How to Write an Application Letter

Definition of an Application Letter

An application for a job is a fairly common document both in the work of an HR specialist and in the life of any employee who takes a new job. However, it is not always necessary to write an application letter when applying for a job. How to write an application letter for job vacancy? In what cases does the employer have the right to demand it from a future employee? Let’s find out the answers in our article.

How to Write a Job Application Letter – Structure

If you want to learn how to write an application letter to a company, you need to know that there is no established form for an application letter; it is compiled arbitrarily. However, a sample application for employment is written almost always in the same way. It is written only to a general director of the organization, even if the issues of documenting the labor relations are delegated by order of the general director to another person.

According to its structure, an application letter for admission to work is as follows:

• in the upper left corner, indicate who writes and to whom
• the appeal “Dr./Mr./Ms.” in the left corner
• the text of the application
• signature, your name

The text must contain:

• surname, name of the future employee
• name of the structural unit (if any) and position (profession), according to which the person plans to work
• information about familiarization with the internal labor regulations
  date of writing

Steps on How to Write an Application Letter

How to create an application letter? Writing an application letter is only the first step, but it is still very important. The application must meet certain requirements. The application should first of all draw the attention of the employer and help ensure that you are invited to an interview.

The letter should reflect at least the following:

• that you (carefully) read the job description;
• that you are ideally suited to this work and that this letter is not a “mass product.”

The letter should be short. You have to present yourself in the best light and explain why you are interested in this work, but do not describe your entire biography. Do not use complicated language; use short, clear sentences.

It is better to train writing proper English. Weak language skills can affect how your professional competence is perceived. Correct all errors in the application! If you are not strong in this – let others read. Errors suggest that you were too lazy to try, and therefore the work does not interest you much.

The application must be written specifically for this job. You will find keywords in the text of the job description itself.

1. Before you take up the pen (or mouse), find information about the company on the internet: what they do, what is important to them. Maybe there is info about those who work there. What is the average age of the workers? Who are the clients of the company, and what is important for them? Collect all the information and think/imagine how you are joining this office/team. What qualities are needed for this? Do you have them? If at this stage you have not convince yourself that this is what you need, a good application letter will be harder to write, and it will be even harder to act convincingly at the interview.
2. Start the application with the information “from whom”: your full name, address, telephone number, and email.
3. Write the company name, address, and the name of the contact person (check the spelling).
4. Write briefly about yourself: your education and work experience.
5. Write briefly about yourself: your age, marital status, origin, etc.
6. Write why you chose this particular job (do not criticize the current/former employer), why it suits you, and why you qualify for this job.
7. Write from what moment you are ready to start work.
8. Write a standard ending: “I am available for an interview,” “you can contact me by phone,” etc.

Show that you have read the ad, that you know what the company is doing, to show high motivation and the necessary qualifications. The required qualification is not an ideal qualification (which, as a rule, neither you nor your competitors have), but your real knowledge, abilities, and character traits are precisely in relation to the requirements requested of the applicant as they are formulated in the job description.

Avoid a dry, official tone, but do not be too familiar. In the first case, it is too boring (and even a boring job requires a “vivid” team), and in the second case, you cross the limits of decency, showing your individual or cultural difference (both are good, until it starts to be perceived as a threat). Our recommendation: be somewhat personal. Show that you are a vivid and interesting person.

The length of the application letter: the old rule is that everything should fit on one page. If a job requires sociability and the ability to formulate your thoughts (public relations, for example), then exceptions are possible. Some people deliberately write long letters only to stand out from the crowd. If you have a writer’s gift, show it.

What else can help you to stand out:

• If you are a good-looking person, you can add your photo. This is particularly encouraged, for example, in consulting, where looking good is important.
• We recommend to stand out with content, not form.

How to Write an Application Letter for a Job – Example

Sometimes, to understand how to write a job application letter, sample writing is needed. Our example will help to avoid making stupid mistakes in this type of letter, and to write it properly. To get a job, use this sample as a template to write your own letter. Such a sample will become your helper in getting the job of your dreams.

Click on the picture to see its full size.

How to Write an Application Letter for Employment and What to Do Next

Now you know how to draft an application letter, but what should you do next? After the application letter is made, it is necessary to transfer it to a specialist of the HR department. He or she will submit it to the head of department for consideration, and if that is satisfied by the candidature of the applicant, the application will be signed and stamped. Usually, at this stage, there are no unforeseen hitches, since it usually only comes to writing the application when the applicant successfully passes all previous stages.

Therefore, as a resolution, the boss usually writes “recruit” and indicates the date from which the new subordinate can begin his or her official duties. The final stage after the application is issued is made on the basis of the corresponding order, which also goes to the department head for signature. After the order is signed, it can be said that you will get your job.

How to Write a Formal Application Letter for Job Transfer

An employee may be transferred to another position both within his or her organization and to another employer. To do this, he or she first writes an application for dismissal, attaching a request to it from a new place of work, and then an application letter for a new place is composed. The form of such an application is usual and only additionally contains information about the special procedure for employing an employee. It is better if the text of the application is a clear indication of the place of previous employment, where the transfer is taking place. If the transfer occurs from a position to a position with the same employer, you can indicate the reasons for such an initiative.

How to Write an Application Letter for College Admission

An application for admission to college is the first step to obtaining the job of your dreams. A lot of clerical formalities will have to be observed during the study, so this stage can be considered a training of the skill to strictly follow the rules and regulations: if forms are filled out incorrectly or all the documents required by the institution for admission to the college are not attached, your application can be refused from consideration.

Today, an applicant can apply for admission to a college not only personally to the admissions office of the selected institution, but also by post or email. This option is especially relevant for those who live in a city located far from the intended place of study, or those who send applications to several colleges at the same time. The main thing is that all the necessary documents for application should be received by the selection committee in a timely manner.

A sample application for admission to the college must be in the admission committee: it is usually presented on the site of a college. Therefore, problems with the writing should not occur. The main thing is not to confuse the forms for admission to different courses or programs. It is impossible not to notice the difference – the forms for admission to each course have a number of fundamentally different points. The main requirement for the preparation of the document is the veracity of the information entered and the completion of all the required fields.

Technically, the format of the application form at each college is different, but the information that is entered is almost everywhere the same. You just need to carefully read the questions of each point and give accurate answers to them.

Filling out an application for admission to a college is an easy, but mandatory, step that every entrant will have to go through. The main thing is to take into account all the requirements and to avoid annoying mistakes that can significantly reduce the likelihood of admission.

You will need to submit an application letter in certain terms which are established by the admission committee. Postponing the submission of an application letter at the very last moment is not a wise decision, because there is a danger that it will not meet the requirements of the college, and you will not have time to correct the defects. The disadvantage of submitting an application letter at the very beginning is that at this moment it is still unknown how many people applied and what the preliminary competition is for the particular specialties.

In the application letter, the applicant should provide the following required information:

1. name, surname
2. place of residence
3. email
4. name, surname of the person who will read your letter
5. department to which the letter is sent
6. address of the college
7. direction of study (specialty, for which the applicant plans to study at the college)
8. the text of the application where you ask for enrollment

Tips for Writing an Application Letter

• Decide in advance what you want to write about. Think over not only the general subject of the letter, but also the sub-items to which you plan to refer. This will help you determine the number of paragraphs in your application letter.
• Check the spelling of all the difficult words you plan to use. If you are not 100% sure how a word is written, then be sure to check the spelling in the dictionary.
• Stick to a polite and friendly tone. Imagine that you are conducting an ordinary conversation with the recipient of your letter.
• Use simple, standard fonts. Times New Roman or Arial is perfect for writing an application letter. Even if your letter is quite small, you should not enlarge the font to visually fill the page. It will look unprofessional. By the way, business correspondence is written exclusively on a computer. Do not write application letters by hand. Unfortunately, in our time, few people appreciate the beauty of penmanship and the elegant slope of letters.
• Remember the structure of an application letter. Most often, the rigid structure of the letter is observed if you send it by real mail, and not virtual. Usually, you will first write your address and date. Then specify the address of your recipient. After that, you “greet” the recipient and get down to the essence. At the end you should “say goodbye” using your full name.
• Make sure that you know exactly that the name and position of the recipient of your letter is spelled correctly. Just pay attention to the gender of the interlocutor. After all, as we remember, you should use the abbreviation “Mr.” for men, and “Ms.” for women. Put these abbreviations solely before the recipient’s last name (Mr. Jones, Ms. Jones). You can use the abbreviation “Mrs.,” but remember that you must be sure that this lady is married. If you are at least a little doubt, feel free to write “Ms.”
• Try to write positively. Do not use a lot of negatives in your letter. For example, it is better to replace the negative statement in this sentence: “I can’t wait to get this job.” It would be better if you write something like: “I want to get this job.” Pay attention to phrases like “not on time” or “not very often.” It would be better to replace them with synonyms that lack the particle “not” (“late,” “rarely”).
• Pay attention to the dates. Write the dates completely to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
• Write clearly. Do not use too many long sentences and convoluted phrases in your letter. Try not to use obsolete words and expressions as well. You shouldn’t saturate your letter with such words. Don’t use, for example, such words as “herewith” and “aforementioned.” Be prepared to rewrite sentences which are not quite clear after reading.

What Is Forbidden in the Application Letter

The rules for writing an application letter also imply some limitations in writing.

You should not use obscene words in the document, or use offensive epithets in relation to officials and threaten them. It is forbidden to slander others, as well as to humiliate others for religious or racial reasons. Intolerance is not allowed, and the application letter cannot be used to agitate.

In all of these cases, the document will not be considered. It will also not be accepted if the information contained in it is not true and accurate. If there is a need to specify the address, phone number, and other data, then all of them need to be listed. In cases of sending a document by mail (regular and electronic), we must not forget to indicate the return address to which you expect to receive a reply.

Anonymous applications are not accepted. Depending on the type of document, you need to attach additional papers to it which can serve as confirmation of the information presented in it.

Mistakes in Application Letters

When you finally send the application, you may think that the stage of torment is over. You have done a great amount of work to make a great application letter. It is time to send the document. For some time, you may relax, but later awareness comes. The problem is that after sending the letter, people realize what they have done wrong.

We think about things that disturb us. Sometimes thoughts appear in our minds: “Did I write the HR manager’s name correctly? Did I include all the information?” Fortunately, these things are under your control now. Don’t panic. You need to concentrate on not making such mistakes. We have created a list of such mistakes to avoid so that you can read them and learn from them.

• You ignore the instruction in the job description.

You need to pay attention to the instruction in the job description. Do it before you send the letter. If there is instruction that you should not call, then don’t call. You may think that if you call, you will grab the HR manager’s attention. He or she will remember you and your chances to get a job will increase. Sometimes, it works. However, don’t apply such an idea every time.

If the description says that you shouldn’t call, then don’t go against the rules. Proactiveness will not help you in this case. If you call to the company stubbornly, the chances to get a job will decrease. If you cannot wait to get results and know your place in the rating of candidates, write a letter. It may not be easy to write it, but the manager will appreciate that you followed instructions.

• You don’t check that you are in touch with the company.

If you want to be in touch with the company, you need to know the methods to achieve this goal. Cold letters will not make you a manager’s friend. You should find out the list of employees who work at this company. Do you know anyone from this list?

If you are familiar with a person from this company, this increases greatly your chances to get a job. Of course, we are talking about cases when you are in friendly relations with this person. An enemy in the company will interfere with you. But how can a friend help you? He or she will write a recommendation letter for you. Imagine you are a chief. In your company, an employee works who has earned the reputation of a responsible person. He or she recommends you a candidate. Will you take this recommendation?

• You don’t look at other jobs.

You have sent a letter of application. Now you sit and wait for a call. You think that this job is intended for you and you don’t need to look for other options. If you do so, you should know that it is a mistake. If you are not looking for other options, you will never know what you are capable of. There is a chance that you will miss the job of your dreams.

Use this guide to write a quality application letter. It is easier to write an effective letter if you have this article as your helper. Your recipient will like your application letter more if you write it according to a guide, so feel free to use the guides and samples presented on our site.