Applying for a job in writing
Some employers require you to complete an
application form as the first step in the selection
process.
If they don’t, you will have to write an application letter
that addresses the job description, and send it to the
employer with your resume.
Apply on time
Submit your application two or three working days after the
advertisement has appeared, unless it calls for your
immediate response. If the employer or agency specifies a
closing date, make sure your letter reaches them before then.
Don’t rely on the mail getting your application to the
employer overnight; send it with at least one day to spare,
or hand-deliver it to the employer yourself.
Address the
requirements in the advertisement
If you meet the main qualifications outlined in the
advertisement, state this fact during your first conversation
with the employer, and in the opening sentences of your
application letter. Show that you possess all the specified
skills, and how you came to acquire them. For example:
My five years as a qualified mechanic, combined with three
years’ experience in the retail industry, have equipped me
well for the position of spare parts interpreter.
State the
hard skills you have that match those specified in the
advertisement by describing how, when and where you
developed or refined those skills.
Then state how you have demonstrated the
soft qualifications. Don’t just copy the soft
qualifications word for word from the application and put
them in a sentence; prove or state how you have shown
‘initiative’ or ‘attention to detail’. Give specific
examples.
Emphasise what you can do; don’t draw attention to what you
can’t.
See
Responding to a job advertisement for further
assistance.
What to include, what to leave
out
Include the number of copies of your application that the
advertisement requests.
Also enclose:
Don’t include copies of certificates or references unless
the employer has specifically requested them. Take them
along with you to the interview instead.
Don’t put your application in a folder or a plastic
envelope. Such packaging can be annoying for an employer
dealing with large numbers of applications.