How to Write an Application Letter

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Application letters are typically written to accompany school or job applications. The purpose of the letter is to introduce yourself to the decision committee, and to outline your qualifications in a specific way. It can be the only time other than an interview that you have a chance to really stand out in an application, so it's important to get it right. You can learn what to include in your letter, how to style it, and how to format it to give yourself the best chance.

Application Letter Templates

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Writing a Job Application

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  1. Don't let anyone who picks up your letter be confused about what they're reading. The very first things that someone should read should let them know what this letter is, and how they should read it. [1]
    • A good example would be: "I'm writing to apply for the Chimney Sweep position advertised in Rolling Stone. I think my experience in the heating industry makes me uniquely qualified for this position. Please find my application materials and a brief description of my qualifications below."
    • Don't write your name until the signature. It'll be in the header and in the sign-off, so there's no reason to put it in the body of the letter itself.
  2. What's unique about you? What do you bring to the table? What will you be able to do for this company, better than any other applicant? A good application letter will stand out form the pack. [2]
    • Be specific. Who are you? Where do you come from? What's your story? These details are important. HR screeners read hundreds of these.
    • Describe your ambitions. Where do you want to go? How will this opportunity help you get there?
    • What skills and experiences make you the right fit? Be as specific as possible and avoid vague language. It's better to describe a time you solved a specific problem at your last job than to just write, "I'm a good problem solver at work."
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  3. When you're applying for employment, it's important to keep the tone focused on the skills and experiences that make you qualified for employment at the business. It should be less the story of your life and more the reason that you'll be a good employee for the business. Use specific examples to make yourself stand out. [3]
    • Tailor it to the business. If you're applying to work at a record store, you need to talk about music. If you're applying to work at a tech company that writes, "Tell us something totally rad about yourself!" it's probably ok to be a little more informal.
  4. What's at stake in this decision? What will you bring to the table? How will the business or school benefit from having you around? Imagine yourself going to work there, and describe specifically what you can do to help.
    • Don't over-promise. Telling someone that you can guarantee that you'll be able to turn around their sales figures in six months or less is a good way to get fired in six months.
  5. If you want to stand out from the other applicants, do a little research into the history of the business to which you're applying. What do they do? What is their basic business philosophy? What direction is the business moving in? [4]
    • Any kind of job requires this type of research. If you apply to a restaurant, you need to be familiar with the menu and the kind of customers the restaurant attracts. Consider eating there a few times before you apply.
    • Don't show you're familiar by criticizing a business and telling them what you can do better. Not the time to offer a harsh criticism of a business plan that you don't really know anything about.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Writing a School Application

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  1. If you're writing for a college application or an internship, there will almost always be a short prompt for you to respond to. These are often quite short, which means you'll have some room to get creative.
    • Common prompts include things like, "Outline your qualifications for this position" or "In writing, explain how this position would affect your career goals." Sometimes, the prompt will be as short as, "Tell us something interesting about yourself."
    • If there is no prompt, but you still feel the need to introduce your application with a letter, it's usually best to keep it as short as possible. Explain what you're applying for, why you're applying, and thank the contact for their consideration. That's it.
  2. College applications are a unique opportunity to make yourself stand out beyond the numbers of your resume and your transcript. Lots of applicants think the letter should make them sound "smart," but it's better to stand out and make yourself unique. What makes you the unique person you are? Don't worry if it sounds "smart"—this is your chance to let the admissions officers get to know you better, so be authentic. [5] [6]
    • Often, college prompts will ask you to describe a time you struggled, or a time you overcame some obstacle. Write about something unique, a time that you actually failed and dealt with the consequences.
    • The board will get thousands–literally, thousands–of letters about someone's first mission trip, and letters about the time someone's sports team was beaten, then overcame the odds, and won again. Avoid these topics.
  3. Where do you want to go next? Employers and college admissions want to hire people who want to succeed and want to go places. If you're writing an application letter, it's important to stand out by describing that you're an ambitious person who'll achieve at a high level. Describe where you want to go.
    • Be specific. If you're writing to a college board, don't say, "I want to go to this college because I need a degree." That's obvious. What do you want to do with it? Why? If you're applying to a business, don't say, "I just need a job." That's obvious. Why this specific job?
  4. Your application letter is your one chance in an application to stand out. Listing off the number from your GPA and the boring list of achievements from your resume isn't the best way to do that. The purpose of the letter is to get a sense of who you are, not a list of accomplishments. Don't use the letter to describe the list of schools you've attended, your GPAs, and a list of extra-curricular activities, unless it relates to some anecdote in the letter. [7]
  5. Lots of people carpet-bomb the same letter to a bunch of different places, because that's a lot easier than actually writing a separate letter to every place you're applying. Research a little bit about each place, and take some time to make each letter unique, even if you're going from a template.
    • If you're applying to schools, what do you like about the school? What faculty are you interested in? Why this school, instead of another?
    • Be sure to explain how you see yourself fitting into the campus—that's what will really make you an ideal candidate for a school. [8]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Formatting Application Letters

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  1. Cover letters should not be longer than one page, single-spaced. In most cases, you should get some kind of word-count to shoot for, which may be shorter or longer, depending on the purpose of the letter. Always defer to the guidelines you receive. [9]
    • If you don't get a word-count guideline, just focus on making one or two good points about yourself, and keeping it at that. No need to drone on four several pages.
  2. Addressing letters to, "All concerned" or "Sir or Madam" makes your letter look strange and like a computer wrote it. If you're applying, but don't know who is going to read it, leave off the salutation at the beginning and title the document instead, so it will be clear.
    • Instead of a salutation, write, "Letter of Application" at the top left corner of the page, or put it in the header on the left side at the top.
    • If you do have a contact, address it to them, making sure the name is spelled correctly. Then space down and start the body of the letter. [10]
  3. Cover letters should always be word processed and single-spaced. Use a normal, standard font, like Calibri or Times New Roman. Avoid childish looking or gimmicky fonts, like Comic Sans when you're applying for jobs and school applications.
  4. When you get to the end of your letter, add a space, then include a closing, like "Sincerely" and sign your name. [11]
    • Sometimes, it's appropriate to type your name, then print out the letter and sign it in pen. That can be a nice touch.
  5. The following contact information should be included in the header of the document, usually over to the right margin:
    • Your name
    • Mailing address
    • E-mail
    • Telephone and/or fax number
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I write a perfect application letter?
    Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
    Educational Consultant
    Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University.
    Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
    Educational Consultant
    Expert Answer
    Write your story authentically before ever even trying to fit it into a prompt. You shouldn't be thinking about what an “admissions officer” wants. This is a personal statement, so you should really be able to tell me a more authentic story without really thinking about a prompt.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 3
  • Question
    What comes first when ending the letter, the signature or the name?
    Community Answer
    In a letter, usually the signature should come first, with your name printed underneath it.
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  • Question
    How do I write an application letter for a job to a company that didn't advertise vacancies?
    Tom De Backer
    Top Answerer
    The chances of success are low. The HR manager may truly like you and appreciate your initiative, but if there are no jobs to be had, the company can't create them from thin air. But it does let them know that you've researched the company, the atmosphere, the work ethic, the team spirit and that you think your skills and experience could be a true benefit to them. So if they keep a list of resumes, yours will be marked with preference. But don't wait for it to happen; keep looking in the meantime.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-write-an-application-letter
      2. ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-write-an-application-letter
      3. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/professional_technical_writing/tone_in_business_writing.html
      4. ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-write-an-application-letter
      5. ↑ Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.. Educational Consultant. Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.
      6. ↑ https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/types-of-writing/admission-letters/
      7. ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/personal-statements-and-application-letters.html
      8. ↑ Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.. Educational Consultant. Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.
      9. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/job_search_writing/job_search_letters/cover_letters_1_quick_tips/quick_formatting_tips.html
      1. ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/coverletters/
      2. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/job_search_writing/job_search_letters/cover_letters_1_quick_tips/quick_formatting_tips.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To format an application letter, start by including your name and contact details in the document header. When choosing a greeting, only use one if you know the person's name your writing to. Otherwise, give the document a title, like "Letter of application" at the top of the page. For the body of the letter, aim to write no more than 1 page of single-spaced paragraphs using a standard font. Finally, conclude your letter with a formal greeting like "Sincerely yours." For tips on how to write a job application letter, read on!

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