How to Write an Application Cover Letter

If you are considering going looking for a job, one of the most daunting tasks you will be facing on your job-search endeavor is probably the task of writing an application cover letter.

Your application cover letter is, after all, the first thing about you that an employer sees; and depending on how you present yourself on the cover letter, the employer could decide to call you for an interview straight away (without even looking at your curriculum vitae) or decide to put your whole document into the ‘trash bin’ straight away, without even looking at the rest of your presentation, having decided that from the look of your application cover, ‘there is simply no business they can do with you.’

Before even starting to consider how to write an application cover letter then, it is important to consider what the aim for writing such a letter is, and keep that aim in mind all through as you go about writing the application letter. The people who write ineffective application cover letters, the types of application cover letters that end up in the trash bin straight away, tend to be those who approach the whole task assuming that it is a ‘formality’ to get done away with as soon as possible – and proceed with the rest of the job searching endeavor.

The truth of the matter, however, is that writing an application cover letter is not just a formality. Writing an application cover letter is in fact, as mentioned earlier, one of the things that could end up making or breaking your job search endeavor.

So the first step in writing an application cover letter should be deciding – and keeping in mind – why it is that you are writing it, which by default should be to attract the employer enough to look through the rest of your job-search document (resume, CV and so on), and get them to invite you for an interview at the end of it all.

The second step in writing an application cover letter is choosing a format for it. Ideally, you should opt for a format that presents you in the best light, in view of the job you are considering applying for. If you are applying for a job where formality and conformity are the basic desired attributes, the basic format application letter format might be ideal for you, whereas if you are applying for a position where independence and creativity are the most desirable attributes, the more detailed essay-like application letter formats are more ideal.

An ideal introductory line for your application cover letter is where you start with a reference to the advertisement or whatever it is that is making you seek employment in question (if its due to a newspaper or online advert) for instance, and the date when the same appeared.

You need to go on, briefly though, showing why you are the ideal candidate for the job – according to the specifications the employer stated – keeping in mind that our application letter will probably be in competition with tons of other similar documents.

You application letter must not go on just repeating the information in the resume or CV, even for the essay-like application cover letter formats, but rather to add some value to that CV information.

At the end of it all, remember to make a reference on your cover letter to the documents it is supposed to cover (attached CV or credentials) so that there is continuity in the whole document.

In case you are using online application medium, like where you are applying through e-mail, and unless explicitly stated otherwise, it is best to have your application letter as the email’s main body, with the rest of the documents in the series send as attachments to it.

Resume Cover Letter – How Being Selfish Kills Your Job Search

It’s wonderfully human…we all have our self-indulgent, downright selfish little moments. Relaxing in a steamy bubble bath, candles glowing, sipping wine, jazz playing, nothing in the world but you and happiness. Or kicking back, feet up in front of your favorite movie, freely popping a 2lb. box of Sees Candy in your mouth, grinning, with the phones shut off (I kind of like that one!).

It’s no crime, right? We work our butts off. And after slaving away all week, we certainly deserve our sweet, selfish little moments.

But when you’re creating your resume cover letter, it’s best to reach deep inside yourself and turn off this selfish mode. Completely.

When drafting your resume cover letter, one of the biggest mistakes you want to avoid is focusing too much on yourself. How far you want to move up in the company and the salary you’re after isn’t what the employer cares about. I think it’s safe to say, employers care most about one thing: exactly how you can benefit their company.

So here’s a great idea: before writing your resume cover letter, do some research on the company you want to work for. Yeah I know, it’s extra work, but believe me, it’s worth it. Find out what the latest happenings are. What particular challenges they might be facing. An exciting product they might have just developed. With our technological blessing we all know as the Internet, we can find information on just about any company these days.

The best way to find information is to take a trip to the company’s website. If you don’t have their web address, do a Google search–something is sure to pop up. When you find the website, read every single page, from start to finish. Read over the “About Us” section, recent press releases, their company philosophy, and the products/services they’re currently offering.

Now don’t grit your teeth if you can’t find the company’s website. There are other sites you can check out that specialize in helping you find information about a specific company. Two of these sites are Vault.com and WetFeet.com.

Mention something interesting you’ve learned about their company in your resume cover letter. Doing this will show that you have a genuine interest in their organization, and a strong drive to work for them. Why? Because you took valuable time and effort to learn about their company.

Here’s a paragraph from a resume cover letter that concentrates on the company’s needs (this person applied for a position as a copywriter with a marketing firm):

I’ve heard that you’re looking for a copywriter with great research skills and the ability to create persuasive sales copy. I have over 5 years experience

doing this, and would love to share a few ideas I have for your new ‘Healthy Diets’ ad campaign.

Focusing on what a company wants and showing them what you can bring to the table can add tons of value to your resume cover letter. It also helps you to greatly stand out as one of their worthy applicants.

And when you’re ultimately hired for the position you want, feel free to celebrate with your own creatively selfish little moment. You deserve it!

Know The Type Of Job Application Letter And To Stand Out From The Crowd

We try to stand out from the crowd by producing an effective job application letter that no one else would produce. Before producing an effective job application letter, we need to understand which type of application to target.

All letters or applications may be divided into two categories namely:-

(1) Solicited and

(2) Unsolicited

An applicant seeking for a job may use one of both of them.

1. Solicited Application

A solicited letter of an application is one which is generally written to apply for a position that is advertised in any form of media by a prospective employer.

Following are a few examples of advertisements from the employers:

“Accounts Officer, knowledge of EDP and Income-tax an asset, Chartered Accountant preferred. Apply Victor Garments Manufacturing Company, Macalister Road, Singapore.

“Wanted an experienced part-time stenographer” any time between 10a.m. and 5p.m. for two hours. Apply with full particulars, copies of testimonials and minimum salary expected to Box 1688, Orchard Point P.O.Box 168, Singapore.

“Wanted a Japanese-speaking accounts assistant”, preferably a LCCI, with at least five years’ experience. Apply with copies of testimonials, stating minimum expected salary to Box 168, Orchard Point P.O.Box 188, Singapore.

“Large Foreign Shipping Corporation required shipping assistant”. Please apply in confidence giving full details, salary requirements, etc. to Box 1688,’The Free Press Journal’ Hong Kong.

“Wanted Experienced Sales Representatives” to book orders for consumer products. Please apply to Post Box 1800, Bangkok – Thailand.

“Want urgently” for a reputed secondary school part-time/full-time mathematics/science teachers for higher classes. School hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Higher pay according to experience. Phone 16878881. Apply to Box 1788, The Straits Times, Singapore.

The major advantage of a solicited application is that it is confirmed that there is a vacancy available with the hiring company. Besides, the prospective employer normally listed the qualifications, experience, education, job description of the vacancy, such, the applicant can apply for the jobs that close match his/her profile.

There is, however one main disadvantage of such an application and that is that since the vacancy is advertised, there is always a rush of applications with the employers and hence the application of any applicant would be one of many such applications, written in response to the advertisement. The applicant should, therefore, try to present his application in a manner that is better than an average application – rather he should try to make it one of the best applications received by the employer.

2. Unsolicited Application

An unsolicited letter of application refers to a job which has not been announced and published by the prospective employer in any form of media.

This type of application has definitely one big advantage – the application does not stand to that big competition to which an advertised job’s application is open. Besides, the applicant can send parallel applications to a few prospective employers concurrently.

There are, however, two disadvantages also:- (1) It is possible that there may be no post existing with the employer at all; and (2) the applicant must figure out himself the requirement and criteria of the candidate in which the employer will be mostly hiring.

Resignation Letter Format for Personal Reasons

All ready to start a new job or gearing up to take a break? If you have reckoned that you need to move on from your current job then the first step you need to take is to inform your employer that you are parting ways with them. Your resignation letter should be a short letter that formally informs your current employer that you are leaving your job. You may have to serve a notice period of a month or two after submitting your resignation letter.

A resignation letter is mostly sent as an email and must be addressed to the reporting manager and the HR. It’s not just an information for your boss that you intent to leave but it is also an advance intimation to superiors, and human resources so that they can find a replacement for your position.

Resignation letter format for personal reasons

Dear [your reporting manager’s name],

Please accept this letter as a formal notification of my resignation from the position [position title] with [company name]. I will be leaving my position due to unavoidable personal reasons that must be attended to immediately. I would like to thank you for this amazing opportunity that I was given for the past [Add the number of years you have been working in the role]. I greatly appreciate what I have learned here [Add the things you have learned here] and will take it with me throughout my career.

My last working day will be [DD/MM/YY – (one/two months from the date you give notice depending on company policy)]. I promise to wrap up my duties and train my replacement during this time. Please do let me know if there’s anything else I can do to aid during this transition.

I wish the company continued success, and I hope to stay in touch in the future.

Sincerely,

Find more resignation letter formats for specific reasons here.

Post Resignation

After your resignation has been accepted you should make sure to inform your employer about the current status of the projects you are handling so that you can proceed accordingly. It is best to put down the tasks you have in pipeline in an email and send it to all concerned people. It is also a good idea not to accept any long term tasks as this might interfere with your relieving date. If your employer finds a replacement for your role in due time you must train them on the nitty-gritties of your job. In this way, both you and your employer can part ways with a sense of respect and amicability.

Sample Cover Letter For High School Students

Many teenagers who pass high school look for part time or full time jobs for earning pocket money. A job can be an experience building stepping stone if you already know what type of career you would like to make in future. Nowadays there is huge number of jobs available for high school student. You just need to prepare an effective cover letter if you want to secure a decent job.

In this article I would like to provide a sample of a high school cover letter which would help high school students, particularly juniors and seniors who want to enter the workforce.

Your Name

Your Address

Your City, State, Zip Code

Your Phone #

Your Email

Date

Employer Name

Company

Address

City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr. /Ms. Last Name,

I am responding to the employment opportunity listed on your website. Please accept this letter and accompanying resume as evidence of my interest in applying for this job. I feel my qualifications and my skills would prove to be an asset for your organization.

I have recently passed high school from a well known school. Now, I am looking for an honored job that will add experience to my building career. Here are some of my key strengths that I would bring to the position. I am:

1. A self-starter.

2. Disciplined.

3. An excellent communicator.

4. Very willing and eager to learn new things.

5. Exceptional at customer service.

6. Great team worker.

Accepting challenges is the foundation of my life experiences and something I do with confidence. You will find me a totally committed individual with pride in being direct, spontaneous and communicative. I can maintain records, perform numerical calculations with accuracy and I need little direction to complete assigned tasks. These are the qualities that make an excellent candidate for this post.

I was responsible for handling and organizing various important activities in my school. I have even participated in numerous cultural activities. I have working knowledge of MS Word, PowerPoint, MS Excel and Internet.

I would appreciate your consideration of my credentials. If you do think there is a shared interest, I would greet the chance to meet with you to hear more about your company, the requirements of the position, and how my skills would be a good fit.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Your Typed Name

I hope my article will help you in preparing a high-quality and eye-catching high school student cover letter.

6 Important Questions to Ask Yourself When Writing a Cover Letter

Many job seekers tend to consider the cover letter inferior to the resume, thus committing one of the worst mistakes in job-hunting. Perhaps this is because some people do not mind how a gift is wrapped but what is inside the package. But you know what they say about first impressions, right? Irrespective of what you believe, your prospect of landing an interview or a job ends where this letter ends.

However, attaching this document will not by itself convince the reader to look at the resume you have attached if the former does not adhere to certain essentials. Writing a good cover letter demands that you ask yourself the following questions:

1. Does it sound like a sales letter?

Suppose you are writing a sales pitch for a product, how would you frame it? What information would it contain? Now consider yourself the product you are selling to a prospective employer. Does your message carry the essence and import necessary for such a letter? Remember your ability to persuade a prospective employer to invite you for an interview lies in this document. Think about its content and style critically before writing it.

2. Will the reader be attracted to your letter?

Writing a cover letter involves packaging a precious object. The receiver may reject or accept your present depending on the appearance of the package. Judging from its appearance, can the reader of your text give it priority over the rest? One method of ensuring your document is attractive is to organize it logically. Moreover, use the inbuilt capabilities of your word processor to make the margins and spaces adequate enough for easy navigation and readability.

3. Are the language and content persuasive enough?

The language of a cover letter is crucial in determining whether your document will be read or ignored. Writing it is not merely about using the acceptable form of English, but how you express yourself and the content you are offering since this will influence the decision of the reader to shortlist you for an interview. Borrow a leaf from a love letter, if you know how to write one.

4. Have you focused on the skills that your prospective employer is looking for?

Every advertisement for a vacancy indicates the type of skills expected from the successful candidate and your success depends on matching your content to this requirement. Knowing how to write a cover letter entails informing the employer how exactly you fit into the picture. What academic, training, skills and experiences do you have that match the description of the successful candidate? Your resume may contain many skills, but in this text you only list what is relevant to the job you are applying for.

5. What value will you bring to the organization, if employed?

A cover entails a careful balancing act because you are expected to blow your own trumpet but also inform the reader what value you will bring to the firm. The focus here shifts to the organization instead of the individual, but within the same letter. Considering you are one of the many that will apply for a particular vacancy, pay close attention to this section when writing a cover letter.

6. Have you proofread your cover letter?

Among the most vexing and demoralizing aspects of this crucial document are spelling and grammatical mistakes. It speaks volume about your level of carelessness if you submit a one-page letter full of typos and glaring spelling errors. To many prospective employers, this is an unforgivable mistake. Do whatever is possible, including asking for help from a more language-proficient person, to make sure your letter is error-free.

Whenever you sit to craft a cover letter, remember you are engaging in business communication with a product to sell to a customer. In this case, you are the seller; the prospective buyer is the reader. Your skills and competencies are the product, while your letter is the advertisement. Learn how to write a convincing and presentable letter if you want the reader to look at your resume and shortlist you for an interview.

7 Tips For Writing Thank You Letters With Class

When I first started tracking the information preferences of people visiting my Writing Help Central Web site I was surprised to find how many folks were seeking information on how to write thank you letters. In fact, “thank you letter” information and sample templates are the fifth ranked destinations at that Web site.

In reality, thank you letters are among the most important letters we will ever write. Whether business or personal, an effective thank you letter needs to be written with sincerity, tact and sensitivity.

Following are a few tips that will help you whenever you encounter thank you letter situations in your business or personal life.

1. Make Sure It’s Appropriate

One of the main issues with respect to thank you letters is to know when to send one. As a general rule, I would say “better to be safe than sorry”. However, make sure there is something noteworthy about the situation. A thank you letter for a routine situation doesn’t make sense and dilutes their meaning.

2. Write It Promptly

It is always best to send a thank you letter as soon as possible after the event for which you are doing the thanking. It will help with the level of sincerity in your letter if the event is still fresh in your mind. In any case, a delayed thank you letter will seem like an obligatory afterthought to the recipient.

3. Remind The Recipient

In your introductory sentence, make it very clear that it is indeed a thank you letter and that it pertains to a specific event, situation and/or person. This will eliminate any confusion on the part of the recipient as to the purpose of the letter.

4. Make It Short and Direct

Get straight to the point and never exceed one page. Thank you letters should be short, direct, sincere, and to the point. In business situations they will always type-written but personal thank you letters can be hand-written or typed, as appropriate to the situation.

5. Make It Personal

By definition, a thank you letter is a sincere personal gesture from one individual to another. It should be expressed as a heartfelt personal sentiment, even when written in a business situation. At the same time, strive to be balanced in approach and don’t be overly effusive.

6. Always Write it To One Person

Always write your thank you letter to an individual, not an organization or group. Even if it’s a situation where a group is involved, write your letter to the senior person in the group and/or the group spokesperson. Ask that person to please pass on your sincere appreciation to the other people in the group, and name them in your letter if possible. (Contrary to advice given by certain so-called experts online, in my experience, writing a group letter is NEVER appropriate and achieves little or nothing).

7. Check Spelling and Grammar

As when writing all letters make sure you carefully check your spelling and grammar. This is even more important for thank you letters, since they are almost always a sincere statement of appreciation from one person to another. Be sure to double check the spelling of all names used in the letter. There’s no quicker way to blow your credibility and sincerity than to misspell someone’s name.

The bottom line on thank you letters is “make it appropriate and sincere”, or there really is no point in sending one.

Does Your Cover Letter Let You Down?

Getting that competitive advantage in a crowded job market can be a challenge. One of the best tools you have outside of your Resume is a compelling Cover Letter that has fresh, engaging content that clearly outlines why you are the best fit for the role.

This is the perfect opportunity to present to the Recruiter or Hiring Manager a number of compelling reasons why you should move to the next stage of the process, an interview.

Ensure you have read and understood the role requirements and what is needed to succeed and put forward why you, meet and exceed those key requirements.

Nothing captures the attention of a Recruiter or Hiring Manager more than a well-tailored document highlighting why you, as a potential employee meet those requirements. Also, provide some specific examples in the document.

While this may take some time to complete, the investment can be worth it, regardless if you undertake the document yourself, or get a professional service provider to undertake the work for you.

Don’t leave a Recruiter or Hiring Manager to read between the lines in your Resume, put forward why you meet the requirements and what you will bring to the role – be clear on the value you will add to the business.

A couple of key things to consider:

Spelling and Grammar: check your spelling and grammar (get a trusted friend to review your document or use a resume service provider such as Resumes to you).

Content: ensure your content is fresh, exciting and not a simple copy and past of your resume content.

Format: format your document in a standard professional layout. Your cover letter is a first impression and you want to make the right impact. If it’s badly formatted, it could negatively impact your chances.

Personalise your cover letter: If you know the recruiters name, address the letter to them. Add the name and address of the company and add the position name as the reference. (personalising your cover letter will have a positive impact).

Double check: Before you hit send, make sure you have attached the correct documents, especially when sending. Sending an application for a job addressed to the wrong company or recruiter could kill your chances. It looks unprofessional, sloppy, and demonstrates lack of care or attention to detail.

Fixing an issue: If you send an application and suddenly realise that you have sent an incorrect document, don’t forget about it… contact the recruiter and inform them that you have sent the wrong document and arrange to send the correct items – you’ll be surprised how this can work for you.

There are other things to consider, based on your needs when developing a cover letter.

One of the best investments you can make is to have your cover letter reviewed and, if needed, professionally rewritten to improve your chances in a competitive and crowded market.

If you have errors or your document is poorly written, that could cost you dearly during your application process, so checking these few items could make all the difference.

Instant Sales Letter – Writing

Opinions regarding instant sales letter are divided. Whereas some prefer to slog away for hours on end composing a sales offer letter, others go in for a ready-to-use instant sales letter template. Yet others hire an experienced sales copywriter. Sales offer letter writing becomes faster if a template is used or a set of directions are followed to produce an instant sales offer letter. If the end results of both are similar, there is no harm in relying upon instant letters to promote your goods or services.

Writing instant sales letter is both user and pocket friendly. The template used requires cutting and pasting job or overwriting the information given there with information about your own company and product. Instant sales offer letter templates are an asset for the owner of a flourishing company though they contain general format that can be molded to suit all requirements. They are versatile and can be made to work for any type of business – large or small, for goods or services.

Employing a sales copywriter need not be expensive and beyond the reach of most small or budding companies and having a copywriter as a regular staff is not reasonable for most companies. In case you are not comfortable compiling a letter that will be a great click, use an instant sales letter template to keep yourself afloat among your contemporaries. These templates come with a promise to deliver what you are seeking quickly while maintaining high standards of a professional writer. Time means money and fast sales letter writing is the need of the hour.

Sales offer letter guidelines include a few attributes that make them easy to use and have a long lasting impact on the readers. Templates may be downloaded and utilized to promote your business and the product with efficiency at par with a sales letter meticulously written by an expert. It should be remembered that templates are like clay – a person can give them the form he wants. Include striking headline which actually is the corner stone for a sales offer letter of any sort. Once a reader’s senses are aroused, there is no stopping your product from becoming much in demand.

Stay attuned to bringing the benefits of the product into limelight, not describing its appearance. Avoid using an instant letter creator which encourages the use of irrelevant material. as nobody wants to read trash. Write in a conversational tone using plain, straight-forward language. This ensures that the reader does not feel challenged trying to comprehend what the letter is all about and send your sale plunging down!

Drop a broad hint for the reader to buy your product. Try not to use a template for instant sales that sounds too pushy. This may culminate in shaking off many potential customers. Leave the ultimate decision of buying your product to the reader. A letter writer can help to modify the instant sales letter created using a template or you can try your hand at it.

History of Letter Writing

Letters were extensively written to exchange messages during the 18th century in England. At that time, as there were no other means of communication like telephone and fax, people wrote innumerable letters throughout their lives to convey messages. Letter writing was, therefore, a necessary writing skill that everyone learnt and practiced.

Literary scholars had introduced a style of letter writing known as the period style. Normally, all business correspondence was in this style only. It was much different from today’s style of writing that focuses on brevity to such an extent that even word spellings are truncated. Earlier, quill pens were used to write letters. They were long pens with a feather on top. Each pen was designed to have a unique cut. It was a precious possession that people transferred to their next generation.

In those days, different types of paper were used for different letters. For example, laid paper was commonly used in formal letter writing. Moreover, letters were written following certain guidelines. For example, a letter began with the sender’s address followed by a salutation like Dear, My Dear, Dear Sir or Dear Madam. In formal letters, the year was included as a part of the date. The receiver’s name and title was also mentioned. Even the closing note was very different from that of today. Some of the examples are:

• I have the honor to be

• With best love

• Yours ever

• Your Obliged

• Very Respectful

• I am yours ever

After a letter was written, sealing wax was used to bind the letter pages. The color of the wax symbolized the nature of a message. For example, black wax signified the notification of someone’s death in a family. As there were no envelopes to enclose the letter, the name and address of the recipient was written on a sheet of paper and was folded around the letter. Later on, when envelopes and postage stamps were introduced, the value of a stamp was determined according to the number of sheets written. Therefore, it was a common practice to write small letters and fill a page completely to reduce the number of pages. Unlike today, it was the recipient who paid the postage charge.

If you want to explore the period style of writing, you can read various classics, letters, and other literary works of that era. Some of the literary works include a series of letters containing dialogues between literary characters.

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