Application Letters

Many people often think of a cover letter (detailed later in this handout) as being the same thing as an application letter. By definition, this is not the case. The letter of application is essentially a sales letter in which you are marketing your skills, abilities, and knowledge. Remember that you may be competing with many other applicants. The immediate objective of the application letter and accompanying resume is to attract the attention of the person who screens and hires job applicants. Your ultimate goal is to obtain an interview.

The successful application letter accomplishes three tasks: It catches the reader's attention favorably, it convinces the reader that you are a qualified candidate for the job, and it requests an interview.

When you are writing a letter of application, do the following:

    * Identify the job by title and let the recipient know how you heard about it.
    * Summarize your qualifications for the job, specifically your work experience, activities that show your leadership skills, and your education.
    * Refer the reader to your enclosed resume.
    * Ask for an interview, stating where you can be reached and when you will be available.
    * If you are applying for a specific job, include information pertinent to the position that is not included in your general resume.

Those who make hiring decisions review many letters of application. To save them time as well as to call attention to your strengths as a candidate, you should state your objective directly at the beginning of the letter.

    I am seeking a position as a manager in your Data Center. In such a management position I can use my master's degree in information systems and experience as a programmer/analyst to solve business problems.

If you have been referred to a company by one of its employees, a career counselor, a professor, or someone else, mention that before stating your job objective.

    During the recent ARRGH convention in Washington, D.C., one of your sales representatives, Dusty Brown, informed me of a possible opening for a manager in your Data Center. My extensive background in programming and my master's degree in management information systems make me highly qualified for the position.

In the succeeding paragraphs, expand on the qualifications you mentioned in your opening. Add any appropriate details, highlighting experience listed on your resume that is especially pertinent to the job you are seeking. Close your letter with a request for an interview. Prepare your letter with utmost care, proofreading it carefully.

Two sample letters of application are presented here. The first letter (Sample #1) is by a recent college graduate and is in response to a local newspaper article about the company's plan to build a new computer center. The writer is not applying for a specific job opening, but describes the position being sought. The second letter (Sample #2) is from a college senior who does not specify where she learned of the opening because she does not know with certainty whether a position is available.


Sample #1

        6123 Farrington Road
    Apt. B11
    Chapel Hill, NC 27514
    January 11, 2005

    Taylor, Inc.
    694 Rockstar Lane
    Durham, NC 27708

    Dear Human Resources Director:

    I just read an article in the News and Observer about Taylor's new computer center just north of Durham. I would like to apply for a position as an entry-level programmer at the center.

    I understand that Taylor produces both in-house and customer documentation. My technical-writing skills, as described in the enclosed resume, are well suited to your company. I am a recent graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology in Atlanta with an Associate's Degree in Computer Science. In addition to having taken a broad range of courses, I served as a computer consultant at the college's computer center where I helped train computer users on new systems.

    I will be happy to meet with you at your convenience and discuss how my education and experience match your needs. You can reach me at my home address, at (524) 424-1554, or at krock@kiev.ua.

    Sincerely, 

Raymond Krock

Sample #2

    6123 Farrington Road
    Apt. G11
    Chapel Hill, NC 27514
    January 11, 2005
        

    Taylor, Inc.
    694 Rockstar Lane
    Durham, NC 27708

    Dear Ms. Jones:

    I am seeking a position in your engineering department where I may use my training in computer sciences to solve engineering problems. Although I do not know if you have a current opening, I would like to be a part of the department that developed the Internet Selection System.

    I expect to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from North Carolina State University in June, when I will have completed the Computer Systems Engineering Program. Since September 2000, I have been participating, through the University, in the Professional Training Program at Computer Systems International in Raleigh. In the program I was assigned to several staff sections as an apprentice. Most recently, I have been a programmer trainee in the Engineering Department and have gained a great deal of experience in computer applications. Details of the academic courses I have taken are contained in the enclosed resume.

    I look forward to hearing from you soon. I can be contacted at my office (910-666-4110 ext. 232) or via email (Bok@aol.com).

    Sincerely,

Rebecca Brock