Job Application Writing

ENGLISH VII
GBSN SEMESTER VII
 Sample Job Application Letter
• John Donaldson
8 Sue Circle
Smithtown, CA 08067
909-555-5555
[email protected]
• Date
• George Gilhooley
XYZ Company
87 Delaware Road
Hatfield, CA 08065
• Dear Mr. Gilhooley,
• I am writing to apply for the programmer position advertised in the Times Union. As requested, I am enclosing a
completed job application, my certification, my resume, and three references.
• The opportunity presented in this listing is very interesting, and I believe that my strong technical experience and
education will make me a very competitive candidate for this position. The key strengths that I possess for success in
this position include:
• I have successfully designed, developed, and supported live use applications
• I strive for continued excellence
• I provide exceptional contributions to customer service for all customers
• With a BS degree in Computer Programming, I have a full understanding of the full lifecycle of a software development
project. I also have experience in learning and excelling at new technologies as needed.
• Please see my resume for additional information on my experience.
• I can be reached anytime via email at [email protected] or my cell phone, 909-555-5555.
• Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you about this employment opportunity.
• Sincerely,
• Signature (for hard copy letter)
• John Donaldson
 Sample Email Letter of Application

• Subject Line of Email Message: Assistant Director Position - Your Name

• Dear Contact Person:
• I'm writing to express my interest in the Web Content Manager position listed on Monster.com.
• I have experience building large, consumer-focused health-based content sites. While much of my
experience has been in the business world, I understand the social value of the non-profit sector
and my business experience will be an asset to your organization.
• My responsibilities included the development and management of the site's editorial voice and
style, the editorial calendar, and the daily content programming and production of the website.
• I worked closely with healthcare professionals and medical editors to help them provide the best
possible information to a consumer audience of patients. Also, I helped physicians learn to utilize
their medical content to write user-friendly, readily comprehensible text.
• Experience has taught me how to build strong relationships with all departments at an
organization. I have the ability to work within a team as well as cross-team. I can work with web
engineers to resolve technical issues and implement technical enhancements, work with the
development department to implement design and functional enhancements, and monitor site
statistics and conduct search engine optimization.
• Thank you for your consideration.
• Signature
• First Name Last Name
 Parts of the Application Letter
• If you are applying for an advertised position,
have the ad in front of you and refer to it
frequently. Be sure to address all the job
requirements in the letter. Match some of the
keywords and skills from the advertisement or
company Website with the skills in your
resume and letter.
 Return Information

• It is now permissible to only include your

name, E-mail address and cell phone number.
Be sure your E-mail address is mature and
professional. Ideally, it should contain parts of
your name for ease of use.
 Inside/Letter Address
• It is very important that you address your letter carefully. After
spending time making your letter perfect, you do not want it to
be directed to the wrong person or get lost in the mail.
• If there is a contact name on the ad, address your letter to that
person. (Mr. A.B.C.)
• If you are writing to a company for a job, the chances are that
unless you have contacts on the inside you will not know the
name of the person you need to use in the inside address. In
this case you can address your letter to the manager of the
specific department (Sales Manager, Personnel Manager, etc.).
• You should also make sure that the recipient's name,
department and address details on the envelope are the same
as at the top of the letter.
 Salutation
• This is also known as the greeting. The person’s
name should be followed by a colon (:) or left
blank. Do not use a comma. (Commas are
permissible for use in personal letters; not
business letters.)
• Dear Mr. ABC: If you know the name of the person
to whom you are writing.
• Dear Ms. ABC: If you are not sure of the marital
status of a female recipient.
• Dear Sir/Madam: If you have no idea as to the
name of the recipient.
 Body
• The body of the letter contains four basic parts
and should be three or four paragraphs long.
These paragraphs should attract the
employer’s attention; state your interest in the
company and position; arouse the employer’s
desire to interview you; and request that the
employer take action in the form of an
interview. (AIDA)
 First Paragraph

• Identify the purpose of the letter—why you are

writing.
• Be specific. Tell the reader how you learned
about a job opening.
• Tell the employer what job you want.
• Examples:
• In response to the advertised position in The
Daily Dawn on July12, please consider my
résumé in your search for an office assistant.
 First Paragraph Examples
• I was pleased to hear from Mr. Laiq that you will soon have a vacancy for
a Marketing Assistant. I am very interested in this position. With the
skills that I possess, I know that I could be an asset to your company.
• I am writing to apply for the Photographic Assistant position as
advertised in the November 1 edition of The Daily Dawn.
• Referrals and leads from friends and family members (networking) are
the best way to learn about a job. Most employers enjoy getting
referrals. They trust the recommendation of a valued employee or
friend who states that you would be a good employee.
• Examples:
• Mr. Aftab Alvi, a programmer in the systems programming department,
suggested that I contact you regarding an opening you may soon have
for a Marketing Trainee.
• I am sending you my resume to you because of a referral from Sara
Ehsan, an associate in your company.
 Second Paragraph

• Why should an employer be interested in

hiring you? Briefly describe your professional
and academic qualifications that are relevant
to the position. Relate experiences that you
have had, classes you have taken or skills you
possess that satisfy the job requirements. If
the job was advertised, refer to all of the
required skills mentioned.
 Second Paragraph Examples
• As my resume indicates, I am active in theater in high school and
had important roles in two plays. My school activities include
being a member of both forensics and student government. With
these experiences, I can offer you excellent communication and
interpersonal skills. During the school year, I maintain a 3.0
average and work ten hours per week. My technical skills include
familiarity with Windows, Microsoft Office applications and Google
Docs. I use the Internet regularly and can keyboard more than 45
words per minute.
• As a computer science major with a sincere interest in.................
(elaborate your educational background)
• Interacting with people has always been one of my strongest
attributes. During my last job, I coordinated..........(state your work
experience)
• For my senior graduation project, I built a personal
computer .............. (state your ability)
 Third Paragraph
• Emphasize what you can do for the company.
Outline a relevant career goal. For example, if
you are applying for sales positions, do not say
that you are training to be an airline pilot.
Expand on the most relevant points of your
resume.
• Example:
• Because I am energetic, reliable, and resourceful,
I would be an asset to your organization. I am
willing to learn new things and be the best
employee that I can be.
 Fourth Paragraph

• Request action. For example, indicate your

desire for a personal interview and that you're
able to meet with the employer at their
convenience. Include your cell phone number
and when it would be a good time to call.
• Some advertisements ask you to include salary
requirements. You can choose to ignore this.
You can either wait until the interview to talk
about money and mention a broad salary range.
 Examples:

• You can reach me on my cell phone any day after

4 p.m. E-mail is also a great way to contact me as I
check it daily. I look forward to hearing from you
soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.
• I hope that my qualifications are of interest to you
and that an interview might be arranged at your
convenience. I can be reached at (0092) 333-
0000000 or a message can be left on my cell
phone. I look forward to meeting you.
 Closing the letter

• Finish your letter with an appropriate

Complimentary Closing (Sincerely, or Sincerely
yours,).
• Leave enough room to sign the letter before
keying your name.
• Do not forget to sign it.
• Remember to include an enclosure notation at
the bottom.
Job Ad.
Job Ad.
Job Ad
Job Ad.