JOB APPLICATION

LETTER/ COVER
LETTER
RESOURCE PERSON: ZAIN FATIMA
JOB APPLICATION LETTER/ COVER
LETTER
 A job application letter, also known as a cover letter, should be sent or uploaded with
your resume when applying for jobs. The job application letters you send explain to the
employer why you are qualified for the position and why you should be selected for an
interview.
Job Application Letter Format

 Contact Information
Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number
Email Address
 Date
 Employer Contact Information (if you have it)
Name
Title
Company
Address
City, State, Zip Code
 Salutation
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name, (leave out if you don't have a contact)
Job Application Letter Format

 Body of Application Letter

The body of your application 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.
 First Paragraph
The first paragraph of your letter should include information on why you are
writing. Mention the job you are applying for and where you found the job listing.
Include the name of a mutual contact, if you have one.
 Middle Paragraph(s)
The next section of your application letter should describe what you have to offer
the employer. Mention specifically how your qualifications match the job you are
applying for. Remember, you are interpreting your resume, not repeating it.
Job Application Letter Format

 Final Paragraph
Conclude your application letter by thanking the employer for considering you for
the position. Include information on how you will follow-up.
 Complimentary Close
 Sincerely,
 Signature
Letter of Application Guidelines

 Length: A letter of application should be no more than one page long.

 Format: A letter of application should be single-spaced with a space between
each paragraph. Use about 1" margins and align your text to the left, which is the
standard alignment for most documents.
 Font: Use a traditional font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. The font
size should be between 10 and 12 points.
 How to Organize a Letter of Application
 Header: A letter of application should begin with both you and the employer's
contact information (name, address, phone number, email) followed by the date. If
this is an email rather than an actual letter, include your contact information at the
end of the letter, after your signature
Letter of Application Guidelines
 Salutation: Begin your letter with "Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name." If you do not
know the employer's last name, simply write, "Dear Hiring Manager."
 Introduction: Begin by stating what job you are applying for. Explain where you
heard about the job, particularly if you heard about it from a contact associated
with the company.
 Briefly mention how your skills and experience match the company and/or
position; this will give the employer a preview of the rest of your letter.
 Body: In a paragraph or two, explain why you are interested in the job and why
you make an excellent candidate for the position. Mention specific qualifications
listed in the job posting, and explain how you meet those qualifications. Do not
simply restate your resume, but provide specific examples that demonstrate your
abilities. You can either write about these specific examples in complete sentences
or in a bulleted format
 Letter of Application Guidelines
 Closing: Restate how your skills make you a strong fit for the company and/or position.
State that you would like to interview and/or discuss employment opportunities. Explain
what you will do to follow up, and when you will do it. Thank the employer for his/her
consideration.
 Signature: End with your signature, handwritten, followed by your typed name. If this
is an email, simply include your typed name, followed by your contact information.
 Proof and Edit Your Letter
 Remember to proof and edit your letter before sending it. It may sound silly, but also be
sure to include the correct employer and company names - when you write many letters
of application at once, it is easy to make a mistake.
 If you are applying to a job in advertising or another field that emphasizes creativity, you
might be able to be more flexible with these guidelines. However, think closely about the
position and the company before deviating drastically from this format.
Sample Job Application Letter
 John Donaldson
8 Sue Circle
Smithtown, London
 95556789990
 john.donaldson@emailexample.com
 Date
 George Gilhooley
XYZ Company
87 Delaware Road
Hatfield, CA 08065
 Dear Mr. Gilhooley,
 Sample Job Application Letter
 I am writing to apply for the programmer position advertised in the Times Union. As
requested, I am enclosing a completed job application, my certification, my resume and
three references.
 The opportunity presented in this listing is very interesting, and I believe that my strong
technical experience and education will make me a very competitive candidate for this
position. The key strengths that I possess for success in this position include:
 I have successfully designed, developed, and supported live use applications
 I strive for continued excellence
 I provide exceptional contributions to customer service for all customers
Sample Job Application Letter
 With a BS degree in Computer Programming, I have a full understanding of the full life
cycle of a software development project. I also have experience in learning and
excelling at new technologies as needed.
 Please see my resume for additional information on my experience.
 I can be reached anytime via email at john.donaldson@emailexample.com or my cell
phone, Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you
about this employment opportunity.

 Sincerely,

 Signature (for hard copy letter)

PROFESSIONAL WRITING: THE
THREE PS
 To start with, let me recall some of the aspects of professional writing that I discussed
with you in the previous lecture. If you remember, I was asking you to focus on three
aspects of professional writing, which I concisely called as 3 Ps.
PROFESSIONAL WRITING: THE
THREE PS
3 PS: PURPOSEFUL, PEOPLE-
ORIENTED, PRECISE
 An effective business letter is noted for its purposeful, people-oriented, and precise
qualities. It becomes purposeful when the sender writes with a definite purpose in
mind. Unlike an informal letter written to a friend, where you can write without a
real business purpose except the sheer fun of sharing interesting ideas, you write a
professional letter only when you have something to convey. It should be people-
oriented, that is, it is completely audience-oriented. So, you should know your
reader before-hand. If necessary, you should research on your reader to know what
will interest him/her.
 In case of the job application, your audience happens to be the employer, the
review committee, and the panel that is going to interview you.
3 PS: PURPOSEFUL, PEOPLE-
ORIENTED, PRECISE
 The committee that shortlists candidates for the interview should find something
impressive about your letter, be its style or content or both. You need to focus totally
on them by taking their perspective. How do you take that perspective? Ask yourself
whether the other person who is going to read it will find it interesting. Will s/he find it
impressive? If you were you to play the role of a short-listing panelist, what would
you find convincing enough to take your candidature to the interview level? Honestly,
if you cannot find it impressive, then how can you expect the panel to find it
impressive? Then what should you do to make it impressive? So put yourself in their
shoes, focus on improving your application in such a manner that it catches their
attention, sustains their interest, and makes them give you the desired response—in
this case—sending you the call letter for the interview!
3 PS: PURPOSEFUL, PEOPLE-
ORIENTED, PRECISE
 An easy way to make your letter impressive is by following the golden rule of
business communication: be precise. Being precise implies being concise, clear,
coherent, and careful in choosing words. Every word should be appropriately selected.
The whole body should be constructed word by word just like the way a building is
constructed brick by brick. Not a single word could easily be removed from your
writing. It should be so tersely organized that if a word is removed, the whole letter
should not make much sense. Conversely, if your letter makes sense even by removing
paragraphs and sentences, it means your writing is very loose, unorganized, and will
certainly induce boredom for the reader.
WHY JOB-APPLICATION
LETTER?
Why should you send a formal job-application letter? Why can’t you just send an
SMS and ask them: “Hey guys, download my cv and upload the interview letter,
please.” Or, just send a simple text message: “Give me a chance for interview.”
Obviously, you understand you can’t afford to be as informal as sending an SMS
to your likely employer. A letter, as such, is a written record; as most of the
business communication is record-oriented, it is significant to send something that
can be kept in a permanent manner. Moreover, most of the employers like a
conservative format, and it is always safe to use the letter format.
WHY JOB-APPLICATION
LETTER?
 A job-application letter fulfils three business purposes. The first and the chief
purpose of a job- application letter is that it serves the function of a cover letter.
Thus, it introduces the Résumé or Bio-data or CV, gives a preview to the reader,
creates interest in them and suggests what to expect. In case, where a separate CV
is not demanded, it functions as a CV. Secondly, the job-application letter
highlights the strengths of the candidate to the employer. Thirdly, it tries to secure
an interview for the candidate.
FEATURES

 What are the basic features of a job-application letter? A job-application letter,

like a sales letter, tries to a sell the candidate’s talents and skills. It highlights the
best of the candidate and tries to beat the competition at the outset itself. It
includes brief information about education, experience, extracurricular activities,
and names and contact details of referees.
 OLD MODEL
 Let us look at an old model job application letter, which is, a combination of a
cover letter and CV/ Bio-data. If you look at the various components you will find
that this is just like any business letter that we had discussed in the previous
lecture.
OLD MODEL
OLD MODEL
 Look at the right side top corner—it begins with a heading or with the address of
the candidate (Rahul Gupta, 116 B, Jopling Road, Lucknow, 226 001). The
internal punctuation is used here. The date follows this address. In order to
mention the month clearly, it is written in word form. This is followed by the
receiver’s address (The General Manager, TATA Consultancy Services, Abhilash
Building Plot Number 96, EP-IP Industrial Area, Whitefield Road, Bangalore 560
066).
 Both the subject and the reference are given separately, or, as shown in this
format, they are combined in the first sentence of the letter. The commonly
accepted salutation is Dear Sir/Madam; sometimes, in conservative Indian
context, Respected Sir is used. The remaining part of the letter is an elaboration of
the academic qualifications, extracurricular activities, work experience, date of
birth, and information of a referee. The letter is completed by a complimentary
close (Yours faithfully), signature of the candidate, besides details of the
enclosures.
COVER LETTER WITH CV/BIO-
DATA
The details are shortened if it is a mere cover letter with an enclosed CV/Bio-
data/Résumé as in the following format.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BIO-
DATA, CV AND RÉSUMÉ
 Let us try to understand the differences between Bio-data, CV and Résumé.
Unfortunately, often these three terms are being used synonymously or mistakenly
one term is used for the other. Thus when a six page CV/Bio-data is expected,
people send a one page Résumé and frustrate the employer.
 Bio-data is short for biographical data. It has the implication of a shortened
version of autobiography. Hence, the candidate is expected to give a chronological
perspective that comprises date of birth, background, education, career,
aspirations, extracurricular, etc.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BIO-
DATA, CV AND RÉSUMÉ
 It includes complete factual details about the candidate’s life and work
experiences. This is the major difference between Bio-data, CV and Résumé. The
items in the Bio-data are serialized, even serial number is given. Since it follows a
chronological order, it starts with the first thing first, that is, name, father’s name,
date of birth, and so on.
 What is the logic behind it? You must be surprised to know that the term bio-data
has come from the field of psychology where the past information is collected to
predict the future performance. That is why bio-data includes physical attributes
such as age, height, weight, even in some cases, the colour of hair, skin and eye.
Usually, it is combined with the latest passport size photograph of the candidate.
The usage of Bio-data functionally originates from the British and is practised
commonly in India. Whereas, Résumé is typically American, in which, personal,
family, social, and religious backgrounds are ignored.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BIO-
DATA, CV AND RÉSUMÉ
 CV, is short for curriculum vitae, a Latin phrase, which literally means “the course
of life.” It is taken to mean one’s career graph or career progress. The focus here
is more on the career. It is an overview of a person’s experience and other
qualifications. It is a long synoptic account of the candidate’s professional
experience, qualifications, and some personal information. Although some
personal information is added, the larger perspective is on the career progress. The
emphasis of the information changes according to the particular position applied.
The usage once again is British and is commonly used in Pakistan and India.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BIO-
DATA, CV AND RÉSUMÉ
 But now a days, Résumé has become much more popular than CV and Bio-data.
Résumé, meaning summary in French, is a short descriptive account of one’s
academic and work history. The life details are very minimal, almost nothing in
this. Résumé is a document containing a focused sketch of relevant job experience
and education. It is often synonymously treated with CV, though it is shorter than
a CV. We will be looking at CV and Résumé in detail in the next lecture.
Meanwhile, let me conclude this lecture with the outline of a Bio-data.
BIO-DATA
BIO-DATA
BIO-DATA
Sample application letter
Sample application letter
 Your Street Address
 City, State Zip Code
 Telephone Number
 Email Address
 Month, Day, Year
 Mr./Ms./Dr. FirstName LastName
 Title
 Name of Organization
 Street or P. O. Box Address
 City, State Zip Code
 Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. LastName
Sample application letter
 Opening paragraph: State what position or internship you are applying to; how
you learned of the organization or position, and basic information or
qualifications about yourself.
 2nd paragraph: Tell why you are interested in the employer or type of work the
employer does (Simply stating that you are interested does not tell why, and can
sound like a form letter). Demonstrate that you know enough about the employer
or position to relate your background to the employer or position. Mention
specific qualifications which make you a good fit for the employer's needs. This is
an opportunity to explain in more detail relevant items in your resume. Refer to
the fact that your resume is enclosed. Mention other enclosures if such are
required to apply for a position.
Sample application letter
 3rd paragraph: Indicate that you would like the opportunity to interview for a
position or to talk with the employer to learn more about their opportunities or
hiring plans. Restate briefly why you're so passionate about the opportunity you're
applying for. State that you would be glad to provide the employer with any
additional information needed. Thank the employer for her/his consideration.
 Sincerely,
 (Your handwritten signature)
 Your name typed
 (Note: the contents of your letter might best be arranged into four paragraphs.
Consider what you need to say and use good writing style. See the following
examples for variations in organization and layout.)
Application Letter Sample
 22 H Venture St.,
Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
 April 17, 2015
 Mr. Vincent Chua
Hiring Manager
Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI)
12/F Ayala Life-FGU Center, Ayala Ave.
Makati City 1226
Application Letter Sample
 Dear Mr. Chua,
I am writing to express my interest for the position of Recruitment Assistant in your
esteemed company.
Having recently obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration major in
Human Resource Development Management (BSBA-HRDM) in the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines (PUP), I wish to bring my knowledge, skills and
commitment to excellence to your company’s innovative environment.
As a Business Administration student, majoring in HR management, I’ve become
equipped with the necessary knowledge that come with the position including
manpower recruitment, workforce organization, personnel training and compensation
as well as legal provisions and other labor concerns.
Application Letter Sample
My internship at San Miguel Corporation also afforded me with the crucial skills to
work with some of the best professionals in the recruitment and human resources
industry. Being a trainee has developed in me enthusiasm and a true passion for
human resources and has subsequently convinced me that human resource
management is my true calling.
For additional details regarding my qualification and expertise, please review my
attached resume.
Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and I look forward to
hearing from you.
Sincerely,
(signature)
Jessica Cenadoza