LANGUAGE

• Application letter or cover letter


  Type of personal business correspondence which state your intention to work in a particular organization
• Cover letter


  Can be a response to a job advertisement, an unsolicited inquiry to a prospective employer as a part of your direct mail strategy or a letter to a recruitment agency
• INTRODUCTION


  1. Introduce yourself and state your purpose in writing

  2. Indicate your source of information in learning about job vacancy

  3. Add an interesting statement about yourself that will cause the reader to continue reading

  4. Show your enthusiasm to work in the company
• BODY


  1. Present your work experience, academic qualifications and trainings

  2. Organize your paragraphs accordingly, segregate by theme or function

  3. Explain the benefits to the employer if they hire you

  4. Refer to the reader to a specific part of the resume that your strongest credentials for the position
• CONCLUSION


  1. Indicate your interest for an interview at a most convenient to the employer, specify the time you are available for an interview

  2. Indicate how the interviewer can contact you

  3. Express an expectation of a positive response from the employer

  4. Thank you the employer
• Never begin the cover letter with bland and generic phrases
• Cover letter must not simply repeat the content of your resume
• Address the letter to a specific person
• Be specific with the position your applying for
• Avoid superfluous information
• Focus on what you can do for the company
• Avoid mentioning opinions about yourself
• Highlight 2 or 3 of your most significant accomplishments or abilities
• Use active voice to indicate a dynamic tone as well as powerful verbs that denote action
• Be sure to have correct grammar, spelling, vocabulary and usage. Avoid jargon
• Be direct to the point
• Be factual
• Do not beg for the job
• Imagine that you are writing a script for your interview
• Match your letter to the job description and job requirements
• FORMAT AND MECHANICS


  • Letter sized bond paper, limit the letter to one to two pages only
  • Always sign the letter
  • Use letterhead which includes, name, phone no. address and email address
  • Use business letter format
  • Use 1 to 1.5 inch margin
  • Do not cram the text
  • Use white or off white paper
  • Use font size of 10 points and maximum of 12