1.

Application Letter
2. CV (chronological format)
3. Inquiry Letter
4. Responding to Inquiries
5. Complaint Letter
6. Adjustment Letter
7. Sales Letter
8. Order"
2.

1.3. Types of Business Correspondence

1.3.1. Career related Correspondence
The Application Letter
The application letter, also known as the cover letter,
constitutes, together with the resume, the so called "job
package." The application letter precedes the resume, its
role being to draw a clear connection between the job you
are seeking and your qualifications listed in the resume.
However, the application letter is not a lengthy summary of
the resume, but selectively mentions information in the
latter, as appropriate.
According to the amount and kind of information they
contain, application letters can be:
* Objective letters, which briefly identify the position
being sought, indicate an interest in having an interview,
and call attention to the fact that the resume is attached.
They also mention any other special matters that are not
included on the resume, such as dates and times when you
are available to come in for an interview.
* Highlight letters, which summarize the key information
from the resume, meant to emphasize that you are a good
candidate for the job. In other words, they select the best

information from the resume and summarize it, being

especially designed to make the connection with the
specific job.
The common sections of an application letter are the
following:
The introductory paragraph. The first paragraph of the
application letter is the most important, as it sets up the
tone, the focus, as well as your most important
qualification. In the introductory paragraph of your
application letter, no more than 5 6 lines long, you should:
State the purpose of the letter to inquire about an
employment opportunity;
Indicate the source of your information about the job
newspaper advertisement, a personal contact, or other;
State one eye-catching, attention-getting thing about
yourself in relation to the job or to the employer that will
cause the reader to continue the reading.
The main body paragraphs. In the main parts of the
application letter, you present your work experience,
education, training, whatever makes that connection
between you and the job you are seeking. Your main interest
at this point is to point out the match between your
qualifications and the requirements for the job. There are
two common ways to present this information:
* The functional approach, which presents education in
one section, and work experience in the other. Whichever of
these sections contains the information that advantages you
most should come first, after the introduction.
* The thematic approach, which divides experience and
education into groups such as "management," "technical,"
"financial," and so on and then discusses your work and
education related to them in separate paragraphs.

Remember that you should organize the letter thematically

or functionally according to your resume.
The main body of the application letter also points out
your career objectives. A paragraph like this is particularly
good for people just starting their careers, when there is not
much to put in the letter.
The closing paragraph. In the last paragraph of the
application letter, you can indicate how the prospective
employer can get in touch with you and when are the best
times for an interview. This is the place to urge that
prospective employer to contact you to arrange an
interview.
Useful key phrases
When responding to an advertised job:
* I am writing to you in response to your advertisement
for...
* As you can see from my enclosed resume, my
experience and qualifications match this position's
requirements.
* I would like to point out...
* During ...., I improved (furthered, extended, etc.) my
knowledge of...
* I look forward to an opportunity to speak with you in
person/personally
When requesting a position:
* Please accept this letter as an expression of interest in
the position of...
* I have enclosed a copy of my resume for your review.
* ...and believe I possess the right combination
of....skills.
* My current position .... has provided the opportunity
to ...

* I would welcome the opportunity to personally discuss

my potential contributions to your company with you.
* I look forward to your reply.
In order to write an effective application letter, you
should have in view the following aspects:
* Readability and white space. Avoid dense paragraphs
of over 8 lines, and make sure there are comfortable 1-inch
to 1.5-inch margins, as well as adequate spacing between
paragraphs and the components of the letter;
* Page fill. Place the letter on the page neatly, not
crammed at the top one-half of the page, or spilling over to
a second page by only three or four lines;
* General neatness, professional-looking quality. The
letter should be printed on good quality paper, free of
smudges and erasures;
* Proper use of the business-letter format;
* Overt, direct indication of the connection between your
background and the requirements of the job;
* A positive tone. Avoid sounding overly aggressive and
over-confident, or, on the contrary, overly reserved, and
indifferent;
* A good introduction. The introduction should establish
the purpose of the letter, not by diving directly into the
details of your work and educational experience, but
presenting one compelling detail about yourself that will
cause the reader to keep reading;
* A good balance between brevity and details. Avoid
becoming too detailed, as well as the other extreme of being
so general that you could refer to practically anybody;
* Lots of specifics. Present plenty of specific details
without making the letter too densely detailed. Concentrate

on factual details (numbers, dates, proper names) that make

you stand out as an individual;
* Correct grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.

Samples of application/cover letters

*Sample 1
7 Apple Court
Eugene, OR 97401
503-555-0303
Mr. John Smith
California Investments, Inc.
25 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

Dear Mr.Smith,
My outgoing personality, my sales experience, and my
recently completed education make me a strong candidate
for a position as an insurance broker for California
Investments, Inc.

I recently graduated from the University of Oregon with a

degree in marketing, where I was president of both the
Future Business Leaders of America and the American
Marketing Association.
Although a recent graduate, I am not a typical new
graduate. I attended school in Michigan, Arizona, and
Oregon. And I've put myself through these schools by
working such jobs as radio advertising sales, newspaper
subscription sales, and bartending, all of which enhanced
my formal education.
I have the maturity, skills, and abilities to embark on a
career in insurance brokering, and I'd like to do this in
California, my home state.
I will be in California at the end of this month, and I'd like
very much to talk with you concerning a position at
California Investments. I will follow up this letter with a
phone call to see if I can arrange a time to meet with you.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mark Spencer
*Sample 2

2520 Vista Avenue

Olympia, Washington 98501
April 19, 2001
Mr. John Smith, Personnel Manager
Importers Inc.
587 Lilly Road
Dear Mr. Smith:
I am writing to you in response to your advertisement for a
Legal Assistant specializing in Port Regulatory Law, which
appeared in the Seattle Times on Sunday, June 15. As you
can see from my enclosed resume, my experience and
qualifications match this position's requirements.
I especially would like to point out that I graduated Cum
Laude from The University of Tacoma and was hired
directly upon graduation due to my expertise in port
authority regulations.
During the four years that I worked for Shoreman and Co.,
I furthered deepened my knowledge of the fast changing
regulatory laws in our state. My employer also thought
highly enough of my abilities to promote me to head legal
researcher after my first year of employment.
I look forward to an opportunity to personally discuss the
position with you. I will call you within the next five days to
arrange an interview.

Sincerely,
Mark Spencer
*Sample 3

2520 Vista Avenue

Olympia, Washington 98501
April 19, 2001
Mr. John Smith, Personnel Manager
Importers Inc.
587 Lilly Road
Dear Mr. Smith:
Please accept this letter as an expression of interest in the
position of Areas Sales Manager
I have enclosed a copy of my resume for your review. I am
familiar with the requirements for success in the Sales
profession and believe I possess the right combination of
marketing and management skills.
My current position coordinating two local area sales
teams has provided the opportunity to work in a highpressure, team environment, where it is essential to be able
to work closely with my colleagues in order to meet sales
deadlines.

10

Thank you for your time and consideration. I would

welcome the opportunity to personally discuss my potential
contributions to your company with you. Please telephone
me at (360) 352-0259 after 4.00 p.m. to suggest a time that
we may meet. I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Mark Spencer
The follow up letter
A follow up letter is often synonymous with a thank you
letter, but it is actually a little different. In the job search
process, a follow up letter is sent to a potential employer
after you initially send your resume for review or after you
have initially made contact with a company. Thank you
letters are sent after the interview. By today's standards the
follow up letter can either be in printed form or simple text
in the body of an email message.
The purpose of the follow up letter is to reiterate your
interest in the job. This is also helpful to encourage
employer response. Although this letter is not as critical as a
cover letter, it can be a helpful tool in a job search
campaign. Its a good idea to send a follow up letter if you
have not heard from the company within 1-2 weeks after
resume submission or contact. If the company states a
deadline for resume submissions in the job description, wait
a few days after the closing dates before you send the
follow up letter.
The follow up letter should follow the same format and
consistency of the cover letter. Your introduction will
mention either your initial resume submission or a previous
conversation regarding the position. It should include a few

11

key points that make you qualified for the position. Close
the letter with an invitation to contact along with contact
information. The ideal follow up letter will be short,
concise and to the point, generally with less content than a
cover letter.
Samples of follow up letters
*Sample 1: Follow-up letter to telephone conversation
30 Academy Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 555-3333
mnop@vt.edu
February 1, 2005
Ms. Jane Roberts
United Way
2300 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219

Dear Ms. Roberts:

Thank you for talking with me on Wednesday in response to
my inquiry about summer internship possibilities in social
services in the Richmond area. After speaking with you and
another Virginia Tech alumnus whose name I obtained
through VT CareerLink at Career Services, I think I am
much better prepared to pursue internship opportunities.

12

On your advice, I have updated my resume, emphasizing my

recent hotline volunteer activities. A copy is enclosed for
you. I also plan to contact Deborah Warren as you
suggested, and appreciate your giving me her name.
Thank you for inviting me to visit your office. I will be in
Richmond during spring break, so I will call your office two
weeks prior to see if it would be convenient to schedule a
visit.
Again, thank you so much for your help and advice. I look
forward to meeting with you in March.
Sincerely,
(handwritten signature)
Miriam Jones
*Sample 2: Follow-up to personal contact
909 Prices Fork Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 555-1111
abcde@vt.edu
December 1, 2004
Ms. Mary Jones
30 Locke Lane
Richmond, VA 23219
Dear Ms. Joness:

13

Thank you so much for your time and advice during my

visit to your office last week. I very much appreciate your
inviting me to visit since this was my first experience seeing
the hands-on work which takes place in a design
department. I learned a great deal, and hope to share what
I learned with members of our student chapter of the
American Society of Interior Designers.
After January, I will be in contact with you again to explore
the possibility of arranging a summer internship with your
firm. As I mentioned to you when we met, I had an
opportunity to work on an intense, four-day
interdisciplinary project judged by faculty in which my
team received top honors. I gained valuable teamwork,
problem-solving and presentation skills and learned to
work effectively with students studying to enter different
professions. I believe my skills would make me an asset to
an organization like yours which often must produce
excellent work under tight time constraints.
Thank you again for all your help, and I look forward to
talking with you in the coming months.
Sincerely,
(handwritten signature)
Charlotte Barnes
*Sample 3: Follow up to initial interview
400C Hunter Ridge
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 555-1111

14

boles@vt.edu
October 26, 2006
Ms. Helen Martin
Human Resources Manager
Fashion Department Store
2000 Line Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
Dear Ms. Martin:
I enjoyed interviewing with you during your recruiting visit
to Virginia Tech on October 25. The management trainee
program you outlined sounds both challenging and
rewarding and I look forward to your decision concerning
an on-site visit.
As mentioned during the interview, I will be graduating in
December with a Bachelors degree in Fashion
Merchandising. Through my education and experience Ive
gained many skills, as well as an understanding of retailing
concepts and dealing with the general public. I have
worked seven years in the retail industry in various
positions from Salesclerk to Assistant Department Manager.
I think my education and work experience would
complement Fashions management trainee program.
I have enclosed a copy of my college transcript and a list of
references that you requested.

15

Thank you again for the opportunity to interview with

Fashion Department Store. The interview served to
reinforce my strong interest in becoming a part of your
management team. I can be reached at (540) 555-1111 or
by email at boles@vt.edu should you need additional
information.
Sincerely,
(handwritten signature)
Mary Jones

16