Your letter should detail your specific qualifications for the position and the skills you would bring to the employer. Your job application letter is an opportunity to highlight your most relevant qualifications and experiences.
What is an Application Letter?
The letter of application is intended to provide detailed information on why you are are a qualified candidate for the job. A letter of application, also known as a cover letter, is a document sent with your resume to provide additional information about your skills and experience to an employer.
Your application letter should let the employer know what position you are applying for, what makes you a strong candidate, why they should select you for an interview, and how you will follow up.
Effective application letters explain the reasons for your interest in the specific organization and identify your most relevant skills.
What to Include in Your Cover Letter
As with all cover letters, a job application letter is divided into sections:
- A greeting addressed to a specific person, if possible.
- The introduction, which should include why the applicant is writing.
- The heading, which includes your name and contact information.
- The body, which discusses your relevant qualifications.
- The close, which thanks the reader and provides contact information and follow-up details.
- Your signature to end the letter.
Tips for Writing a Cover Letter
A cover letter can either help or harm you. To ensure that your application supports rather than detracts from your resume, follow these tips:
Get off to a direct start: While you can also briefly mention why you are a strong candidate, this section should be short and to-the-point. In your first paragraph, explain why you are writing. Mention the job title and company name, and also where you came across the job listing.
Close with all the important details. You can also share your contact information. If you’d like, mention how you will follow up. Include a thank you at the end of your letter.
Make a good case. Your first goal with this letter is to progress to the next step: an interview. Offer details about your experience and background that show why you are a good candidate. Your overarching goal, of course, is to get a job offer. Use your application letter to further both of these causes.
Offer something different than what’s in your resume: You can make your language a bit more personal than in your resume bullet points, and you can tell a narrative about your work experience and career.
It’s rare to send an application letter without also sending a resume. Your application letter, therefore, should highlight information that your resume doesn’t.
How to Send an Email Application Letter
Include your contact information in your email signature but don’t list the employer’s contact information. If sending your cover letter via email, list your name and the job title you are applying for in the subject line of the email.
