Format for a Job Application Letter

A job application letter is otherwise known as a cover letter. It goes along with the CV or resume of the applicant when he is applying for a job. The application format to be followed when drafting a cover letter is simple.

This document is a chance for an applicant to sell himself and the skills that he possesses to his prospective employer. The letter must be drafted with immaculate precision as this is the first opportunity for the applicant to present himself in a good light. Minor mistakes made in the application might create a negative impact. Most employers use the job application letter as a guide to sift through serious applicants and schedule interviews only for applicants with a strong resume and cover letter. Hence, a good cover letter could play a major role in landing you your dream job.

How to write a Job Application Letter?

You will be amazed to know how many people lose out on a good position only because they are unaware of the proper application letter format. Writing a job application letter becomes easy if one is aware of the dos and don’ts that craft the perfect letter. Several resumes land up being totally ignored by employers for no other reason than the fact that the job application sent in was full of errors or not impressive enough. By following only a few simple tips, making a polished and enhanced generic job application is possible.

The following points must be kept in mind when drafting an application letter for a job vacancy.

• Do not confuse your cover letter with your resume. Your resume is a history of your achievements, while your cover letter is your explanation to your prospective employers of how you are the perfect fit for a particular vacancy. Using the same points that you have used in your resume will make your cover letter dull and redundant.
• Stick to a professional format. Avoid the use of casual language and keep everything formal. For, e.g., using the first name of an employer is not a good way to begin your letter. Stick to formal fonts if the letter is being mailed. Stay clear of slang and short forms.

• Draft a new cover letter for every job application. Since every job profile and the responsibilities that come with it are different, it only makes sense to have a new cover letter for every position that you apply for.
• Make use of appropriate fonts and backgrounds. It makes no sense to have a cursive font for a job letter as that does not conform to standards of formality and also might be illegible to your employer. Your background for the letter must also be in a single tone and preferably white.
• Use appropriate language and punctuation. Though this is not a compulsion, it does cast a positive impression on the employer. Using appropriate salutations and punctuation in the proper place makes the employer assume that you are serious about your work and will be an asset to his company.
• Read and re-read. Since this is the first time you are putting yourself directly in the view of your employer, you will surely want to present yourself in the best light possible. Proofread your cover letter multiple times to make sure that even minor mistakes, like wrong punctuation, may be corrected.

Format for a Job Application Letter

The application writing format for a cover letter follows the business letter format. This is a concise and formal format of letter writing that uses short, crisp sentences to put the message across.

The format for a job application letter is described below in detail:

Personal Contact Information ( Name, address, city, state, pin code, phone number, email id )

Contact Information of Employer ( Name, title, company, address, city )

Salutation (Dear Mr/Ms.)

Body of application

• This is the main part of the cover letter where all the limelight is centered on you and your achievements.
• Use the first paragraph to mention your intentions of drafting the letter. You may also inform the employer of how you came to know of this particular vacancy.
• The second paragraph is where you elaborate on why you think you are a good fit for the position and the company. Mention your achievements in the past to support your claims.

• Do not copy-paste your resume, rather build on the facts that are already mentioned in the resume.
• The third paragraph is where you express gratitude to the employer for considering you. Make it a point to mention how you will get in touch with them in the future.

Yours sincerely (Name or signature)

Sample Job Application Letter

This is an application letter sample for a teaching position. It might be noted that the applicant has chosen to deviate from the format slightly by placing his contact information on the top right-hand side of the application and mentioning the subject of the letter separately. These kinds of minor deviations are permitted so long as the all-over tone of the letter is formal.

This is an application sample of a cover letter for the position of secretary of a company. Notice how in the last paragraph, the applicant is giving clear information on how she plans to follow up on the response to her application. This leaves the company in a position to contact her if they find her a suitable match for their opening.

In this application sample, the applicant has mentioned the name of the person who has informed her regarding the opening in the company. She has also made use of points or bullets to elaborate on her experience. Her application letter for job vacancy hence appears more structured and puts her across as an organized person. This will cast a positive influence on the employer.

How To Submit A Cover Letter?

The cover letter is always supposed to be attached to your CV or Resume unless mentioned otherwise by the employer. It is an application, so it should not exceed two pages, preferably a single page.

You may drop off the resume and the CV along with the cover letter at the place of employment by hand or send it by email. Most applicants today prefer to mail their resumes as this gives them the opportunity to attach copies of their qualifications as well.

Common Mistakes While Drafting an Application Letter for A Job Vacancy

Listed below are a few points that make your cover letter appear informal or unprofessional. Avoid them at all costs if you want to land that dream job:

• Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors show that you are not truly interested in the position and have hence not taken the time to go through your application before submitting it.
• Too many background effects and publishing may draw the attention away from your skills and achievements. Keep it as clean as possible.
• Getting the content length wrong can destroy a good cover letter. If the letter is too short, you will miss the opportunity to elaborate on your skills, while if it is too long, it might get monotonous and boring.
• Writing nonsensical or too-long sentences can also result in your application being rejected. Some applicants make use of complicated and technical words thinking that this will display their grammatical prowess. In fact, it is the opposite that is bound to occur.
• Excluding contact details is another mistake that many applicants make. Some employers are in the habit of separating cover letters for resumes, so if you don’t include your contact details in both places, it might result in the employers not contacting you even if they consider you a good fit for their position.
• The haphazard arrangement of work experience and other facts is another way you might attract negative attention from your employer. No employer wants to spend his time arranging and then deciphering the experience of the employee. Ensure that your work experience is arranged systematically, starting from where you are currently employed and working your way downwards.
• Ugly formatting often makes job application letters hard to read. An employer may lose interest in an applicant because improper formatting makes it difficult for him to read and interpret a cover letter. Take help if you need to but ensure that your application is properly formatted and easy to read.

Conclusion

A strong resume and cover letter is half the battle won in the war for the best job. Spend some time building a precise and good resume and have a detailed cover letter to go with it. The points provided in this article should help you in the quest for your next job.

The main purpose of the employer to invite resumes and cover letters for vacancies is so that he can test the skills of the future employee. Hence it is safe to assume that the employer will make assumptions regarding the employee based on his cover letter. Therefore, the employee must put his best foot forward to impress the employer even before meeting him.