Try a "Q" Letter

A job-search letter technique that can be effective during tough times is what Marky Stein, calls a “Q” or qualifications letter. “This document is a short letter that compares your qualifications with the employer’s requirements for the job,” writes Stein on WSJ.com. “It’s brief and concise enough to catch the reader’s eye with highly relevant material within those first crucial seconds. When you compose a Q letter, list only those qualifications that you meet or exceed. Requirements that you don’t meet or exceed may be omitted from the letter. Q letters can be especially effective for qualified candidates who haven’t succeeded with traditional direct-mail methods,” notes Stein in an article. Our version of a sample Q letter appears here.