WRITING AN APPLICATION LETTER

Parts of the Application Letter

If you are applying for an advertised position, have the ad in front of you and refer to it
frequently. Be sure to address all the job requirements in the letter. 

Match some of the keywords and skills from the advertisement or company Website with the
skills in your resume and letter.

Return Information

It is now permissible to only include your name, E-mail address and cell phone number.  It is
acceptable to eliminate your address due to privacy and safety issues.  Be sure your E-mail
address is mature and professional.  Ideally, it should contain parts of your name for ease of
use.

Inside/Letter Address

It is very important that you address your letter carefully. After spending time making your
letter perfect, you do not want it to be directed to the wrong person or get lost in the mail.

If there is a contact name on the ad, address your letter to that person.  (Mr. John Smith)

If you are writing to a company for a job, the chances are that unless you have contacts on the
inside you will not know the name of the person you need to use in the inside address. In this
case you can address your letter to the manager of the specific department (Sales Manager,
Personnel Manager, etc.) or use Ladies and Gentlemen.

You should also make sure that the recipient's name, department and address details on the
envelope are the same as at the top of the letter.
 

Salutation

This is also known as the greeting.  The person’s name should be followed by a colon (:) or
left blank.  Do not use a comma.  (Commas are permissible for use in personal letters; not
business letters.)

Dear Mr. Smith:               If you know the name of the person to whom you are writing.
Dear Ms. Chambers:        If you are not sure of the marital status of a female recipient.
Ladies and Gentlemen:   If you have no idea as to the name of the recipient.
 

Body

The body of the letter contains four basic parts and should be three or four paragraphs long. 
These paragraphs should attract the employer’s attention; state your interest in the company
and position; arouse the employer’s desire to interview you; and request that the employer
take action in the form of an interview. 

First Paragraph

Identify the purpose of the letter—why you are writing.

Be specific.  Tell the reader how you learned about a job opening.
Tell the employer what job you want.

Examples: 

 In response to the advertised position in The Evening Sun on July12, please consider
my résumé in your search for an office assistant.
 I was pleased to hear from Jeremy Green that you will soon have a vacancy for a
Marketing Assistant. I am very interested in this position.  With the skills that I
possess, I know that I could be an asset to your company.
 I am writing to apply for the Photographic Assistant position as advertised in the
November 1 edition of The Evening Sun.

Referrals and leads from friends and family members (networking) are the best way to learn
about a job.  Most employers enjoy getting referrals.  They trust the recommendation of a
valued employee or friend who states that you would be a good employee.

Examples:

Mr. Peter Lo, a programmer in the systems programming department, suggested that I contact
you regarding an opening you may soon have for a Marketing Trainee.

 I was referred to you by Mike Thomas, who is a member of my church and a longtime
family friend.
 I am sending you my resume to you because of a referral from Mike Thomas, an
associate in your Baltimore store.

Second Paragraph

Why should an employer be interested in hiring you? Briefly describe your professional and
academic qualifications that are relevant to the position. Relate experiences that you have
had, classes you have taken or skills you possess that satisfy the job requirements.  If the job
was advertised, refer to all of the required skills mentioned.

Examples:

 As my resume indicates, I am active in theater in high school and had important roles
in two plays. My school activities include being a member of both forensics and
student government. With these experiences, I can offer you excellent communication
and interpersonal skills. During the school year, I maintain a 3.0 average and work
 ten hours per week. My technical skills include familiarity with Windows, Microsoft
Office applications and Google Docs. I use the Internet regularly and can keyboard
more than 45 words per minute.

 As a computer science major with a sincere interest in................. (elaborate your

educational background)
 Interacting with people has always been one of my strongest attributes. During my
last summer job, I coordinated..........(state your work experience)
 For my senior graduation project, I built a personal computer .............. (state your
ability)

Third Paragraph

Emphasize what you can do for the company. Outline a relevant career goal.  For example, if
you are applying for sales positions, do not say that you are training to be an airline pilot.
Expand on the most relevant points of your resume.

Example:

 Because I am energetic, reliable, and resourceful, I would be an asset to your

organization.  I am willing to learn new things and be the best employee that I can
be.

Fourth Paragraph

Request action. For example, indicate your desire for a personal interview and that you're
able to meet with the employer at their convenience. Include your cell phone number and
when it would be a good time to call.

Some advertisements ask you to include salary requirements.  You can choose to ignore this. 
You can either wait until the interview to talk about money and mention a broad salary range.

Examples:

 You can reach me on my cell phone any day after 4 p.m. E-mail is also a great way to
contact me as I check it daily. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you for
your time and consideration.

 I hope that my qualifications are of interest to you and that an interview might be
arranged at your convenience.  I can be reached at (717) 876-5432 or a message can
be left on my cell phone.  I look forward to meeting you.

 
Closing the letter

Finish your letter with an appropriate Complimentary Closing (Sincerely, or Sincerely

yours,).    Leave enough room to sign the letter before keying your name.  Do not forget to
sign it.  Remember to include an enclosure notation at the bottom.

How to write a simple Curriculum Vitae

Here are seven steps for writing a simple CV:

1. Include your contact information

This includes your full name, phone number and email address. Including your physical
address is optional.

2. Detail your academic history in reverse-chronological order

This can include your post-doctoral programs, graduate school, undergraduate school and
high school. Only include your most recent two educational experiences. Dates attended is
optional.

3. Record your professional experience

List the company or organization, job title and dates employed starting with your most recent
job. List your job duties, experience gained and achievements. Use numbers to measure your
impact when possible.

4. Include relevant skills and qualifications

This can be in a separate skills section. Reread the job description to highlight the most
important skills employers are looking for. These can include both hard and soft skills that
make you the best candidate for the job.

5. List honors and awards

Use this section to outline your achievements in the field related to your application. Start
with the award name followed by year awarded, the organization that gave you the award and
details about the award such as how often the award is given, how many people receive it,
etc.

6. Include relevant publications and presentations

Include relevant citations of presentations, papers, studies, books or other publications

important to your professional history. For publications, include authors, date published,
summary, volume, page and DOI number. For presentations, include the title, date and
location of presentation.

7. List your professional associations and affiliations

This should include the name of the organization, geographic location or chapter and dates of
active membership.

Some employers, especially post-secondary institutions, may offer their own CV template
and CV examples to help make sure you include all required information in the format they
prefer. Before you submit your application, look for any special CV guidelines the employer
has outlined. For example, some institutions may require you to list only relevant
coursework, fieldwork, dissertations and professional references.

CV example:

Joe Smith
1234 Main Street, Atlanta, GA 30308
770-555-1234
joe.t.smith@email.com

Education
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree, 2018
University of Texas College of Science, Austin, TX

Professional experience
University of Southern California
Professor, Herman Ostrow School of Veterinary Sciences | 2012–2018

 Taught multiple undergraduate and graduate courses in veterinary sciences.

 Fostered student commitment to lifelong learning and excellence in veterinary
sciences.

 Acted as a student advisor to first-year veterinary school students.

Skills and qualifications

 Team leadership
 Seminar instruction
 Fluent in English and Spanish

 Specialization in livestock science research and development

Awards and honors

 AVMA Advocacy Award, 2018

 AVMA Animal Welfare Award, 2016

Publications and presentations

Yang, J., Sanchez, C., Patel, A., Johnson, L., (2017) “Study of cocoa product component
theobromine and danger to canines.” Journal of Modern Veterinary Medicine. 272: 1234-
56789.

Professional associations and affiliations

 American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (2013–Present)
 American Veterinary Medical Association (2011–Present)