FREE 8+ Application Writing Samples in PDF | MS Word

What is an application letter? An application letter is written to answer a job posting or job advertisement. In some instances, an application letter is used not only to apply for a job posting or vacancy but to apply for a scholarship or loan. The contents of an application letter largely depends upon what and how it is going to be used for. Although it can be used for a number of things, the reason why an application letter is written stays the same and that is to introduce yourself to a particular company or organization and show your interest for them.

What is an application letter? An application letter is written to answer a job posting or job advertisement. In some instances, an application letter is used not only to apply for a job posting or vacancy but to apply for a scholarship or loan. The contents of an application letter largely depends upon what and how it is going to be used for. Although it can be used for a number of things, the reason why an application letter is written stays the same and that is to introduce yourself to a particular company or organization and show your interest for them.

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Whatever type of application letter you are trying to write, it is very important that you make it as unique and impressive as you can without being too obvious. This is the way most professionals do things and it will also help you get the attention of the company or organization you are trying to impress. It would never hurt if you try. So here are 8+ application letter samples that will definitely help you write an awesome application letter. We have also included easy to follow steps on how to write an application letter and some useful tips. You may also see Sample College Application Letters.

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What Is the Difference between a an Application Letter and a Cover Letter?

A lot of people use the terms application letter and cover letter interchangeably all the time. Whether applying for a job, for a scholarship, for a loan, or for applying for a specific course in a prominent university, an application letter or a cover letter is required. Well, that is what is mostly written on the list of requirements. Because of this some people have started asking if there is a difference between the two. Here we will find out the differences between an application letter and a cover letter. This will help us be able to easily distinguish one from the other. You may also see Useful Writing Templates.

Application Letter

• An application letter is used similar to that of a resume so it contains an extensive introduction about the applicant.
• An application letter is written in a way that tends to impress or draw the attention of the reader to the applicant. One of its goals is to attract the reader so that the applicant can be one of those chosen to be hired or accepted for a job hiring or for a scholarship. You may also see Essay Writing Samples & Templates
• A detailed application letter can be used as a replacement for a resume. It can contain all the details about the employment history of an applicant as well as specific details about their professional competency and qualifications.
• An application letter is used to turn the applicant into a perfect fit for the hiring position so that they will be asked for an interview with the hiring company. You may also Like Memo Writing Samples
• An application letter should have three or more paragraphs in it. The first paragraph is for the introduction, the second paragraph is for the applicant’s qualifications and strengths, while the third paragraph is where the applicant positions himself/herself to be invited for an interview.

Cover Letter

• A cover letter only contains a brief introduction of someone. The introduction is usually about the individual’s work experience, educational background, and accomplishments.
• A cover letter is written for the sake of providing the details about an applicant and their qualifications for the reader to know and not really to give an impression or draw of the reader to the applicant.
• A cover letter does not need to be detailed and is only required that a brief reference to the applicants work history be provided in it.
• A cover letter is pretty short as it is often intended to be used as a teaser. It doesn’t give away much information as an application letter does. It only provides what kind of person the sender is, the purpose of the letter, and its recipient. You may also see Summary Writing Samples

Comparing sample application letters to cover letter samples will help you further understand their differences. So you will now find it easy to identify what an application letter is and what a cover letter is. In addition, you will also know when to use an application letter and when to use a cover letter. Some examples that you might want to check out are sample college application letters, business plan cover letter samples, and email cover letter samples.

Parts of an Application Letter

It’s not like you will be asked about the parts of an application letter during an interview, but it pays to know them, especially if you need to write one. An application letter is a type of formal letter and they have the same parts. They are the heading, opening, introduction, main body, the closing paragraph, and sign-off part. Each of these parts are briefly discussed below.

• Heading – The heading part is where you can find the applicant’s name, address, and contact details as well as the name, designation or title, address, and contact details of the recipient. It is very important that the information provided in this part is correct because this affects or has an impact on what first impression the recipient will have toward you.
• Opening or Salutation – Every letter should start with an opening or salutation. It can be a generic salutation, like “Dear Sir/Madam,” or “To Whom It May Concern.” It can also be a custom greeting, like “Dear Mr. Smith.” In an application letter, it is important that you choose the words you use in the salutation part. A generic opening may make your letter seem like it has been copied somewhere and a too personal salutation may make it seem like you are sucking up to them. You may also see Article Writing Samples
• Introduction – The first part of the paragraph is usually the introduction part. This is where the applicant tells about who they are, how old they are, where they graduated and what course they graduated from, and how they heard about the job vacancy or scholarship program.
• Main Body – The main body of the letter is where the applicant further makes an impression. This is where they showcase their talents, their strengths, work experience, good qualities, qualifications, and many more. You can write everything here that you can use to your advantage to get whatever it is that you are applying for.
• The Closing Paragraph – This is the closing paragraph where the applicant thanks the recipient for sparing some time reading their application letter. This is also the part where the applicant offers their contact details in case they need to ask her more questions in the future. You may also see Resume Writing Samples.
• Sign-Off – At the end of the letter is the sign-off part where the applicant writes their complete name and affixes their signature on top of their name. Doing this will make your letter look very professional.

You may also want to check out other related topics, like basic application forms, application letter samples and templates, and sample application forms in PDF.

Writing an Application Letter

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How to Write an Application Letter

An application letter is a formal letter written by an applicant for a job or scholarship with the intention of attracting the attention of the hiring company or scholarship provider in order to get hired for the job or accepted for the scholarship. There are a lot of things that you need to take note of when writing an application letter. Here, we will be providing you with easy to follow steps on how you can create an application letter on your own.

• Gather the details and other important information about what you are applying for. If you do not know these details, you can check out or download application letter format templates and use it as your guide. These details include the following:
  • Name of the recipient
  • Address and contact details of the recipient
  • The appropriate salutation to use
  • The title or description of what you are applying for, e.g., job title, name of scholarship, name of loan
• Ensure that the information you have gathered are accurate as this will affect how the recipient will react or view your application. You might risk losing the chance of getting a good first impression from them.
• Do your homework and research about the company or scholarship you are applying for. You can use some of these information to your advantage by writing in the letter what the company needs that you can give. It’s an addition to your qualifications and strengths. You may also see Sample Letter Writings.
• On a sheet of paper or scratch paper, make a draft or outline of the application letter you are planning to make. Make sure to include all of the parts of an application letter in it. Making a draft first allows you to make changes to the application letter later on before finalizing it.
• Choose the best salutation for your application letter. It should not be too plain or generic, but also not too personal. It is advisable to use “Dear” and the last name of the recipient. Never address them by first name as your letter may not seem polite or professional enough.
• In the first paragraph of your letter, introduce yourself. Tell them about who you are, how you heard about the job vacancy, and where you’re from.
• The second paragraph is where you score points and make an impression. This is the part where you write about what kind of employee and person you are, your achievements, your good qualities, your qualifications, and why they should hire or accept you. This is where you tell them everything that is good about you. However, you should write it in a way that does not seem like you are boasting.
• Offer assistance or help in your third paragraph. This is the part where you provide your preferred contact details and offer help on how they can reach you on your convenient time if they need to ask you additional questions. You may also see Proposal Writing Samples
• Write your full name and affix your signature on top of your name.
• After writing the draft of the contents of your application letter, you will need to determine how you are going to write it. An application letter can be handwritten, typewritten, or computerized. Either of the three ways is fine, but the computerized one is what is preferred by most  companies, especially in jobs for high-ranking positions.
• Once you have decided on how you are going to write your letter, you will then need to transfer its contents to the final sheet. Make any changes or revisions as you see fit.
• After having transferred everything, proceed with doing a thorough spelling and grammar check. Do this before finalizing your work. Make sure that there are no such errors in your letter to maintain that professional feel to it. The correct spelling and right grammar matters. Do the check twice or three times. You can even ask a friend to check it for you. They might be able to find some errors that you have missed.
• Save your work and print a copy in a clean sheet of paper. Your letter should look as professional and as neat as possible. This allows you the chance to give a good first impression. You may also see Marketing Writing Samples

Having easy to follow instructions to guide you on doing things, like writing an application letter, makes it possible for you to easily write them on your own. Other instruction articles that you can check out on our website are How to Write a Statement of Purpose, How to Write in an Academic Style, and How to Write a Sales Report.

Tips on Writing Effective Application Letters

Learning how to write an application letter is great, but unless you know some useful tips and tricks, your application letter may just have something wrong with it. To help you make better application letters, here are some tips that will really help you get what you are applying for.

• Always remember that application letters are formal letters. Therefore, you need to have a formal letter format when writing one, otherwise you will fail in every aspect of your application.
• Use samples as reference when you are making your own application letter, but do not entirely copy everything in it. Different samples will give you different ideas on what you should write on your letter.
• Print your application letter on a clean sheet of paper. This always does the trick. It gives the recipient the impression that the applicant is a neat and organized person. And that is plus points for you!
• Be mindful of the layout and settings of your letter. Set the right paper size for your letter and have it in portrait layout. The page margin should be set to the same size on both sides. This way your letter will have a framed and professional look to it.
• Always perform a spelling check and a grammar check, especially when it comes to the name of the recipient and the name of the company. It will save you from shame and keep you qualified for the vacancy. Because who would want to hire someone who does not even know how to spell?
• Always do your research. It will give you an idea on what stuff you should write that will get the attention of the reader.
• Do not exaggerate. You may need to sell yourself at some point in your application letter, but do so without exaggerating. No matter how qualified you are for the vacancy, if you exaggerate and the employer find its too obvious, then you might just get turned down.
• Always tell the truth. Got nothing really impressive to say? Well, just be honest. It’s better that way than to boast about something you really did not achieve or pretend to be someone you are not.
• Keep making revisions. We don’t always get our dream jobs on our first try, so we get to make one application letter after another. Change the contents of your application letter if it makes it better that way because there is always room for improvement. You may also see Resume Writing Samples