Drafting a speculative letter
If you have time, you might like to find an employer or organisation that you would like to work for. You could use LinkedIn to narrow down the choices, or use some of the STEM trends information from Week 3 to identify employers in sectors that are growing and expanding. You could do this as a real application, or just as a practice exercise to get familiar with the process of a speculative application. Try writing a speculative letter using the tips above.
Have a look at this sample speculative letter [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] and, if you’ve written one, see how this compares with yours. Have you seen anything you think you would now wish to change in your letter?
What happens next?
If you don't hear from an employer, wait 7-10 days and then follow up with a phone call. Ask if they have received your letter and CV; if they have, ask to discuss its contents further.
If you are lucky enough to hear back and be invited for an interview, either from a speculative application or an advertised job, the next step will be to get ready for it. In the next section, we will look briefly at how best to prepare yourself.