WRITING AN APPLICATION LETTER
The letter of application is essentially a sales letter. In it, you are trying to sell your services and,
in most cases, you will be competing with other applicants. Your immediate objective is to have
your letter read by someone in the organization who has authority to screen job applicants; your
ultimate goal is to obtain an interview. Therefore, your letter must do three things: catch your
reader’s attention favorably, convince your reader that you are qualified for the position, and
request an interview. Try to accomplish the three objectives in a one-page letter.
Send the letter of application to the organization to which you are applying. Include in the letter
any information that is pertinent to the particular job for which you are applying. Your reader
should be able to learn immediately what the purpose of your letter is—you should not waste his
or her time with inappropriate formalities or unnecessary details. You should state clearly that
you are looking for a job with the organization. It may be a specific job that was advertised or
that you learned about from another source. Or, you may have heard that the company has the
kind of position you seek and are writing to inquire whether it has any openings for a candidate
with your background. Be sure to tell your reader why you feel you are qualified for the job
and that you will be available for an interview.
The following is a list of the information you should provide in your letter of application:
1. If you are applying for a specific job, identify the job by title and state how you heard
about it. If you are not applying for a specific job, explain that you are seeking a
particular kind of job and are writing to inquire whether the organization has any
openings for such a job.
2. List your qualifications for the job in summary form. If you are still a student or are a
recent graduate and have had little work experience, stress your education; if you have
been employed in a related field, and emphasize your work background. Then refer the
reader to the résumé for other important details.
3. State where you can be reached and when you will be available for an interview.
The start of a letter of application is crucial in catching your reader’s attention. One way to
begin your letter is to state your employment objective and your interest in fulfilling your goal
within the organization to which you are writing.
I am looking for a responsible position in an engineering department in which I may
use my training in computer sciences to solve engineering-related problems. I would be
interested in exploring the possibility of obtaining such a position within your firm.
Or, you could begin the letter of application by naming someone you have met from the
organization who has told you about a job (you may have met such a person at a conference or
convention, through a friend, and so on) and then briefly mentioning your qualifications. This
kind of approach has the advantage of establishing the fact that an employee evidently feels that
you may be qualified for the job.
SIUC Writing Center
www.siu.edu/~write