Curricula and Learning Links - Language Arts

Teaching Business Letter Writing

By Martha Robinson

Being able to write effective business correspondence is extremely important for your homeschooled student's life, for working and for being a responsible citizen. Work with your student, and write several of each letter shown below. You will both be better writers after this effort!

Resume Cover Letter: The purpose of a resume cover letter is to highlight points from the resume that show why you are the best candidate for the job. Look in the newspaper for several jobs and have your student write cover letters to apply for them. Example letters may be found by doing a search with HomeschoolChristian.com's search box above.

Letter Requesting Information: Whether inquiring on the internet or by regular mail, people frequently need to get more information about a product before deciding whether to purchase it. Students should know how to write a courteous and concise letter asking for more information. Here is what it should contain:

Proper formatting: inside address, heading, greeting, body, closing and signature
A sentence that says what you are seeking and politely asks for it
A brief explanation as to why you need this information
A concluding sentence thanking the reader

Complaint Letter: Company officials rarely hear from people in writing, but when they do, managers take the complaints very seriously. You should be willing to stand up for your beliefs and let companies know when they have offended you. Courtesy is EXTREMELY important in letters of complaint, so never write one when you are angry. Here is what you should include:

Proper formatting: inside address, heading, greeting, body, closing and signature
A sentence explaining that you purchased a specific product, used a specific service, or attended a specific event (with date and time)
An expression of your disappointment with specific reasons as to why the product, service, or event did not meet your expectations
A "call to action" sentence that expresses what you feel the company should do about this.
A concluding sentence thanking the reader for his time and expressing your hope that he will tell you about the changes the company plans to make.

Letter requesting an interview for the purpose of learning about the business: This letter is particularly applicable to teens who should be checking into opportunities so that they can decide about their futures. The expectation is for the teen to ask specific questions about the business or profession to increase the teen's knowledge level. Consequently, he or she needs to do research and have questions prepared in advance. Here is what this letter should contain:

Proper formatting: inside address, heading, greeting, body, closing and signature
An explanation of who you are (an x-grader considering pursuing a career in xx field)
A request for 30 minutes of the readers time to ask him questions about his business and the background/education required.
An expression that you are willing to visit at his convenience. (Note that you will be bringing a parent if that is the case.)
A concluding sentence thanking the reader for his time and telling him that you will call on a specific day (about a week out) to set a time.

Thank you letter to potential employer: After an interview, you should ALWAYS write a thank you letter to the hiring individual. This will impress them and give you an advantage over your competition. Here is what it should contain:

Proper formatting: inside address, heading, greeting, body, closing and signature
"Thank you for taking time to meet with me on xx date."
An expression of how much you enjoyed speaking with him/her as well as other people (Name them!) about the specific position.
A reason that you feel certain that the job is the right one for you and an expression of how hiring you will benefit the company
A concluding sentence thanking the manager again and expressing that you look forward to speaking with him about the job very soon.

Letter requesting a reference for yourself: Colleges and employers like to see letters of reference, so you should be prepared to ask past employers, teachers, your pastor, and others for one. Here is what to include:

Proper formatting: inside address, heading, greeting, body, closing and signature
A sentence reminding the reader who you are (I used to attend your church. I worked from xx date to xx date at your company, and so on.)
A sentence explaining that you are seeking a job (or college admission) and that you need a reference
A courteous request for the reader to write the reference
A statement saying when you need the reference and how you will get it. (Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if it will be mailed to you)
A concluding sentence thanking the reader for their help

Letter requesting a reference for someone seeking employment with you: One day you may be the employer, and you will need references on the people to whom you will entrust your business and livelihood. Here's what this letter should contain:

Proper formatting: inside address, heading, greeting, body, closing and signature
A sentence that states your purpose. For example, "I am seeking a reference for John Jones."
A sentence that reminds the reader who John Jones is. (He worked for you from xx to xx dates.)
Next mention what specific position he is seeking at your company.
A courteous request for the reader to provide you with a reference as to the characteristics or qualifications that are important. (Skills, honesty, timeliness, dependability, etc.)
A statement saying when you need the reference and how you will get it. (Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if it will be mailed to you)
A concluding sentence thanking the reader for their help and providing a phone number in case he would prefer to call.

Job Offer Letter: Once you have interviewed the candidate and checked his references, you are ready to make a job offer. This letter must spell out the job title, salary, hours, benefits, starting date, and any other important factors. Many example letters of this type may be found by doing a search with HomeschoolChristian.com's search box above.

Letter to a Senator or Congressman stating a position: Letting your legislators know your positions is absolutely crucial. They want to hear from you so that they get a feel for their constituency's opinions. Because they get hundreds (or more) letters per day, it is especially important to state your position concisely. Here is the format to follow:

Proper formatting: inside address, heading, greeting, body, closing and signature
A sentence stating that you are one of his constituents
An expression that you would like to let him know your position on xx subject
State your position and briefly give your reasons
Express your hopes that the legislator will vote with this information in mind
A concluding sentence thanking the reader for his time.

Curricula and Learning Links - Language Arts

Teaching Business Letter Writing

By Martha Robinson

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