Application Letter

• College Admission Letter is also known as the "letter of intent". It is a brief discussion of your intention to be admitted to a specific course in college.
• Employment Application Letter is widely known as "cover letter". It is used to introduce yourself to a prospective employer.
• Your cover letter is your chance to give the employers a glimpse of your personality, life experiences, and future goals.
• 4 things to do to succeed in application letter:

  1. Show how you are different from other applicants
  2. Show seriousness and maturity
  3. Show a match between you and the organization you are applying to join
  4. Show that you can think and write clearly
• Heading - the sender's mailing address
• Date - the date when the letter was written
• Inside address - the receiver's name, job title, and address
• Salutation - usually begins with "Dear" and uses ":" at the end
• Body - consists of the opening, middle, and closing paragraphs
• Content of opening: ATTENTION
• Content of the middle: INTEREST AND INCREASING DESIRE
• Content of closing: ACTION
• Opening - how you learned about the job and why you became interested in it
• Opening - state the position you are applying for
• Opening - an interest - catching phrase why you are the best fit
• Middle - summarize your relevant qualifications
• Middle - Emphasize your accomplishments
• Middle - suggest desirable personal qualities
• Middle - justify salary requirements (without actually stating)
• Middle - refer to your resume
• Closing - indicate your interest for an interview at a time most convenient to the employer
• Closing - indicate how the interviewer can contact you
• Closing - express an expectation of a positive response from the employer
• Closing - thank the employer
• Complimentary close - a polite way of ending your letter; ends with a ","
• Signature - the complete name and signature of the sender
• Full block format - the most formal and commonly used format in the business and official correspondence. In this layout, all elements are in the left margin. There are no indented lines, creating a uniform and clean appearance. This style emphasizes professionalism and formality, making it a popular choice from formal communications.
• Modified block format - offers a blend of formality and modern design. This style distinguishes itself from the full block format by positioning the sender's address, date, complimentary close, and signature, to the right side of the margin. This style maintains a professional look while creating visual interest, making it suitable for business letter that seek a balance between traditional and contemporary aesthetics.
• Semi block style - also known as indented style, combines the elements of full block and modified block format with a traditional twist. While it aligns the sender's address, date, and closing, to the right, each paragraph in the letter's body starts with indentation. This adds formality and structure to the document, making it appropriate for business letter that requires a more traditional approach while maintaining professional standards.