Application Letter

An application letter has one job and one job only and that is to get the employer to look at your resume. An application letter is a type of cover letter that you would send with your resume when applying for a job. Essentially it is like the opening act before your resume takes the stage. There are some things you should follow when writing your application letter.

First, the application letter should be short and to the point. There is no reason why your application letter should be more than two to three paragraphs long and there is no reason whatsoever that it should be longer than a page. If an employer comes across an application letter that is longer than a page, chances are they will not even read it. The whole point of this application letter is to sell yourself, your resume and get you the interview. Keep it short and remember to stay focused on why the employer needs to look at your resume.

The first paragraph in your application letter is usually your introduction. This is where you tell the employer why you are applying for the job and what you can bring to their table. It is not a bad idea to throw in a little bit of information about the company to show that you have done some research. You do not need to write in the application letter where you saw their job opening; most employers do not care where you heard about the position. They just want to know if you match the position.

The second paragraph of your application letter should be the highlights of your resume. Keep in mind these should only be highlights that pertain to the job you are applying for. You do not need recap your whole resume ,only give the key points. It is not necessary to mention how you answered a 16 line switchboard if you are this applying for a sales position but you can point out if you helped increase sales in one quarter. This is the part of your application letter where you really get to give the employer a taste of your resume. Remember the whole goal of the application letter is to get your resume read and this is the paragraph where you should leave the employer wanting to find more out about you.

You last paragraph is going to be your shortest but it is also one of the most important. This is the paragraph where you are going to outright ask for an interview. It is also a good idea in this paragraph to let the employer know that you are going to contact them to set something up. Take it a step further and give them a date that you will call them. This shows your initiative. The very last part of your application letter is where you thank them for their time and you sign your name.

Writing an application letter does not need to be a intimating job. If you follow these easy guidelines, you will sail through it.