Letter writing
8. Letter writing
Writing letters is a great way to communicate,
to tell people about yourself and cover all the things you may want
to say. Whether you are applying for a course, enquiring about a
job vacancy or actually putting yourself forward for a position,
this is your chance to make a great first impression.
There are different types of letters that you
can write, including:
A speculative letter - this
is used if you are enquiring if there is a course or vacancy
available and if so, can you be considered.
An application letter - if
there is a course or vacancy available that you are interested in,
this type of letter is used to put yourself forward for
selection.
A covering letter - when
sending in an application form, a short additional letter is a good
introduction and is seen positively by employers.
Essential
Checklist:
Whatever your approach, use the following
checklist each time to make sure that you get it right.
- Think about what you want to say, match
yourself to the job/course/organisation
- Call in advance and find out a name to
address your letter to
- Draft a copy and check it over
- Keep your letter clear, to the point and easy
to read
- Include your full contact details and
remember to date the letter
- Three short paragraphs should be sufficient
which cover
- why you are writing
- a brief outline of your relevant
experience (refer to your enclosed CV if you are sending one)
- making yourself available to meet
and discuss further
- If you type the letter, make sure you sign it
to personalise it
- Don't forget that the envelope has to be to
the same high standard, after all you need to make a good first
impression
Speculative
letters
2 out of every 10 jobs
are obtained through speculative approaches
You may be asking for information, some
guidance on where to go next with your career or enquiring if there
are any vacancies open at the moment or becoming available soon.
Whatever the reason is, make your approach stand out by doing some
research and refer to it in your letter.
Have a look at what the organisation offers,
their course curriculum, company report or find out if there have
been any stories recently in the local press and identify specific
vacancy areas not just "any”. Your letter will be more interesting
if you can identify how your qualities meet their needs.
If you have great team working skills and you
know that this organisation relies on this to be successful,
emphasise it. If the role requires someone to be accurate and pay
attention to detail, outline where you have done this.
Application
Letters
This type of letter is easier to write because
you know exactly what you are applying for and with the details
from your CV you can really make sure that your unique qualities
and strengths meet their needs. To make sure that your letter gives
you the best chance of getting you an interview ensure you
have:
- Made reference to where you saw the
opportunity i.e., college, paper, jobcentre, website
- Clearly outlined your skills and strengths
and matched these to the position
- Identified your unique points such as
flexibility, willingness to train
- Included any other information requested such
as a copy of your CV
- Offered yourself for interview
Covering letters
If you have been asked to send an application
form or a copy of your CV, then a covering letter is a polite way
to introduce it. The key to a good covering letter is to keep it
brief and let the application form/CV be the focal point. If you've
completed a 'personal details' section on an application form, the
letter should be short to avoid repeating this. If you're sending a
CV, your letter needs to be a little more detailed in order to put
a personal slant on the information you've provided.
To get started in your job search, have a look at the Workways
Jobkit: