Dan told us about a job posting for a position he really wanted. “It’s a perfect fit!” he exclaimed. We advised him not to send a resume, but to apply with a different tool.
The employer responded quickly and set up an interview. To Dan’s amazement, the boss said he didn’t need to see a resume at all. He already had all he needed.
Dan learned that, while the resume is certainly still an important weapon in the job-hunters arsenal, today’s savvy job hunters are finding other ways to impress the boss.
What did Dan send? It was a T-Letter. This is a great presentation tool, but it doesn’t work for everybody in every situation. It’s best used when going after a position for which your background fits like a hand in a glove—or nearly so. You have most everything they want. Possibly, you may lack one or two of the qualifications for the position, but it’s got to be a really strong fit, or the presentation loses its power.
What is a T-Letter?
The T-Letter gets its name from the shape. It begins with a regular paragraph, like any other letter. In this paragraph, you begin by expressing your excitement about the position, then state that the position looks like such a great fit that you have prepared a comparison of their requirements and your experience.
After that, the letter contains a two-column presentation in which you compare the employer’s requirements, with your experience. It is both a powerful presentation for the boss, and a strong and clear presentation to help you get through the initial screening in the Human Resources office.
The left column lists their requirements, while the right one lists your experience,. The key to making this work is not to simply to parrot back their language, but rather to show that you are not only experienced, but also accomplished.
WRONG WAY
(NOTE: The formatting isn’t preserved in the blog, so the left column appears above the right column below).
Your Requirements
Three or more years experience in conducting educational training or teaching and/or making sales presentations on educational products.
My Experience
I have five years of conducting educational training and make sales presentations on educational products and two years teaching.
RIGHT WAY
Your Requirements
Five or more years experience in conducting educational training or teaching and/or making sales presentations on educational products.
My Experience
Four years experience selling and training on educational products, including standardized tests and the Blue Horizons product. Chosen to travel to Europe to present to faculty at American schools overseas. Three years experience teaching 5th grade students; received peer recognition as Outstanding Teacher in my third year.
Picture an entry-level Human Resources employee going through a big stack of resumes, with a list of qualifications at his side, trying to separate the wheat from the chaff. This presentation knocks him over the head and proclaims, “I’ve got everything you’re looking for! No guess work. It’s right here in black-and-white. You don’t even have to think about it!”
Oftentimes, the job description will specifically state what the employer is looking for, but other times you may have to read between the lines if the job description isn’t specific. If there is no written job description, you to surmise as best you can what they really want, and focus the letter on those things.
Then, conclude the letter with an action statement, saying that you will follow up (assuming this is possible and the employer has not instructed applicants to not call). The T-Letter powerfully conveys that you are a fit and a contributor.
