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How to word no offer in cover letter?

Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 1:38 pm
by Anonymous User
Landed a 2l clerkship with a small corporate firm due to the small size they are not in a position to offer me for after graduation which I knew going in but my boss has offered to help in any way possible...

Is it appropriate to put in a cover letter saying.. I didn't relieve an offer due to small size of firm however please feel free to contact my boss at xyz. I'm confident he will give me a positive recommendation.... Or something like that

Re: How to word no offer in cover letter?

Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 1:42 pm
by A. Nony Mouse
If you do mention it, I would probably couch it as "this firm does not make offers of post-grad employment to its clerks" rather than "I didn't get an offer because...", because the latter makes it sound like you could have got an offer but didn't, rather than that there was never one available.

(Sorry to say I don't know the best way to bring it up, though.)

Re: How to word no offer in cover letter?

Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:09 pm
by rad lulz
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Re: How to word no offer in cover letter?

Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:38 pm
by TooOld4This
No, no, no. Do not mention it. Cover letters are not for explaining anything other than why you are interested in that firm and why you would be a good fit.

Salutation

Who you are and what you are applying for.
Why you are interested in their firm.
Your skills/experience.
When you will be in the area/how they can contact you.
Closing.

Don't get cute. Don't try to explain away anything. Your cover letter is your best foot forward. Don't spend time pointing out flaws (even if you think you are explaining them away).

Re: How to word no offer in cover letter?

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:32 pm
by Anonymous User
TooOld4This wrote:No, no, no. Do not mention it. Cover letters are not for explaining anything other than why you are interested in that firm and why you would be a good fit.

Salutation

Who you are and what you are applying for.
Why you are interested in their firm.
Your skills/experience.
When you will be in the area/how they can contact you.
Closing.

Don't get cute. Don't try to explain away anything. Your cover letter is your best foot forward. Don't spend time pointing out flaws (even if you think you are explaining them away).
Thanks for the helpful post (not OP but summer firm gives 100% offer so hoping to receive an offer) - if you've had a significant increase in grades from 1L year should you mention that in your email app since you shouldn't point out flaws? Is it a flaw?

Re: How to word no offer in cover letter?

Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 7:41 am
by Nebby
Anonymous User wrote:
TooOld4This wrote:No, no, no. Do not mention it. Cover letters are not for explaining anything other than why you are interested in that firm and why you would be a good fit.

Salutation

Who you are and what you are applying for.
Why you are interested in their firm.
Your skills/experience.
When you will be in the area/how they can contact you.
Closing.

Don't get cute. Don't try to explain away anything. Your cover letter is your best foot forward. Don't spend time pointing out flaws (even if you think you are explaining them away).
Thanks for the helpful post (not OP but summer firm gives 100% offer so hoping to receive an offer) - if you've had a significant increase in grades from 1L year should you mention that in your email app since you shouldn't point out flaws? Is it a flaw?
Can the people reading your transcript not notice the increase? Waste of space.