How to Write an Application Letter [Template + Example]

A letter of application is the same as a cover letter. It’s a document sent with your CV to provide more detailed information about your professional experience, skills and achievements. The purpose of your application letter is to paint a more detailed picture of why you’re the best candidate for the job.

Mastering the art of writing a job application letter is one of the easiest ways you can improve your chances of success in your job search. So we’re going to make sure you learn all there is to know about how to write a letter of application. 

In this guide, you'll see a letter of application sample to get inspired, plus, letter of application examples you can copy and adjust. We'll also provide you with expert tips and advice on how to start and write an application letter to get a recruiter's attention.

Use the LiveCareer cover letter builder and your application letter will write itself. Choose a professional template, answer a few easy questions and the creator will generate a professional cover letter for you with just one click.

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Need some specific tips on writing a tailored letter of application? Check these guides:

• Best Writing Tips to Make a Cover Letter Like a Pro
• Ending Your Cover Letter: Tips and Examples
• Email Cover Letter And How to Prepare One
• How Long Should Your Application Letter Be?
• How to Address Your Covering Letter Correctly?
• How to Format Your Cover Letter The Right Way?
• Structuring Your Cover Letter: How-To & Examples
• What Is The Best Cover Letter Layout You Can Use?
• What Should You Include In a Cover Letter?

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check more articles from our Cover Letter Help knowledge base.

Letter of application example

Now here’s how to write an application letter:

1. Get started with a letter of application header

Your letter of application should follow the same rules as any formal business letter. The standard UK format is as follows:

Using right-alignment write:

• Your full name
• Postal address
• Email address
• Phone number

Then leave a line and enter the date using the correct format as shown in the example below.

And then switch to left-alignment and write:

• The full name of the hiring manager
• Their job title
• The company’s name
• The company’s address

You can adjust every cover letter created in the builder to meet the job requirements. Choose the name of your profession and the company to which you’re applying, and the LiveCareer cover letter builder will automatically adapt the content for you. Create an application letter faster than you ever thought possible and apply for the job in record time.

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2. Use the right letter of application salutation

A salutation is simply the greeting that’s used to start off the body of your letter. It’s always best to stick to the standard ‘Dear + first name’. 

In situations where you’re unsure of the hiring manager’s gender, and you’re not confident with using just their first name, then you can use ‘Dear + first name and surname’. That way you can avoid causing offence by using an incorrectly gendered title.

And speaking of names, always make the effort to address your application letter to the hiring manager by name. Seeing your own name is proven to activate the brain, so it’s an easy way to make sure they’re paying attention. 

As for finding their name, it’s easy. Check to see if it’s mentioned on the job advert, and if that fails do some research on LinkedIn or simply phone the company and ask. Whatever you do, avoid the tired old clichés of yesteryear, ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ and ‘To Whom it May Concern’. If you absolutely must use an anonymous greeting then ‘Dear Hiring Manager’ is best.

Letter of application example: salutation

3. Write a strong opening paragraph 

Why do you need a strong opening paragraph? Here are a few reasons:

• It lets you show your enthusiasm for the job right from the start.
• You can include the job title and the name of the company to make your intentions clear.
• It gives you the opportunity to mention names if you were referred to the position.
• You can start building a case for why you’re the best candidate from the outset.

Nail that strong start by including an impressive achievement and explain how you can use your skills and experience to make a positive contribution. Use the PAR (problem-action-result) formula and accomplishment statements to give your accomplishment maximum impact. 

How to start a letter of application

You don’t have to create any content yourself. The LiveCareer cover letter generator will automatically suggest the best content for your cover letter with ready-made examples and expert tips.

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4. Cement a good impression in the main body paragraphs

After a strong start to your letter of application you need to keep up the momentum. Your opening is your set up for the main event, your body paragraphs. And it’s surprisingly easy to do. Essentially, you just need to add more professional achievements. Use the same accomplishment statement structure as you did in the opening paragraph and try to add numbers to quantify. That way the benefit you can bring to the employer is crystal clear.

It also helps if you can demonstrate some knowledge about challenges and changes affecting the company and how your experience can help. And make sure you remain energetic and enthusiastic about the company and the role. 

Letter of application example: main body paragraphs 

5. Use a CTA in your letter of application

A good job application cover letter ending should underline the abilities and accomplishments that you mentioned in the previous paragraphs. Use it to seal the deal and really drive home your value as a potential employee. 

Then include a CTA (call to action) and always say thank you to the hiring manager for taking the time to review your application. Finally, sign off according to the established rules of UK letter writing. 

• Use ‘Yours sincerely’ if you used the hiring manager’s name
• Use ‘Yours faithfully’ if you addressed your application letter anonymously

How to end a letter of application

6. What a good letter of application shouldn’t include

Some things should remain conspicuously absent from your application letter. Here is a checklist of things to avoid:

• Criticism of your previous employer. It’s incredibly unprofessional. If in doubt, keep it neutral.
• Focussing on gaps in employment or short periods of employment at a particular company. Over-explaining them draws attention to them and won’t work in your favour. In this case, silence is golden.
• Excessive information and unfocussed narrative are application letter killers, be brief and clear.
• Exaggerations and dishonesty. Employers do carry out background checks and lying on a job application is never acceptable.
• Contractions, slang and spelling and grammatical errors. Keep your language accurate and formal.
• But don’t go too far in the other direction. Old-fashioned and pompous language will do you no favours. Be simple and clear. Why be a gastronomical hygiene technician when you can be a dishwasher?

7. How to set out a formal letter for job application

Here are some letter of application format guidelines to keep in mind.

Length

Half an A4 page to one page maximum, 250–400 words in total, including around:

• 60–80 words for the opening paragraph
• 120–200 words for the main body
• 40–60 words for the closing paragraph

Overall layout

• Choose a matching CV cover letter template
• Use lots of white space to make your application letter easy to read. Set your spacing to 1.15 and have a one-inch margin on all sides of the page.

Font

• Use an easily readable, professional-looking font. The traditional standards like Times New Roman, Arial and Garamond are enduring favourites.
• And set your font size to 11–12 points in size.

File type

• Submit your application letter and CV in PDF format unless specified otherwise. It keeps your layout razor sharp.

An application letter alone simply won’t be enough—you need an impactful CV, too. Create your CV in minutes. Just follow our wizard and fill in every CV section with ready-made content. Get started by choosing a professional CV template.

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Thanks for reading and I trust you now have a better understanding of what is a letter of application and how to write one. If you’d like to know more about writing a letter of application then please don’t hesitate to ask in the comments section. We’ll be happy to help.

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Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.