THE LETTER OF APPLICATION

What Is a Letter of Application? A Letter of Application expresses your interest in and qualifications for a position to a prospective employer.

What Should My Letter of Application Accomplish? Your letter of application should introduce the main points of your CV. It should also help you to “sell” your qualifications to the prospective employer.

Solicited Letters of Application Solicited letters of application are letters written in response to an advertised job opening. It is appropriate to mention where you learned of the opening in the first paragraph. I believe that my knowledge of public relations and my proven communication and leadership skills make me a strong candidate for the position of Media Relations Coordinator that was posted by the Delta Airlines Job Opportunities Program.

Unsolicited Letters of Application Unsolicited application letters are written to companies that have not posted a job opening. It is important to gain the reader’s attention and persuade them that you can contribute to the company’s goals. As a member of one of the fastest growing publishing houses in the world, do you have an opening in your acquisitions department for a recent college graduate with a major in English and publishing and editing experience?

The Letter of Application: Structure Purpose Refer to job advertisement (Mention company contact) Preview qualifications Supporting Details Prove claims with examples Tie qualifications to the requirements of the position Quantify evidence Detail your experience Goodwill Closing Offer to meet for an interview Refer to CV (résumé) Make your final pitch

EXAMPLE Dear Mr. Smith, I am writing to apply for the programmer position advertised in today’s issue of the Times Union. confirmation that you wish to apply and the title of the job you are applying for 2. the date and the name of the newspaper where you saw an ad

With a BS degree in Computer Programming, I have a full understanding of the full life cycle of a software development project. I also have experience in learning and excelling at new technologies as needed. Please see my CV for additional information on my experience. 3. your present situation (occupation or course of study being followed)

The opportunity presented in this ad is very interesting, and I believe that my strong technical experience and education will make me a very competitive candidate for this position. The key strengths that I possess for success in this position include: I have successfully designed, developed, and supported live use applications I strive for continued excellence I provide exceptional contributions to customer service for all customers 4. relate your interests to those of the company

5. say you are enclosing a CV As requested, I am enclosing a completed job application, my CV and three references. 5. say you are enclosing a CV I can be reached anytime via my cell phone, 555-555-5555. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you about this employment opportunity. 6. indicate your willingness to attend an interview (telephone number where you can be contacted) Sincerely, FirstName LastName

A Refer to the advertisement If there are several posts advertised you must say which one you are applying for. I would like to apply I am interested in applying With reference to I have seen your advertisement in the ‘…’ and for Personal Assistant Secretary to the Sales Manager this post. the post of

B Summarise your experience different fields. banking/insurance/legal work etc. the hotel business. industry. As you can see from the enclosed CV I have had long one year’s many years’ experience in In my last jobs/positions In all my jobs In my present job the administrative organisational secretarial public relations financial side aspect was is extremely very worked a lot with computers. ran the office independently. learnt to work under pressure. managed the bookkeeping. important and I

C Why the job interests you I would now prefer a post I am now looking for a post I like I am happy in I am satisfied with However, although my present job/position, administrative skills. knowledge of languages. financial knowledge. offering more responsibility/ more chances of promotion where I can use my

Using Active Language—Don’ts Don’t be vague in your descriptions. Don’t use weak verbs such as endeavored, tried, hoped, and attempted. Don’t use sexist language such as chairman and manpower. Vague: I worked as a ramp agent at Comair. Weak: I attempted to attract customers. Key Concept: The facilitator should stress that writers want their readers to get a clear sense of what they have done and are capable of doing from their cover letters. The writer’s language should help, and not hinder, the employer’s understanding. Using language that is unprofessional, offensive, or vague creates obstacles in the reader’s understanding and therefore considerably weakens the cover letter and the writer’s chances of success. Click mouse to reveal each example.

Using Active Language—Do’s Use concrete words to describe your experience. Use present tense to discuss current activities and past tense for previous job duties or accomplishments. Be as specific as possible in descriptions; list amounts and figures when you can. Vague: I worked as a ramp agent for COMAIR.  Specific: As a ramp agent, I assisted in loading baggage, and oversaw fuelling the aircraft. Weak: I attempted to attract customers. Strong: I initiated a program to attract customers to Pizza Hut, which resulted in a 5% increase in sales for the month of June. Examples: The facilitator might point out that when the vague and weak sentences are rewritten, they become much longer. This is due to the additional information added to convey meaning more clearly. If applicants find themselves writing very short sentences throughout the letter, it may be one sign that they are not including enough detail. Click mouse to reveal each example.

USEFUL TIPS: Keep it short. Don’t waffle and keep to the point – why do you want the job, why do you want to work for them, what makes you the right person? Use professional vocabulary and phrasing. Make this an interesting letter to read. 

(Make sure spelling, grammar and format are consistent and accurate.) Don’t be too informal – your letter should be professional.  You should try to find something memorable about yourself that will help them remember you after reviewing a hundred other CVs and covering letters. End on a positive note – you would like to meet them and you look forward to hearing from them. (Make sure spelling, grammar and format are consistent and accurate.)

For future reference… Don’t use a standard letter for every job. It will be obvious if you just change the name and the job details, and don’t give any thought to this particular job. This shows no enthusiasm for the job, and is not the right signal to send to a company. You must tailor each letter.