Job Hunter Newsletter
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Sample Letter of Reference

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Contents

Job Search Video

"Competitive Differentiation"

Companies won't hire you because you measure up to the competition. They will hire if you rise above the competition. You need to make yourself stand out from the rest of the candidates to close the sale and get the job. But how do you accomplish this? Watch our one-minute-video tip to learn how to differentiate yourself from the competition:

www.CollegeGrad.com/job-search-videos/competitive-differentiation.shtml

CollegeGrad.com features more than 60 job tips in one minute video format. Review them all at:

www.CollegeGrad.com/job-search-videos

Contents

Job Search Tip of the Week, by Brian Krueger, author of "College Grad Job Hunter," the #1 book for entry level job search:

"Sample Letter of Reference"

Here is a sample letter of reference that you can use as a template for assisting your references in constructing a letter of reference for you:

Prospective Employer:

I have known Tracy Graduate through her work experience with our firm during the past summer, when she served as an Auditor Intern in our New York office.

Tracy became immediately involved in the annual audit of Zephyr Megalithic, conducting much of the accounting research required for the audit. In addition to gathering the financial information, Tracy was instrumental in the development of the final certification report. Tracy also participated in several other smaller audits, including her instrumental role in the quarterly audit of Alpha Bank, where she developed several Excel macros to audit the inputs. She later further developed these macros for use in future audits, which we have integrated into our Auditors Toolkit.

Tracy has shown the kind of initiative which is necessary to be successful over the long-term in the public accounting field. She has excellent forensic accounting skills, yet remains focused on the overall needs of the client. I believe she will be a strong Auditor and has an excellent future in the public accounting field. She is a conscientious worker and has an excellent work ethic. We would gladly have hired Tracy upon graduation if she were open to working in the New York City area.

I recommend Tracy to you without reservation. If you have any further questions with regard to her background or qualifications, please do not hesitate to call me.

Sincerely,

Terry Thompson
Partner-in-Charge

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How and When to Use Letters of Recommendation

When asked by potential employers for references, give them your one-page reference list, complete with contact names, titles, companies/schools, addresses, and phone numbers. But your list should also include the individual letters of recommendation that each reference has already given you. Many employers will actually forego formal reference checking when they have a letter of recommendation from a listed reference. Result? You have control of the reference check and it will shorten the hiring process.

You can also use the letter of recommendation as a "Show and Tell" item or as a leave behind at an interview, further reinforcing a positive image and setting you apart from the crowd.

Next newsletter: "Setting up Job Search Central"

Contents

Education Center

"Hot Industries: Science & Engineering"

From teaching to engineering, robust career opportunities always seem to await the technically or scientifically savvy. While the job market as a whole tends to fluctuate, there's no denying that there's a large societal push for newer, better, sleeker technology, not to mention biomedical breakthroughs. Areas such as civil, mechanical, electrical, and materials engineering are booming, and there's always a demand for qualified science teachers and professors.

Earning advanced degrees is always a boost to your resume, but it's particularly important in science and engineering. While many entry-level jobs require only a bachelor's degree, more lucrative positions typical require master's or doctorate degrees. This is particularly true for those hoping to become managers or find their niche in research and development. While a master's degree in a field like engineering management will boost advancement opportunities at cutting-edge companies and firms, a PhD can land you a position in a prestigious laboratory or university.

Browse Top Engineering Programs:

www.CollegeGrad.com/education/science-engineering/

Contents

- Help Spread The Word!

Do you know of someone who can benefit from the information in this newsletter? Simply forward this e-mail to them and tell them to subscribe at http://www.CollegeGrad.com/newsletter. Thanks for spreading the good word!

Contents

Job Search Links:

Contents

- Job Search Book Online

There are at least two other entry level Web sites that offer books on job searching, proclaming that they will tell you everything you need to know about entry level job search.

However, there is a very important point about these books they don't mention up front: they cost money.

At CollegeGrad.com, we give you two things they don't:

  1. The #1 entry level job search book ("College Grad Job Hunter").
  2. It's free.

It's that simple. So don't buy the hype. Read the real information you need for FREE:

http://www.CollegeGrad.com/book

Don't ever pay for books or reports or resources of lower quality when you can access the very best quality information for free.

P.S. Yes, you can buy "College Grad Job Hunter" in hardcopy format as well at Amazon.com for $15 (actually, 30% off that price), but the online version is better. Why? Because the version at Amazon.com is being continually updated at CollegeGrad.com. So the most current version of the book is actually the online, free version.

Disclaimer: please note that all of the links were active as of the newsletter publication, but some may become inactive over time.


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