Are you a mid-career professional looking for a new challenge, a graduate hunting for your first job, or a career changer searching for a chance in a new field?

If so, here's a way to present your candidacy that might help you to get your toe in the door. It's called a marketing letter.

A marketing letter is a brief, accomplishment-loaded description of the results you've achieved in the past. It's designed to hold the door open long enough to get your whole foot in. Most cover letters and resumes that are sent to decision-makers typically are intercepted by competent administrative assistants and sent to personnel, " says Bill Needler, a Milwaukee-based management-training consultant. "There's a reluctance to send a marketing letter without a r�sum� because it seems unorthodox. Yet being different is precisely why it gets attention."

Needler has seen this technique work for many of the thousands of job-seekers he's helped as director of The Job Forum, a free job-hunters' seminar he's led for the past 10 years. (President Reagan recently awarded Needler a presidential citation for his work. The Job Forum is held every Wednesday, 7 p.m., at the Wauwatosa Savings and Loan Association, 6312 S. 27th St., Oak Creek.)

Needler says a marketing letter is particularly effective for the experienced person who can highlight past successes. It's also useful for any candidate who is a strong performer but likely to be screened out early because of a flaw in qualifications.

Needler suggests the following five-step approach:

The attention getter
Open with a short statement about your most significant career accomplishment. Use quantifiable results statements, not a list of your responsibilities.

For example: "As an experienced sales and marketing executive, I led my team to achieve 115% of its quota during the last fiscal year."

A graduating senior might say: "I recently graduated with honors from UW-Madison with a 3.8 grade point average in accounting and computer science."

The interest statement
The second paragraph is straightforward about what you want. For example: "If your organization is seeking an experienced sales manager, you'll be interested in some of my other accomplishments."

A career changer or new graduate might substitute: "You'll be interested in my background." The desire steps Then list between three and five achievements that will cause the reader to think, "I want someone to do things like this for me."

Needler recommends a three-part "performance formula," including an action verb, a brief situation description and the result. For instance: "Created a new market for a product that had plateaued, resulting in a 10% increase in sales."

Career changers and graduates will need to pull from related experience, course work or volunteer activities. In any event be ready with all the details if you're called for a phone or personal interview.

The conviction step
This is one or two paragraphs that describe your work history and educational background.

Lead with your strengths and de-emphasize or omit your less competitive qualifications. For example, if your college major isn't relevant to the job you want, just list, for example: "Bachelor of Arts degree, UW-Madison."

If your experience is stronger than your educational background, put it first. It might look something like this: "I offer 28 years of professional sales experience, including 19 years in management. I have managed as many as 48 sales people and sales regions in all parts of the United States."

The close
Finish with: "I'm available to meet you at your convenience to share more details about my background." Another example: "I'm very eager to meet you in person to explore any opportunities your organization may have."

This approach can also be a powerful way to answer a want ad. You'd start with, "Because you are seeking (title), you'll be interested in my background." If the ad calls for a resume, you could say: "I am currently preparing (or revising) my resume, which I will send you upon completion." You may get a chance to talk by phone before sending your cover letter referring to the "letter of application you received last week." In fact, all marketing letters can be followed with cover letters and resumes.

The marketing letter gives you an opportunity to present your candidacy in a different way. And anything that gets a foot in the door is worth a try.