An introduction letter often involves introducing yourself or someone you know to someone else who can offer career advice or if you are wishing to work for a certain company, this is what you would send to them.
Introduction letters are useful as it allows you to introduce yourself or the person you are writing on behalf of to the person you are sending the letter. This gives you a chance to tell the recipient all of the skills you hold, your hobbies and previous experience.
There are many different types of introduction letters and they can be formal or informal, this usually depends on if you know the recipient of the letter or not. Some of the reasons you may use an introduction letter are:
To introduce a colleague to a former colleague.
To reach out to possible customers or clients.
To present yourself or someone you are writing on behalf of as a job candidate.
To introduce yourself to freelancers or contractors.
To introduce a professional contact to a friend or colleague.
To introduce a co-worker to a recruiter in your company.
To introduce yourself to new team members.
A cover video is very similar to an introduction letter but in a video format. It is a video where you speak to a camera and introduce yourself, in the video you would speak about your hobbies and interests, your skills, what you have achieved and give a reason for the cover video.
an example of a cover video is here.
The main difference between cover videos and an introduction letter is the way the information is passed to the recipient. As obviously one is a written letter and the other is a video. The cover video allows the recipient to see what you are like, see how enthusiastic you are and if the cover video is being used for a job application, it will allow the employer to see if you would fit in well with the rest of the team. An introduction letter is a much more formal way of contacting the recipient.
Introduction letter:
Formal
If a physical letter is written and sent via post it is more likely to be seen and read
Cover video:
The recipient can see what you look like
You can showcase your enthusiasm for the subject
Introduction letter:
The recipient cannot see what you look like
If the letter is sent by email, there is a chance it could get overlooked or deleted rather than being read
Cover video:
If the video is sent to an email it could get overlooked or deleted rather than being watched
Start with a greeting.
When contacting a friend or former colleague, ensure that you open your introduction with a thoughtful sentence or greeting.
Present the full name of either yourself or the person you are writing on behalf of.
In the second sentence, make sure that you include first name and last name of yourself or the person you are introducing, and make sure that you make them aware of any titles used.
Include a sentence on why you are writing.
You can provide context in this section to help the reader understand why this introduction is necessary and what the recipient can do for you. Make sure that you only include relevant and avoid too much detail.
Explain their role and why it is relevant.
you must provide the recipient with information that allows them to get to know you or the person you are introducing, this is what tells the recipient that you are the suitable person for the role and what industry experience you or the person you are writing for already has.
provide information on how you might work together.
Outline why you think that both contacts are beneficial to each other or why you think that the introduction is necessary. This could be entering the same field and could benefit from each other's expertise or if writing for yourself, you could provide insight based on a recent project.
include any necessary contact information.
If you are writing on behalf of a friend or colleague, include their email in the 'CC' section of the email. You can also include any other contact details at the end of the letter.
end the letter with any next steps or necessary details.
If there is any other information that you think is necessary, now is the time to add it. You could also add the next steps which you wish to take or conclude with your working hours.
then sign off the letter.
you must sign off the letter formally. This is a business letter and it must follow certain professional formalities.
Dear Mr/Ms.
My Name is Caitlin Woodend. I am writing to you because I saw online that you are an experienced Camera Operative. I am writing to ask if you would be interested in providing insight into this as I am considering perusing a career as a camera operative.
I am currently a college student at Burnley College who specialises in videography and photography, I have eighteen months' experience in this. I have recently been doing some videography for XS Manchester creating promotional videos and creative content for their Radio.
I am more than willing to share my knowledge and skill set with your company to help better the content being created.
If you are interested don't hesitate to contact me further via email at cawoodend@gmail.com or contact me via mobile at 01234 567891.
Sincerely,
Caitlin Woodend