Responding To Help Wanted Ads
Help wanted ads are a great way to find local new employees and whenever an ad is posted, a lot of people are going to reply. What you can do to make yourself stand out from the crowd is send the employer an e-mail with your resume (which isn’t something a lot of people do when responding to help wanted ads). This is quite easy if the employer includes their fax number but often more than not, only an e-mail will be posted.
You can paste a resume directly into the body of the e-mail but don’t forget to format it and make it look professional.
The format for a help wanted response e-mail will be typed and on a personal letterhead.
Starting to Write
Identify which newspaper you found the reader in and state which ad is being replied to because sometimes people have more than one.
State how much experience you have for this related field and which credentials would better help quality you for this position to help them narrow down their choices quicker.
It’s always a good idea to include a resume in the e-mail, so let them know that you have included your resume for consideration.
Ask for a time to setup an interview and leave a valid contact point so they can get a hold of you if they want to set one up.
Responding To Help Wanted Ads Sample
Dear Mr. Patrick
I would like to express my interest in the help wanted ad for your local restaurant as a part-time cook. This ad was advertised in my local newspaper on December 15. As a frequent regular customer of the restaurant Patrick’s Saloon, I am very impressed with how the place is run and how courteous the staff is, that I feel I would be an excellent fit into the company.
I have kindly attached a resume for your consideration that highlights my entire chef and management background which will be highly suited towards your needs. I have a long list of marketable skills in the restaurant community and have managed a team that’s far larger than the restaurant’s current list of employees before. I have cooked for Italian themed restaurants, managed high dollar ticket restaurants before I moved and have been cooking all my life.
My currently salary requirements are $15 an hour which are negotiable and I’m requesting the position for Monday through Friday 2 PM to 6 PM. As someone who can’t get enough of the food there, I was more than excited when I saw a help wanted ad for your Saloon.
I hope you give me resume a consideration and hope that we can setup an interview really soon.
Sincerely,
Alex Roberts
The most common phrase in an e-mail that’s responding to help wanted is anything that includes “to your ad” such as in response to your ad.
Don’t be afraid to clarify what your experience or education background demonstrates in regards to the position either.