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Application Letter Writing
The application letter you send with your resume provides you with your first opportunity to present yourself to a
potential employer.
It is more than just a brief cover note in which you merely introduce yourself, ask the employer to accept your
application, and refer to your attached documents. Together with your resume it provides you with an
opportunity to sell yourself as a highly suitable candidate for the job. There are usually two types of application
letters – one is a response to an advertised position or personal contact – the other is seeking to be considered
for possible vacancies and is often called a ‘speculative’ or ‘cold canvas’ letter.
For more information on application letter writing, select Applications in the Applying for a job
section of the C&E website, and view the list of events in CareerHub for Resume & Letter Writing
workshops.
Notes on Application Letter Writing
The letter is a link between your resume and the job or organisation.
It is used to emphasise, to highlight or to build on information in
your resume, and to convince the organisation you have skills and
experience necessary to be the best applicant for the position.
Your application should be specifically tailored to each situation.
You should contact the company and find out additional information
such as the name of the person to whom you need to address the
letter and whether they can provide you with any additional
information about the company e.g. brochures and annual reports.
Use the Library or the Internet to research additional information
about the company so that you can tailor your letter specifically to
the company.
As the employer might have many applications to read the letter
needs to be concise and to the point. An application letter is no
more than one page long. Four or five paragraphs will be needed
however, to convey your essential messages (see format on the next
page).
If the advertisement lists a set of selection criteria then prepare a
specific reason to each of these to include with your letter and
resume.
Your application letter is much more than a “cover letter” – when it is well
done it:
Introduces you to the employer
Highlights key information from your resume
Tells the employer why they should consider employing you
Tells the employer why you are interested in them
Invites the employer to read further to find out more, and
Convinces the employer that your worth interviewing