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APPLICATION LETTERS
Why do I need an application letter?
The application letter you send with your resume often provides you with your first opportunity to
present yourself to a potential employer.
An application letter should accompany each application and is much more than a cover letter that
introduces your resume. An application letter is a targeted, precise, interesting communication that
provides an opportunity for you to highlight skills and experience, and express an interest in the
position. The aim of an application letter is to encourage the employer to look closely at the
accompanying resume and other paperwork, and to hopefully invite you to an interview.
An application letter should
Be no longer than one page
Be targeted for each application
Aim at getting attention quickly
Be error free
Be courteous
Have a positive, enthusiastic tone
Make use of short paragraphs and clear language
Refer to the organisation and include why you want to work for this particular employer
Tell the employer how you will meet their needs
Be a balance between self confidence and modesty
Be drafted and redrafted until it is right
Be checked by someone else before it is sent out
Be presented on good quality paper
Be printed on a quality printer
Be typed, not handwritten
Be sent unfolded with your resume (use an A4 envelope)
There are usually two types of application letters. One is a response to an advertisement, or personal
contact, and the other is seeking to be considered for possible vacancies and is often called a
‘speculative’ or ‘cold canvas’ letter.
Sophie’s story
I thought that writing an application letter would be really easy after
all the time I spent doing my resume and portfolio.
It turned out to be more difficult than I expected, especially because
I didn’t want to waste the chance of making a positive first
impression in writing.
I tried to make it easy for the person reading it to see the relevance
of my skills and experience.
That meant I had to make the links from my resume to the job I was
applying for – rather than expecting someone to read between the
lines.
Luckily I emailed my draft letter to Careers and Employment at
[email protected] to get feedback – there were two spelling and
grammatical errors that I hadn’t picked up, even though I’d read it
through really carefully heaps of times.