Most people enclose curriculum vitae with a letter of application. This is a simple catalogue of basic information about you. It gives your name, address, and information about your educational background and qualifications, your employment history, and your hobbies and interests. With a CV, your letter of application can be kept short but it must be written with care and, if you want to have any chance of getting an interview, it should be written for a specific job. A general letter enquiring about possible vacancies will not do. Don't worry, though; letters of application often follow a set formula and they get easier to write as you get more practice.
Essentially, a letter of application is a business letter. If possible, it should be typed or produced on a word processor but if you cannot get access to either a typewriter or a word processor, a handwritten version will be just as effective, provided that it is neat and without spelling mistakes. If you choose the handwritten option use black ink - it's easier to photocopy.
Whatever technology you decide on, your letter should be written on plain A-4 paper. Put your address, telephone number and the date at the top right-hand comer of the page and begin your letter underneath. If you know the name of the manager of the company you can address him by name, 'Dear Mr Smith,' - but check the spelling first. Alternatively, 'Dear Sir', will do just as well. If you intend to enclose a CV, you can produce an effective letter of application in five short paragraphs.
Your first paragraph should state clearly the name of the job you are seeking and where you saw it advertised. Bear in mind that companies are frequently seeking to fill more than one job so make it clear which one you are applying for. Your second paragraph should make a general statement about why you are applying for the job. Perhaps you have extensive experience in this kind of job or you have always wanted the chance to do this type of work. Perhaps you've just obtained your qualifications and you see this as an important first step on the career ladder. Either way, keep it short but make sure that your suitability for the post is well understood.
You can now use a paragraph to give the employer more information about yourself and why he should be interested in you for this particular job. This paragraph could describe your present job and encourage him to believe that the job he has to offer is a logical career move for you. You could let him know that you are ready to take on this new challenge, or you could highlight the skills and qualities required of you in your present job and how these would be useful for anyone taking on the tasks he needs done. Here you could also refer to your enclosed CV and mention one or two previous jobs in which you successfully undertook similar work or carried similar levels of responsibility.
In paragraph four you could write about the type of person you are. You could stress that your background and temperament are ideal for the type of work you seek and you could illustrate your commitment to the work by mentioning qualifications you have obtained, training courses you have attended or particular achievements, in or out of work, which you think indicate your strengths and qualities.
Finally, finish with a strong statement about how much you would value working for this organization and tell the reader that you would welcome the opportunity of an interview.
If you are straight out of school or college, you can't show a long employment history but you should be able to explain why the courses you have studied are relevant to the job you are applying for. You can also tell the employer about the range of tools and equipment you are familiar with - photocopiers and personal computers, for example. Perhaps you know how to drive too. Highlight one or two areas of study which particularly interested you and remember to mention any work-experience placements you've had and how much you enjoyed them.
When you have finished and checked every word, sign the letter and take a photocopy. Every letter of application has to be different because you are applying for different jobs but there is always something which you can steal from the last letter you wrote - so if you write a good one, be sure to keep a copy. Finally, address the envelope correctly, and get it into the post box well before the closing date for applications.
Further information
Readymade Job Search Letters, Lynn Williams (Kogan Page, 1995)
