BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

City of Malolos, Bulacan
The Letter of Application
- An application letter is one of the first few things that you need to prepare when
applying for a job. your application letter together with your resume, are two of the
most important documents you need in your bid to get a job or finally join the
workforce. Your application letter serves your formal introduction with your
potential employer it contains your back ground, summarizes your knowledge and
experiences and includes a few more details as to why you are qualified for the
job. More importantly, your application letter expresses your intent to apply for a
specific job within an organization, business or company. The purpose of an
application letter is to highlight the parts of the resume that are most relevant to
the open position. It doesn’t restate the resume, rather it picks a few points to focus
on in a bit more detail so that the employer can see how a person’s previous work
experience pertains to the current job listing.

Parts of a Letter
1. Contact Information
What to include: The first section or header includes your contact information: name,
address, phone or cell phone number, and your email address. It has also become
common to include your LinkedIn address so that employers can immediately access
your professional profile, resume, and networking contacts. In an email, you can also
list your contact info below your signature.
Choose a style: Go with a simple block, centered header, or get a little fancy with the
design if you're sending a hard copy.
Keep it professional: Also, keep in mind that your email address should sound
simple and professional. Ideally, it would look like “Firstname_Lastname@gmail.com.”
Never use a “cutesy” email address that refers to your hobbies or political opinions or is
off-color – your email address needs to reflect your professional identity, not your sense
of humor. You may want to create an email account dedicated solely to your career
search.
 Employer contact information: You can also include the employer's contact
information. This is most appropriate to include on a formal, hard copy cover letter
submitted through snail mail or by hand. If you are sending a job application by
email or through an employer’s online application system, it is not as necessary to
include this contact information. As a general rule of thumb for email applications,
 use the formal contact address if you know it, but don’t worry too much about
omitting it otherwise.
2. Cover Letter Saluation
Although you may not need to know whom to address when sending a cover letter via
email, getting a name to address your letter to is important. Do your research to avoid
having to use the generic "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Sir or Madam," which can
make things look like you didn't make an effort to learn more about the job or the
employer.The best ways to learn contact names are to call an organization’s front office
or to review their website. To get in gear, review samples of cover letter salutations. If
you can't find a contact person, there are options you can use instead.
3. Cover Letter Body
The body of your cover letter lets the employer know what position you are applying for, why
the employer should select you for an interview, and how you will follow up. This section of
your cover letter includes:

 First Paragraph - Why you are writing. This is "the grab," your chance to
grasp your reader by the collar and get his attention. Offer some specific,
focused information regarding the job you're seeking and a few core strengths
that demonstrate your suitability for the position.
 Second Paragraph - What you have to offer the employer. This is your hook
where you highlight examples of the work performed and achieved results. Draw
on your key competencies from your resume, although don't copy it word for
word. Bullet points in this paragraph are extremely effective in drawing your
reader's eye to your successes. You can also boldface quantifiable achievements
like YOY sales figures in order to make these “pop” on the page.
 Third paragraph - Your knowledge of the company. Show that you did you
your research and know something about the business and how you can
contribute to its mission.
 Fourth paragraph – Your closing. Summarize what you would bring to the
position and suggest next steps by requesting a meeting or suggesting a call.

4. Closing
Finish your letter with a formal closing like "Sincerely" or "Yours truly." A cover letter is
professional correspondence, so don't use informal closings like "Cheers" in the letters
you write to apply for jobs.

5. Your Signature
How you will depend if you're sending a paper or email letter. If you're sending a paper
letter, type your name after the salutation, leaving a space for your handwritten
signature. If you're sending an email cover letter, type your name and contact
information after your salutation.

Do’s and Dont’s

Do’s
1. Make it easy for them to contact you. Include some sort of contact
information in the letter. This information should be excluded from the body
of the letter and in one designated place. At the very least, you should have
your full name, address, professional email and phone name. Your email
should be appropriate and an account that you check often. Don’t put the
throwaway account that you use for mailing lists. It is vital that an employer
is able to contact you especially if you really want the job.
2. In the introduction, mention to the employer how you found the job listing
and why you are attracted to the position. Be specific! The information
about the job listing will be helpful to the company and explaining why you
are drawn to the job conveys a genuine interest. Talk about why you would
like to work there. Including details of what you like about the company
shows some passion.
3. Be sure to mention your strengths regarding the position. It’s important to
talk about traits that are relevant to the job listing. Your application letter is
a great place to mention them and then expand on how they would apply to
the position. This is beneficial because employers wouldn’t get this
information from your resume.
4. Relate the job listing to previous work experience. If you include specific
examples of similar work that you have done, then you show the employer
that you are knowledgeable about the tasks that the job will entail.
Providing concrete examples is a great way to illustrate your
accomplishments instead of just talking about them.
5. Speak a little bit about what you can bring to the table. This would be a
good time to mention anything that sets you apart from other applicants.
Tell how you can complement the team and provide balance in the office.
What do you have that the company needs or wants?
6. Above all, make sure your letter is polite, formal and condensed. Use the
correct language and avoid any slang. Keep the letter to a page. Add a
 personal touch by signing the letter in pen. Also, take initiative by stating
how you will follow up with them whether it will be an email or a request for
an interview. Thank them for their time and consideration.

Dont’s
1. Start off your letter with “To Whom It May Concern.” This is lazy and very
general. Find out who will be receiving your application letter and resume, and
then address them directly. If you aren’t sure, then inquire so that you are able to
provide a detailed salutation instead of a vague greeting.
2. Write a catch-all letter. Although it might seem easier to write one application
letter for every job listing that you intend on applying for, it won’t work out in the
end. Make sure you write specifically to each employer so that you can cater
your letter to the company. Each position is different and therefore requires a
different letter that can extol your virtues relevant to that particular job.
3. Include irrelevant information. Your letter is only one page so it is important to cut
out anything that isn’t vital for the employer to know. Some work experience isn’t
pertinent and there is no space to address your weaknesses in an application
letter. Stick to positive and relevant information that will support your resume
instead of detracting from it with excess material.
4. Say why you are looking for a new job. Your future employer doesn’t need to
know why you left your old job or the circumstances surrounding it. Also, refrain
from speaking badly about coworkers or bosses from previous jobs. An
application letter is supposed to help you get the position, not the opposite. Only
talk about how you can benefit the company by taking the job.
5. Give excruciating detail. Remember, the letter is only supposed to be a page so
excessive detail is unnecessary. Keep your points brief and to the point.
Sentences should be short and simple. Tell the employer what they need to know
to make your resume stand out and highlight the important parts of your
professional life.
6. Send your letter without proofreading. Typos, bad grammar and spelling
mistakes will surely be noticed by the employer. That can make you look
unprofessional and careless. Be sure to read your application letter at least three
times on separate occasions. Also, get a friend to read it over to make sure there
aren’t any mistakes and that it flows nicely. There’s nothing worse than sending
off your application and then discovering a flaw.