Job Application Letters Module Twenty Eight McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Objectives LO 28-1 Select job application letters for different situations. LO 28-2 Contrast differences among job application letters. LO 28-3 Compare similarities among job LO 28-4 Examine methods for specific company targeting. LO 28-1 Select job application letters for different situations. LO 28-2 Contrast differences among job application letters. LO 28-3 Compare similarities among job application letters. LO 28-4 Examine methods for specific company targeting.

Learning Objectives LO 28-5 Apply principles for T-letters. LO 28-6 Apply principles for appropriate job application letter length. LO 28-7 Apply principles for good job application letter tone. LO 28-8 Apply principles for e-mail job application letters. LO 28-5 Apply principles for T-letters. LO 28-6 Apply principles for appropriate job application letter length. LO 28-7 Apply principles for good job application letter tone. LO 28-8 Apply principles for e-mail job application letters.

Job Application Letters In your letter, focus on: Major requirements of the job. Points that separate you from other applicants. Points that show your knowledge of the organization. Qualities that every employer values. Any job application letter should focus on why you are the best candidate for the job. You should match your skills and experiences to what the company is looking for. Some, if not many, of the skills and experiences will also be detailed on your résumé, but the letter is a chance to use a stronger narrative approach.

Job Application Letters To make the letter professional: Use a standard font. Address your letter to a specific person. Don’t mention relatives’ names. Omit unnecessary personal information. In general, use a conservative style. Edit and proofread carefully. Use the same font for your letter as for the body of your résumé. Be sure to address the letter to a specific person, where possible. Research the company to find a name and address. Focus on skills and experiences that have prepared you for the job. Edit and proofread carefully, as you’re being assessed on both your qualifications for the job and for your professionalism in expressing them.

Allocating Time in Writing a Job Application Letter Figure 28.1 lists the activities involved in crafting a strong letter.

What kind of letter should I use? Solicited letter You know the company is hiring. You’ve seen an ad you’ve been advised to apply by a professor or friend You’ve read in a trade publication that the company is expanding Letters can be solicited, which respond to an ad or other request for applicants, or unsolicited, which can tap into the “hidden job market.” Unsolicited letters are also called prospecting letters because they assume the company is not actively seeking job applicants.

What kind of letter should I use? Prospecting letter You may want to work for an organization which has not announced that it has openings in your area.. These help you tap into the “hidden job market.” Prospecting letters help you tap into the hidden job market. In some cases, your prospecting letter may arrive at a company that has decided to hire but has not yet announced the job. In other cases, companies create positions to get a good person who is on the market. Even in a hiring freeze, jobs are sometimes created for specific individuals.

How are the two letters different? When you know the company is hiring, organize your letter in this way: State that you are applying for the job. Develop major qualifications in detail. Develop other qualifications, even if the source didn’t ask for them. Ask for an interview. In a solicited job application letter, state early that you are applying for the job. Indicate how you found out about it—be specific so there is no confusion as to which job you are applying for.

A Solicited Letter Figure 28.2 presents this pattern of organization visually. Figure 28.4 is an example of a solicited letter.

How are the two letters different? When you don’t have any evidence that the company is hiring, organize your letter this way: Catch the reader’s interest Create a bridge between the attention-getter and your qualifications. Develop your strong points in detail. Ask for an interview. In a prospecting letter, you need to get the reader’s attention early. Create a bridge between that attention getter and your qualifications for the job you want, focusing on what you know and can do.

A Prospecting Letter Figure 28.3 presents this pattern visually. Figure 28.5 shows a prospecting letter.

What parts of the two letters are the same? Address the letter to a specific person. Indicate the specific position you’re applying for. Be specific about your qualifications. Show what separates you from other applicants. Show knowledge of the company and position. In both letters, use you-attitude to show what you can do for the company, and use positive emphasis. Ask for an interview in the close. Be sure to edit and proofread carefully.

What parts of the two letters are the same? Refer to your résumé and ask for an interview. Use a full page. Use a second page if necessary. Use you-attitude. Use positive emphasis. In both letters, use you-attitude to show what you can do for the company, and use positive emphasis. Ask for an interview in the close. Be sure to edit and proofread carefully.

Targeting a Specific Company in Your Letter Check for Facts about the Company Check News Releases and Speeches Check the Corporate Culture If your combination of skills is in high demand, a one-size-fits-all letter may get you an interview. But when you must compete against dozens—perhaps hundreds or even thousands—of applicants for an interview slot, you need to target your letter to the specific company. Targeting a specific company also helps you prepare for the job interview.

Can I use T-letters? Use a T-letter if the employer prefers it. To create a T-letter Determine job duties and how you match them. Use bullet points to highlight duties and your skills. Use a solicited or unsolicited introduction. Ask for an interview. Some employers now want T-letters, which combine some of the features of traditional job application letters with those of résumés. When writing a T-letter, identify the most important job duties and how you match them. Format the letter with an opening and a closing paragraph. In the middle of the letter, use bulleted lists to show how your skills and experiences match the job duties. At the end, request an interview.

A Solicited T-letter T-letters offer the advantage of skimming but with some of the narrative qualities of a letter Figure 28.6 shows a format for a T-letter

How long should my letter be? A short letter throws away an opportunity to be persuasive; suggest that you have aren’t very interested in the job. If you need more than a page, use it. The extra space gives you room to be more specific about what you’ve done A short letter throws away an opportunity to be persuasive; it may also suggest that you have little to say for yourself or that you aren’t very interested in the job. However, if you need more than a page, use it. The extra space gives you room to be more specific about what you’ve done and to add details about your experience that separate you from other applicants.

The company wants an e-mail application. What should I do? Put the job number or title for which you’re applying in your subject line and in the first paragraph. Prepare your letter in a word-processing program with a spell-checker to make it easier to edit and proof the document. • Put the job number or title for which you’re applying in your subject line and in the first paragraph. • Prepare your letter in a word-processing program with a spell-checker to make it easier to edit and proof the document.

The company wants an e-mail application. What should I do? Don’t send anything in all capital letters. Don’t use smiley faces or other emoticons. Put your name and e-mail address at the end of the message. • Don’t send anything in all capital letters. • Don’t use smiley faces or other emoticons. • Put your name and e-mail address at the end of the message. Most e-mail programs put the “sender” information at the top of the screen, but a few don’t, and you want the employer to know whose letter this is!

An E-Mail Application Letter When you submit an e-mail letter (see Figure 28.7 ) with an attached résumé,