The saying “First impression is the last impression”, goes well along in case of an appointment letter. Writing a job application letter or the cover letter plays a crucial role in your consideration for a job. Your cover letter is probably the best impression you can have on the recruiter. Therefore, it is very important for a person to learn to write an appointment letter more than writing a quality resume. Good command over the language, a unique writing style, smart and careful selection of words and sticking to the basics are essential components of a good application letter that can change your fortunes. An application letter should be precise and to the point. Understanding that the recruiter will receive thousands of such letters and that s/he will hardly have time to go through a long, elaborative letter, try and fit in all your information in the minimum possible lines. This will not only save time but will also make the letter look presentable. Here are the tips to write a job application letter, which you can follow and impress the recruiter with your excellent presentation skills.
Tips On Writing A Job Application Letter
- The first step to write a job application letter is to mention clearly the context of the letter. Make sure that you pen down all the information that the reader would want to know about you. Understand the fact that the reader knows nothing about you and therefore you should provide all your details clearly and neatly in the letter. Mention your full address with your contact details, making it easier for the recipient to contact you in case of any advancement regarding your job.
- Make sure that you mention the name and address of the recipient clearly and without any mistake. Any mistake in this part of the letter will project a careless and negligible attitude on your part, which can work against you in this situation. If you don’t know the recipient’s title, use carefully Ms. Mr. or Dr. whatever is applicable to the person. Do not forget to mention the date in your letter.
- Start your letter with a proper greeting. The letter should begin at the left hand side off the letter head and not at the middle or up against the right side of the sheet. The most common opening is ‘Dear’ with the person’s full name or Mr. or Ms. Along with the person’s last name. It may so happen that you are unaware of the recipient’s name, in that case you can start the letter saying “To whomsoever it may concern”. If you are unaware of the person’s gender, it is better to be on the safe side and mention the person’s full name. It is advisable to come directly the subject matter in a job application letter. It helps in conveying your facts clearly without consuming much time.
- After the beginning comes the body of the letter. This is the part which will need tailoring and unique ways of writing. The body is the main part of the letter and is the part which will convey your information to the recipient. An application letter being a formal letter needs to be cropped short. Here is where your writing skills will come handy. The application letter should be precise, but clear and should convey things as you wanted them to reach the recipient. You need to be really careful with the choice of words. Make sure not to ramble rather stick to the point and provide a continuity throughout the letter.
- Use the concluding paragraph of your letter to indicate the type of response you are seeking for. Mention clearly the date and the time if any, by when you are expecting the response. If you would like the recipient to call you back, provide your contact details clearly with a request of a call. Same should be the case with an e-mail or a letter. Do not forget to add the closing such as ‘yours sincerely’ or ‘Regards’. The closing words need to be aligned towards the left or the right hand bottom corner of your letter head along with your name and signature.
- Make sure that you address your envelope. This will make it easier for the recipient to know from where s/he has received the letter and will save him/her time to find that out personally. Your address should be written on the front of the envelope in the upper left hand corner or on the back of the envelope. Providing your address will also make it easier for the recipient to contact you if necessary.