How To Write an Application Letter In 6 Simple Steps

Writing an application letter may seem tough. But with a few simple steps you can be on your way to applying for jobs like a pro. No more wondering exactly what to write next time you apply for a job. Below is a six step guide complete with an example of how to write an application letter for any new job applicants to follow. Enjoy!

1. The date

Your application letter should feature the date that you are applying for the job.

For example it should be written like this:

01/08/18 or Wednesday, the 20th of March.

2. Position you’re applying for

It’s important to list the position you are applying for, put it right up the top of the application letter, preferably in bold or large lettering. It lets the employer know what job you are applying for.

For example it should be written like this:

Application for: Marketing Manager, Company XYZ.

3. Your contact details

You should always list your contact details on the application letter, you can never have these listed enough as employers will need them handy, and let’s face it they’re always in a rush.

Your contact details should feature like this:

Phone: 555 123 123
Email: email@email.com
Visit: mywebsite.com
Twitter: @mytwitter
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/myprofile

4. The employer’s name

It’s important to include the employer’s name in your application letter, as it makes it more personal and speaks directly to the person.

For example, have this just before your main body copy:

Dear Jenny Smith,

5. Your letter to the employer

Here’s where you can get a little creative, our advice is to avoid sounding like a robot and everyone else! So put a little effort into making your actual body copy interesting and engaging but not too long!

Your body copy of your application letter should be one paragraph maximum. Remember employers are getting lots of applications and they are often quickly skimming over people’s cover letter and resumes.

At UpResume one of our favourite and most popular ways of writing cover letters is the ‘5 reasons method’. It’s short, punchy and gets to the point with no messing around – it’s also really easy to read quickly.

Here’s an example of the 5 reasons method:

Dear Jenny Smith,

Here’s 5 reasons why you should consider myself for the XYZ role, at ABC Corp:

  1. I was responsible for ( insert relative career highlight here )
  2. I was the first person to ( insert relative achievement here )
  3. Companies XYZ, ABC and 123 have employed me. ( list similar companies you’ve worked at )
  4. I’m a master at ( insert unusual / funny talent here )
  5. Brand X, Y and Z have trusted me with their business. ( list similar brands you’ve worked with )

6. Your sign off

Finally at the end of your cover letter you should sign off. Signing off is relatively simple. You should always end with a call to action, and your name.

Example of how to sign off your cover letter:

I look forward to you response,

John Smithson.

That’s it, this cover letter template is tried and test and will surely improve your chances of landing that dream job sooner.

Full application letter example

Here’s a full example of the application letter for you to copy and paste into your resume application letter letter:

—————————————————————————————————————-

Phone: 555 123 123
Email: email@email.com
Visit: mywebsite.com
Twitter: @mytwitter
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/myprofile

Wednesday, the 20th of March 2019

Application for: Marketing Manager, Company XYZ.

Dear Jenny Smith,

Here’s 5 reasons why you should consider myself for the XYZ role, at ABC Corp:

  1. I was responsible for ( insert relative career highlight here )
  2. I was the first person to ( insert relative achievement here )
  3. Companies XYZ, ABC and 123 have employed me. ( list similar companies you’ve worked at )
  4. I’m a master at ( insert unusual / funny talent here )
  5. Brand X, Y and Z have trusted me with their business. ( list similar brands you’ve worked with )

I look forward to hearing from you,

John Smithson


So there you have it, how to write an application. Rememeber of examples of this application letter and amazing resume templates, check out 6 great examples on UpResume here.

Browse our job applicant letter templates