Business communication today seems to be done mainly by email, or over the phone. Some situations, however, require backup certification, or letters and other documents that provide a confirmation of facts, dates, and names.

Although some jobs only require the applicant to fill in a form, important positions applied for often need a submission of a sound and effective job application letter. How to write a job application letter is an act that not only all students of business, commerce, banking, and finance need to learn, but anyone who one day hopes to apply for the position they have always dreamed of.

An application letter is a business document, part of the essential correspondence between applicant and organization, firm or company, institution or various boards and committees that publish a vacancy. It is a paper frequently used in government, commerce, industry, and academia. Students planning to correspond in any undertaking require the understanding of the main points of a job application letter. Writing a correct job application letter is a useful skill for anyone planning to enter an administrative role in any industry or profession.

In order to write a job application letter in the most exact manner, the writer must understand that the letters employers are familiar with nowadays are established gradually to become effectual, succinct and applicable documents.

A successful job application letter addresses all the points stated in the job advertisement. The manner in which a person responds to a commercial announcement alerts recruiters and employers of their capacity, their level of education, personality, and professionalism.

Steps for Writing a Job Application Letter

The traditional format of a business letter applies to most job application letters. The layout is the first aspect that is noticed: those who receive business letters such as cover letters for a job application expect them to be set out in a specific way.

If the document is set appropriately, the employer or recruiter concentrates on the content and meaning. If your arrangement on the sheet of paper seems incorrect, unusual or non-traditional, the prospective employer will be distracted.

1. Understand the format, and fill in the content according to that form.
2. Make a list of all the information to go in the letter.
3. Be brief, so that the letter can fit onto a single page. Set out the text with wide margins. Position your address, the employer’s address, and the subject of the letter in the correct spaces. The subject must be centered at the top.
4. Start by stating the reason for the letter.
5. Contain the important parts in three paragraphs to ensure the main points are clear.
6. Most job application letters have no letterhead, because they originate from an individual. The message must be placed in the middle, underneath the applicant’s address on the right, between a greeting and a salutation.
7. The greeting starts, “Dear [Name]”. Always address the employer by their formal name. It is “Dear Jones Firth,” not “Dear Jones.”
8. The salutation must be formal, such as “Best regards,” or “Thank you for your time and consideration”.
9. Type your full name in upper case below your legal signature, if necessary.
10. Job application letters are customarily formatted in block style without indents, with all lines aligned left. Aligning all paragraphs to the left is more legible than full justification.

Key Points to Consider

• It is not wise to use slang, technical jargon, abbreviations, contractions, or unexplained acronyms in a job application. Neither is it appropriate to use a conversational tone. Job application letters are serious documents often used as material evidence or commercial certification.
• A job application letter has its own appropriate tone and attitude: assertive but unassuming, confident but not arrogant or conceited. It is improper to write overly long sentences full of pretensions or self-satisfying phrases.
• Personal items, such as family news or casual felicitations, should be omitted,
• Always state the reason for the application, the job in question, where you found the announcement, and why you think you are the person most suitable to take up the position.

Dos and Don’ts

Common Mistakes

• Omitting to request an interview. Do this in the last paragraph and be firm and clear. Being demanding or rude is also a mistake.
• Long-winded paragraphs.
• Being sycophantic or fawning.
• Text that does not match the occasion and the establishment you approach. Avoid colloquialisms and slang. Remember that a well-mannered message is always most effective.
• The most frequent mistake made in job application letters is to flout convention and place paragraphs, addresses, or salutations in the wrong place.
• Incorrectly-spaced paragraphs, or a job application letter with more than two paper folds.
• Insufficient clarity about the position for which you are applying. In addition, people often omit to state their qualification for it, or ask to speak personally with the person in charge.

Now that you have acquainted yourself with the basic job application letter writing tips and rules, you can check out our best job application letter samples to link theory with practice.