January 12, 2011
Linda Smith
3428 Barton Place, Apt. D
Corsicana, Texas 75110
Mr. Damien Reynolds
Human Resources Manager
XYZ Foundation
475 Mockingbird Lane
Magnolia, Texas 77355
Dear Mr. Reynolds:
My name is Linda Smith, and I am writing to apply for the position of Research Associate at XYZ Foundation, which I recently saw advertised in the “Magnolia Tribune.” I am confident that my background, interests and abilities are excellent matches to XYZ’s research department needs. My resourcefulness and persistence will enhance the efficiency and quality of XYZ’s policy and product research.
XYZ has recently graced the front page of “Policy Times” for its groundbreaking work in social research in poverty around the world. I believe that my social activism during college will benefit XYZ’s efforts to create positive change in the world. As leader of my campus’ campaign to alleviate poverty in the community, I organized and coordinated hundreds of campus volunteers to serve in various capacities such as unloading trucks at the local food pantry and painting older houses for elders in a massive one-day volunteer event. I also wrote monthly newsletters about poverty issues in our area, and distributed them by email to students. At one campus poverty awareness event I managed, I enlisted the aid of 30 new volunteers in two hours by speaking about the poverty problem in the city.
Research is a vital tool in social research. It helps us learn about what is negatively affecting our communities. In an effort to assist in this work, I worked as a research assistant for a sociology professor at my college for two years on a part-time basis. In that time, I was given progressively more complicated issues to research and weightier responsibilities, such as drafting and proofreading articles, for the professor as I developed and demonstrated my keen research and written communication abilities.
As a Research Associate with XYZ Corporation, I plan to work to find out more about the roots of social problems and possible viable solutions to them through research. Please find my resume attached for your review, as well as the letters of reference requested in the position’s advertisement. I will follow up by phone by next Wednesday, January 19, to discuss a possible meeting about this position. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Linda Smith