The purpose of a job application letter is to get an interview. If you get a job through interviews arranged by your campus placement office or through contacts, you may not need to write a letter. However if you want to work for an organization that isn’t interviewing on campus, or later when you change jobs, you will. Writing a letter is also a good preparation for a job interview, since the letter is your first step in showing a specific company what you can do for it.
In a letter of application you should
- Address the letter to a specific person.
- Indicate the specific position for which you are applying.
- Be specific about your qualifications.
- Show what separates you from other applicants.
- Show a knowledge of the company and the position.
- Refer to you resume (which you would enclose with the letter).
- Ask for an interview.
The following order of points is normal:
SAMPLE LETTER OF APPLICATION
4930 Sherman Avenue
Studio City, CA 91478
October 8, 199x
Mr. Michael Tarkanian
Vice President, Personnel
Target Department Stores
637 South Lucas Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Dear Mr. Tarkanian:
Since I have focused my education and training on retail management, your advertisement for a management trainee, appearing October 7 in Section F of the Los Angeles Times, captured my attention.
Recent sales and management experience at Rike’s Department Store enabled me to develop the interpersonal and supervisory skills specified in the Target advertisement. I started as a salesperson and was soon promoted to assistant manager, a position demanding initiative and responsibility.
In addition to this experience, I am enrolled at Valley Community College and expect to receive an associate’s degree in June. In my marketing major, I successfully completed courses in marketing, management, microcomputing, and communication, earning a 3.5 grade-point average in my major.
Please examine the attached resume for details of my qualifications. At your request, I would be pleased to provide the names of individuals who could verify my education, skills, and performance.
I would appreciate an opportunity to discuss with you now my background and training could contribute to Target Department Stores. Please call me at (818) 359-9920 to arrange an interview at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Enclosure
ACTIVE VOCABULARY USEFUL EXPRESSIONS COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What is the main purpose of a job application letter?
2. How can you organize a letter of application?
3. What useful expressions can you use explaining the reasons for applying?
4. How can you close the application?
EXERCISES
Ex. 1
Revise each of these sentences to improve you attitude and positive emphasis in job letters. You may need to add information.
1. I understand that your company has had problems due to the mistranslation of documents during international ad campaigns.
2. Included in my resume are the courses in finance which earned me a fairly attractive grade average.
3. I am looking for a position which gives me a chance to advance quickly.
4. Although short on experience, I am long on effort and enthusiasm.
5. I have been with the company from its beginning to its present unfortunate state of bankruptcy.
Ex. 2
Rewrite this job application in its full form:
Dear Sir,
1/interested/position/advertised/5th April/like to apply.
Main qualification for/position/my 8 years’ sales experience/Jason/American photographic goods manufacturer. When I joined/their European trade/limited to France. Since then/extended this trade into Britain and Holland/doubled the number of companies on Jason’s European export list.
Trough lacking formal training/photographic goods manufacture/acquired considerable on-the-job know-how/range and capabilities of high-sensitivity photo-materials. Published several articles/photographic journals. Attended several company sales training courses/wide experience/technical demonstrations.
Enclose/curriculum vitae/hope/hear from you soon.
Yours faithfully
Ronald Burns.
Ex. 3
Write an application from yourself in reply to this advertisement
| WANT TO WORK IN THE U. S.? If you have a professional qualification, skill or trade, let us find the appointment you are looking for. 17,000 professional and executive appointments on file. Information service on immigration requirements (e.g. visa, work permit) also available. For confidential appointments service, send c.v. to: Accord Placement Bureau 5905 Vista Charleston North Carolina 29412 USA |
Ex. 4
Write an application for a (real or imaginary) job that you would like to have. Perhaps you do not have exactly the right qualifications or experience for the job. How would you present yourself?
Ex. 5
Complete an application form
APPLICATION FORM Date ....................
Sara Jensen Memorial Trust Fund
CONFIDENTIAL
Use BLOCK letters throughout please
| (1) SURNAME | OTHER NAMES | DATE OF BIRTH 12.12.1960 |
| (2) ADDRESS (PERMANENT) (TEMPORARY) | (3) EDUCATION | PLACE Nairobi, Kenya |
| St Anns Convent Mombasa, Kenya, E. Africa | NATIONALITY at birth KENYAN now BRITISH | |
| TELEPHONE Home Business | (5) MARITAL STATUS (delete as necessary) Single Married Separated Divorced Widowed | |
| (4) ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES | (6) Languages spoken (degree of fluency) | |
| (8) SYNOPSIS OF YOUR CAREER | (7) DEPENDENTS (give age if under 18) | |
| (9) STATE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FEATURES WHICH HAVE INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER. In 1963 father died.. Mother left village to become successful trader in textiles. Travelled throughout Sudan and Africa. When my husband died in 1986 I had to support three young children. | ||
| (10) REASONS FOR APPLYING FOR GRANT | ||
| (11) SPARE TIME INTERESTS | ||
| Please supply the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three referees in the space provided overleaf. | ||