Letters of Application

Some jobs want applicants to write a letter of application.  Points to note here are:

• Your address and the date – top right hand side of the letter.

• Address of the person you are writing to on the left hand side, starting on the line below the date.

• If you know the name of the person you are writing to, use if (i.e. ‘Dear Ms Bloggs’).  If you don’t know their name, write ‘Dear Sir or Madam’.

• Make it clear which job you are applying for and where you saw the advert of how you heard about it.

• Write a few sentences about why you are interested in the job.Enclose a CV.

• If you do not have a CV, give some basic facts about yourself, such as what subjects you studied at school, or what exams you have taken or passed; any relevant work experience you have done.

• Say when you would be able to attend for an interview.

• Finish the letter ‘Yours sincerely’ if you used the person’s name; ‘Yours faithfully’ if you wrote ‘Dear Sir or Madam’.

• Speculative letter: write something like, ‘I am writing to enquire whether you have any vacancies for sales assistants’.