Application Letters

In many job applications, you attach an application letter to your resume. Actually, the letter comes before the resume.

The role of the application letter is to draw a clear connection between the job you are seeking and your qualifications listed in the resume. To put it another way, the letter matches the requirements of the job with your qualifications, emphasising how you are right for that job. The application letter is not a lengthy summary of the resume — not at all. It selectively mentions information in the resume, as appropriate. Employers receive hundreds of letters and resumes for each advertised position vacancy. Your letter, therefore, will have to be well written and designed to attract attention in a positive way in order to receive a favorable response.

Your cover letter should communicate something personal about you along with information that is specific for the division, organization or company to which the letter is being sent. This lets the reader know that you have spent some time researching the organization and writing a personal letter.

Your resume and cover letter must be individually written and originally typed, single spaced on a good quality paper matching the paper used in your resume. The cover letter should be one page in length and addressed to a specific individual in charge of the department or unit in which you want to work or to human resources department. Different employers handle resumes differently and you might want to try writing to both.

Common Sections in Application Letters

Introductory paragraph. This first paragraph of the application letter is the most important; it sets everything up — the tone, focus, as well as your most important qualification. A typical problem in the introductory paragraph involves diving directly into work and educational experience. Bad idea! A better idea is to do something like the following:

• State the purpose of the letter — to inquire about an employment opportunity.

• Indicate the source of your information about the job — newspaper advertisement, a personal contact, or another.

• State one eye-catching, attention-getting thing about yourself in relation to the job or to the employer that will cause the reader to want to continue.

And you try to do all things like these in the space of very short paragraph — no more than 4 to 5 lines of the standard business letter.

Main body paragraphs. State why you are interested in the position, the company, its products or services, and, above all, indicate what you can do for the employer. In the main parts of the application letter, you present your work experience, education, training – whatever makes that connection between you and the job you are seeking. Remember that this is the most important job you have to do in this letter — to enable the reader see the match between your qualifications and the requirements for the job.

There are two common ways to present this information:

• Functional approach — This one presents education in one section, and work experience in the other. If there was military experience, that might go in another section. Whichever of these sections contains your "best stuff" should come first, after the introduction.

• Thematic approach — This one divides experience and education into groups such as "management," "technical," "financial," and so on and then discusses your work and education related to them in separate paragraphs.

Of course, the letter is not exhaustive or complete about your background — it highlights just those aspects of your background that make the connection with the job you are seeking.

Another section worth considering for the main body of the application letter is one in which you discuss your goals, objectives — the focus of your career — what you are doing, or want to do professionally. A paragraph like this is particularly good for people just starting their careers, when there is not much to put in the letter. Of course, be careful about loading a paragraph like this with "sweet nothings." For example, "I am seeking a challenging, rewarding career with a dynamic upscale company where I will have ample room for professional and personal growth" — come on! Give us a break! You might as well say, "I want to be happy, well-paid, and well-fed."

Closing paragraph. In the last paragraph of the application letter, you can indicate how the prospective employer can get in touch with you and when the best times for an interview are. This is the place to urge that prospective employer to contact you to arrange an interview.