Sponsor Letter
Recommended format: Paragraph style
Sponsor letters are a comparatively new phenomenon that has appeared over recent years. They can be best described as letters written by other individuals to their network of contacts on your behalf. These letters are convenient for only a small percentage of job seekers, because the sponsor letter has one essential requirement: someone who is willing to be your sponsor.For sponsor letters to be potent, you must have the "right" sponsor. It must be an individual who has a strong network of personal contacts, has an admirable reputation, has impeccable credentials, and is willing to "go the extra mile" for you. The impact of the sponsor letter rests almost completely on the credibility of your sponsor. If you select a sponsor who does not have these qualifications, the letters will ultimately be of little or no value to you.
When deciding who you might approach to be your sponsor, consider the following three critical criteria:
- Your sponsor must be "appropriate." Your sponsor must be at a high enough career level to have contacts at the level you are seeking– individuals who can get you in the door for an interview and make hiring decisions. Most likely, your sponsor is more senior-level than yourself, with a higher level of management responsibility.
- Your sponsor must have contacts other than those you already have. Although the level of your sponsor might immediately indicate that she has contacts outside your own personal network, also be sure that your sponsor has contacts in different circles than you do. If you already have a contact at AT&T, you don't need your sponsor there. Where you need her is in getting you in the door with companies and recruiters with whom you do not have a relationship.
- Your sponsor must be willing to leverage his network of contacts on your behalf. When you ask someone to be your sponsor, you're asking a great deal of him. You want him to dedicate time and effort to this project and "stick his neck out" for you. That's right. When John Smith contacts Jane Doe about you, it's his reputation and credibility that he risks. If you ask someone to be your sponsor, you'd better be sure that you can live up to his expectations and your promises.
Characteristics
Sponsor letters are characterized by the following:- Authorship. Sponsor letters are written about you by a third person. They are not written by you, the job seeker.
- Impact. These letters generally have tremendous impact because of the reputation and credibility of the individual writing the letter.
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