What Is an Application Letter Used For?

Letters of application usually accompany resumes of job applicants.

Letters of application, also known as cover letters, serve a vital role within the job search process. Application letters have many of the same attributes of sales letters and marketing proposals in that they help a job seeker attract a potential employer.

Function

Application letters serve both as cover letters for resumes and as introductions for job seekers. Unless otherwise specified by a job posting, an application letter should always accompany a professional resume.

Purpose

In an application letter, a job seeker should identify the job in which she is interested, the reasons for her interest, her qualifications for the job and a request for an interview.

Content

Application letters should always be tailored to the position for which they are being submitted, with information that is both relevant and specific to the job and the hiring company.

Format

In an application letter, a job seeker should include a brief opening paragraph, one to three body paragraphs, and a closing paragraph, along with other features standard to business letters.

Considerations

Application letters should always be addressed to a specific individual within the hiring organization and should indicate how a job seeker learned about a particular job opening.

References

• "Communicating at Work"; Ronald B. Adler, Jeanne Marquardt Elmhorst, 2005.
• "The Business Writer's Companion"; Gerald J. Alred, Charles T. Brusaw, Walter E. Oliu, 2005.

Resources

• The Owl at Purdue: Workplace Writers
• CSU Writing Guides: How To Write An Application Letter