In order to thrive and sustain your daily needs and occasional wants, you need to look for a decent job. You have to apply for a job you know you have the qualifications for and make sure you impress your potential employer with what you have.
You need to send your job application letter to the company you are most interested in so that they can have a good idea of who and how you are as a future employee. The job application letter should contain relevant information regarding the qualifications the company requires. Furthermore, it should introduce you as a valuable addition to the company’s workforce.
Elements of a Job Application Letter
A good job application will be your ticket to getting an interview callback. It should generate a good first impression from your potential employer. To that, you must provide relevant and important information about yourself that checks off what the employer needs. Here are the essential elements your job application letter should have:
- Professional Greeting: Just like in other types of formal letters, you need to start with a courteous and professional greeting to your reader. How you start your letter will determine not only your level of professionalism, but also how interested you really are with the company by doing your research. Thus, the greeting or salutation of your letter must be specific, where the actual name of your recipient is used.
- Impressive Introduction: Immediately after your greeting, a good introduction should follow. The introduction of your application letter should state your interest in applying for a position in the company as well as your knowledge of the job opening. Furthermore, your introduction should also set the tone for the letter; it should give you a good first impression and encourage employers to read the letter all throughout.
- Comprehensive Body: The body of your job application letter should be able to comprehensively support what you have stated in the introduction. It should contain supporting information as to why you are worthy to be a part of the company. Thus, it should have information about your educational background, previous experiences, useful skills, and so on.
- Knowledge about the Company: Aside from your impressive qualifications, you should also present your knowledge about the company. You should express your deep interest as to what the company does and how you can add to its success. Having a paragraph dedicated to expressing your enthusiasm and interest for the company will surely encourage your future employer to meet with you in person and interview you for a position.
- Actionable Closing: The conclusion of your letter should include a call-to-action to encourage the employer to do something positive with your application. Adding to that, you should also finish the letter with a courteous complimentary close along with your affixed signature on the signature block.
22+ Job Application Templates
Part-Time Job Application Letter for Student
Job Application Letter for Undergraduate Student
Job Application for HR Executive
HR Manager Job Application Letter
Application Letter for Teaching Job in School
Application Letter for Teacher Job for Fresher Template
Entry Level Job Application Letter
Marketing Job Application Letter
Medical Job Application Letter
Job Application Letter Template For Software Engineer
Formal Job Application Letter Template
Job Application Letter For Accountant Assistant Template
Job Application Letter for Junior Doctor Template
Email Job Application Letter Template
Fresher Job Application Letter Template
Job Application Letter for Employment Template
Job Application Letter For Junior Accountant Template
Marketing Assistance Job Application Letter Template
Simple Job Application Letter
Application Letter for General Work
Job Application Letter Format
School Job Application Letter
Travel Nurse Job Application Letter
How to Make an Impressive Job Application Letter
Unlike a cover letter, an application letter is written to basically stand on its own, without the need for supporting documents. Thus, it should include all the necessary information that will relate to what has been written on the job posting. When writing your application letter, your main priority should be providing the reader with the information that they need, not what you want to provide. Here is an easy guide on how you can write an impressive job application letter:
1. Follow the right format: A job application letter is a type of formal letter or business letter. The way you format your letter can affect the reader’s opinion about you. Thus, it is important to maintain professionalism even with the format of your application letter. Here are the key components applicable to any formal letter format:
- Return address: The return address is written on the upper left or right, depending on the letter format, part of your letter. It contains basic information about yourself. It should comprise of your full name, current address, and contact information such as your telephone number and email address.
- Date: The date indicated in your letter should be the date when the letter was written. You can format the dates as Month-Date-Year (American) or Date-Month-Year (British). The date is written after the return address and is commonly placed on the left side of the letter.
- Inside address: The inside address of the letter contains information about the recipient. It is important to be specific and to personally address the recipient. Thus, indicate the full name of the specific receiver, the correct company address, and their contact information. Regardless of the letter style or format, the inside address is placed on the left side of the letter, a single space after the date.
- Salutation: A single space after the inside address, the salutation should immediately follow. This should be placed on the left side of the letter. Adding to that, the salutation must be professional and specific. Since you already have the actual name of your recipient, it should be reflected on the salutation as well; for example: Dear Mr. Smith, Dear Ms. Doe. And since this is a business letter, use a colon (:) instead of a comma after the recipient’s name.
2. Write comprehensive body paragraphs: Although the format of your letter can affect how the recipient may perceive you, the content is still the most important part of your job application letter. With that said, you should aim to write and include information about yourself for an employer to get to know you. Listed below are the essential parts of your letter:
- Introduction: The introduction of your application letter should express your interest to apply for the specific position in the company. It’s important to briefly state where you were able to find information about the job opening as well. You can also include some of your experiences and other qualifications which make you suitable for the said position.
- Supporting paragraphs: In two or three paragraphs, provide supporting information about your previous claim. This is where you provide your educational background, professional experiences, skills, etc. However, remember to maintain coherence in your paragraphs. Strategically arrange the information you include so that they can complement each other.
- Conclusion: The conclusion of your application letter should briefly summarize what makes you a good candidate. You should also include a call-to-action because not only does it show your great interest and enthusiasm towards the position and company, but it also encourages the recipient to take the next step with your application.
3. Wrap it up professionally: Finish your letter professionally. Here is a guide on how you can do it flawlessly:
- Complimentary close: As you begin with a professional form of greeting, a polite closing would also be appropriate. Your complimentary close finishes your letter professionally. Some examples of a complimentary close are: Sincerely, Respectfully (Yours), Cordially, and so on.
- Signature line: A few spaces after the complimentary close should be where the signature line is written. This should reflect your full name and affixed signature.
Tips in Writing a Job Application Letter
Now that you know how to write an impressive job application letter, here are some additional tips you can refer to in order to make sure you can produce the best application letter:
- Ensure the correct addresses and contact details are provided.
- The letter should specifically address the intended receiver.
- Be straightforward; the body should immediately let your purpose be known.
- Invite the recipient to contact you by including a call-to-action.
- Sign off appropriately, and write your name.
- Make sure there is a uniformed margin in all sides; make sure it looks neat.
- Choose a formal font style and use a readable font size.
- Proofread and edit accordingly.
Types of Application Letters
Your application letter is not only meant to introduce you to your potential employers, but it’s also meant to market and sell your qualifications. Thus, knowing what type you should write can help make sure you write a good application letter. Listed below are the different types of application letters:
1. Solicited application letters
A solicited application letter is something the employer expects. This is an application letter written and submitted in response to a job posting or advertisement. The letter is sent because the company has intentions to fill in a position or there was an official public announcement expressing the need for such. This application letter is specific and tailored, stating the exact position the applicant is applying for.
2. Unsolicited application letters
The total opposite of the first type, an unsolicited job application letter is sent by an applicant to a company even without a job post available. This type of application letter can be sent at any time, and the applicant can also define what position he/she is interested in. The main advantage of this is that there are little to no competition since a public announcement has not been made. Just remember to specifically address your letter recipient.
Job Application Sizes
Since this is still a formal letter, it needs to follow the standardized size for the paper to be used, which is 8.5? × 11?. If the company does not include where you should write your application letter, it is best to follow the standard paper size.
Job Application FAQs
What is a job application letter?
An application letter has been used to refer to a cover letter. However, they have subtle differences like how an application letter is written to stand on its own, while a cover letter needs a complementary document, and a cover letter is for introduction, while an application letter is meant to highlight your qualifications and experiences.
Should a subject be provided when emailing a job application letter?
Yes, you should provide a subject for your email when sending an official job application letter. Use the job title you are applying for as the subject of your email to let the employer know what you are applying for. It is also helpful for when an automated filter is used to categorize the hiring manager’s email.
