Are you looking for how to write an application letter for a job vacancy (2022)? Unless it’s a blue-collar job where you’re just picked on the streets and you begin in earnest, every professional white-collar job demands an application letter and you should know that this application process is a rat race for who wins the prize out of the hundreds of applicants.
This rat race nature of writing and submitting application letters for job vacancies leave Human Resource (HR) managers with little room or zero tolerance for crappy letters.
READ ALSO: How To Prepare For Your First Job Interview
What this rat race means in simple terms is that: too many people are writing and submitting the same application letter alongside you and so the recruiters select the best and trash the rest.
If yours is not up to standard or plagued with errors, they might not read past the first three lines before using the bin.
However, you are reading this article right now and that’s its purpose; to help you write an application letter for a job vacancy that employers won’t reject.
Here are the tips on how to write an application letter for a job vacancy (2022)
There is a secret recipe for successful application letters, it is not a guarantee that it would land you the job right away, but it could be the game-changer, of course – coupled with other factors that you’ll read here.
So what’s this secret recipe all about? Not really a big deal.
It involves you digging deep into the profile and website of your prospective company.
Why should you do this? Brilliant question.
Ever met a total stranger who does not like onions in his/her food, loves traveling, hates cartoons, and loves the color pink?
Now if you happen to like all the things this stranger likes and hate all the ones he/she hates, you too just met but the conversation will be rich and you guys will get along very fast.
This is called a mutual interest.
In very rare cases, being the same football fan as your HR can just land you the job pronto.
To find out all the things the company or organization loves.
Their core values, mission statement, and goals.
Try to see a way you can infuse these things as part of your own values and goals too.
This should strike a mutual feeling of interest in your letter and level up your chances.
Table of Contents
Writing the Application Letter Proper
Getting a standard letter for you’re job vacancy application can be made easy using the format below:
Your Address
Your Employer’s Address
Salutation
Body of the letter
- First paragraph
- Second paragraph
- Third Paragraph
- The fourth and final paragraph
- Complimentary closing
- Signature
Your Address comes First
Times are changing gradually, in the past, your address will be in block format by the top right side of the letter.
These days, it’s different.
You can just type your name boldly on the top center of the page and then the next line is for your address, email, and phone number.
Your Employer’s/Company’s Address
Conventionally, this is called ‘addressee’s address and can still go with the conventional pattern that’s been used for ages, i.e. the address should be at the left-hand side of the page in block format starting with the title of whoever you are addressing the letter to.
For example, You can use
The Manager
Diamond Towers Insurance Plc
Plot 15b, Cottage Crescent, Ikeja G.R.A, Lagos State
Salutation
Whoever you are writing to, whether the HR Manager or the manager himself, you need to salute, and technically, you go a little informal by adding “Dear” and then the title of the person follows.
Could be Mr./Mrs./Ms./Prof./Dr./Barr.
As the case may be.
Based on your findings, you should know which title is suitable for your potential employer of the HR manager.
However, if you aren’t really sure of the title, you can simply use “Dear Sir/Ma” so if the person is a female or male, you would have done justice to the salutation which addresses both genders.
And about the informal “dear”, it really isn’t compulsory if you are going with the generic salutation of Sir/Ma.
The Body of the Letter
This section is divided into four parts; the first paragraph or opening paragraph, the second paragraph, the third paragraph, and the closing paragraph.
First Paragraph
In this paragraph, you first mention where you got the job vacancy information by giving credit to it.
The line should begin with something like this “with the respect to the advert placement dated 26/05/2019 on the Hynaija newspaper” and then you state the position you’re applying for.
This shouldn’t go beyond two lines.
Brevity is key here.
Second Paragraph
This is the epicenter of the letter where you sell yourself as a bankable employee prospect.
Here you’ll present tangible reasons why you’re fit for the job at the expense of others because you aren’t alone.
Note: At the expense of others doesn’t mean you should talk down on the rest of the applicants or compare yourself with them.
Sell yourself briefly and independently.
If you are not good with marketing and have no flair for convincing people, then you need to start developing that as soon as you’re done reading this article.
Third Paragraph
The reason for this third paragraph is to avoid sentence congestion or clutters.
No one wants to read a letter that’s an eyesore.
So the part where you’ll be marketing yourself might be a little lengthier than the other paragraphs which is why you need to split it into two for easy readability.
This paragraph is just a continuation of the second where you can add a little of the skills you’ve acquired and how you’ve worked in previous organizations with a bag of experience to account for.
The rest can be found in your resume, they (HR/employer) know that already.
Final Paragraph
A little positivity here will be needed.
You get positive by relaying your gratitude in anticipation of due consideration.
Something like “thanks in anticipation as I look forward to being considered for this post” would be appropriate, at least that’s what is obtainable in the corporate world of letters and correspondence.
Complementary Closure
This should be written below the entire body of the letter on the right-hand side of the sheet.
Conventional “Yours Sincerely” does it for you.
After the complimentary closing, you can add your full names.
Of course, you should start with your surname first, followed by a comma before your first and middle names.
Signature
Your signature calls it a day for your letter.
Just below your full name in the complimentary closing, you append your signature.
By now your letter should have assumed a professional and standard form but there are other things you still need to know before sending it across.
Here are Examples of Job Application Letters
Some Other Points to Note About How to Write an Application Letter
Leave Things Simple and Concise
Now, this is a letter where you are trying to prove yourself worthy of being hired and not a literary contest.
You might be proficient with the use of grammar and other fine dictions, but this is the wrong place to apply them.
Avoid using top-notch vocabularies because you are at the risk of sounding arrogant when you are not even there yet and this could be a huge turn-off.
Tone down the quality of your letter in terms of fine words or words that might sound too lousy and strike a proud undertone.
You should understand that your cover letter or application letter is a summary of what your resume says and so it should be limited in words; 500 words on the maximum and that might be a little overboard though but don’t exceed it.
Proofread, Edit and Format
Avoid errors in your letter.
You should read it twice or thrice before sending it.
Most errors aren’t spotted at first reading.
Give it a break and come back in about 30 to 1 hours’ time to proofread with a fresh pair of eyes and you can discover errors in spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and general grammatical errors that can you fix.
Format properly.
Add the commas where they are supposed to be.
Include the full stops at the right places.
These little things matter a lot in the corporate world and can cost you a lot if you fail to take cognizance of them.
Do Not Be Tempted To Lie
Don’t try to say what you’re not no matter how tempted you are.
The repercussions could be grave.
Be sincere and add that you’re willing to compensate for any skill you lack with your sheer drive to learn new things and adapt to any situation.
Never add any skill or experience you don’t have, you don’t want to resume your first day at work as a blatant liar.
Even if you have a skill and you aren’t too good at it, it’s better not to even add it unless you will state that you are just starting out with a big room for improvement.
Conclusion
With a fine cover letter to accompany your resume, you are passing a message across that you are coming with at least a professional experience to the table of the company.
READ ALSO: How To Conduct Yourself During An Interview
To spice things up further, you are also coming with some of the values you share in common with your prospective company and creating a friendly ambiance already before your arrival for the interview.
This way, the interview might tilt away from being too formal to informal or cordial.
Even if you don’t get hired, you might have created a bond between you and your employer or recruiter for possible opportunities in the future.
So make every word of your application letter for a job vacancy count.
The below video will also help know more about how to write an application letter for a job vacancy (2022)!