Application letter
If you can capture the employer's attention at the beginning he or she is more likely to go on and read your resume/selection criteria or respond to your request for an interview. Therefore, it is important to write a clear and concise application letter. This will give you an advantage over others competing for the attention of the employer. The tone of the letter should imply enthusiasm and confidence to gain their interest. The application letter is also an administrative tool for employers, allowing them to rapidly know who you are and why you are writing.
Writing the letter
Content and layout
An effective letter is one that is concise and organised. Full block style is appropriate, and you must make sure you use enough white space, rather than have everything cluttered at the top of the sheet of paper. A fully blocked letter has everything left aligned commencing with the address and right down to the close with spaces between each of the letter's components. An eye-catching letter is constructed in the following manner:
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address - place this at the top left hand corner of the page.
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date - place about three lines under your address.
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inside address - place several lines after the date. It is advisable to find out the name of the individual who will be reading the letter, this means you can address it personally.
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salutation - place several lines after the inside address. Find out the potential employer's honorific eg Miss, Ms, or Mrs and try to avoid writing to an anonymous ‘Dear Sir/Madam'.
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opening - leave a blank line before commencing the first paragraph. In this paragraph cover why you are writing and what you want. You can make a simple statement about where you heard about the vacancy to allow the employer to identify you immediately and the position for which you are applying.
Never refer to pay or conditions in your application letter.
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body of information - in subsequent paragraphs discuss your education, training, skills and experience ensuring too that you are addressing the criteria the employer outlined for the job. However, if the employer has requested you address selection criteria then you will not need to do this in your introductory letter, this will have to be done separately. In your letter make sure you:
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emphasize the key reasons you should be considered for the job. Do not refer to qualifications/experience you lack – emphasize the relevant qualities you do possess.
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discuss the personal attributes or bonus skills and experience you have to offer. For example, which of the generic employability skills do you excel in, and what specific advantages would you bring to the position.
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conclusion - refer the reader to any attachments, such as your resume or written references and express how you can be contacted in order to arrange an interview
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close - in closing your letter use either ‘Yours sincerely' or ‘Yours faithfully' and do not forget to leave some lines for your signature and your printed name and title (if appropriate) below the space for your signature.
Presentation
Use an appropriate size font and check thoroughly for errors in grammar and spelling – mistakes here can cause the employer to discard the application immediately. Within your paragraphs you may find it easier to use bullet points to outline your points. To ensure that your letter is up to standard refer to the Application letter checklist (*PDF 65 k) and Sample application letter (*PDF 36 k).
The Department of Education, Science and Training have provided a useful worksheet to assist in writing an application letter: DEST Worksheet 6 - Write a Cover Letter (*PDF 166 k).
*This file is in Portable Document Format (PDF) which requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader. A free copy of Acrobat Reader may be obtained from Adobe. Users who are unable to access information in PDF should contact Katrina Vagg, telephone +61 4531 1823 to obtain this information in an alternative format.