meant that there were very few local employment opportunities; additionally I wasn’t able to travel further afield for work because of the poor public transport links.
I enjoyed my voluntary work, and don’t regret doing it. However, it didn’t result in my securing paid employment. Over the years I became involved with a variety of projects and I consider the highlights to have been being the licensee of the local community radio station, treasurer of the local community transport project and being an elected member of the City Challenge Community Forum.
In these three positions in particular I felt that I was really contributing to my local community, learning new skills and interacting with people from widely varying backgrounds; including some quite senior officials.
Because of my current employment status I’m able to participate in the Work Trial Programme, whereby I can try out a job opportunity at no cost to the employer for a period of up to three weeks. Please see the enclosed leaflet for further details: additionally I have included copies of my C.V. and skills audit, containing additional personal information and the names and addresses of my two referees.
