A cover letter and an application letter are two very different things, however, not a lot of people are able to differentiate one from the other. If you also do not quite understand the difference between these two, or you want to learn more about their features, then read this article very carefully to learn.
What is difference between cover letter and application letter?
Simply put, a cover letter is a document sent with, and explaining another document; it is never an independent document and cannot be sent on its own. Most of the time cover letters are sent along with other important files to introduce and explain one or more other documents.
An application letter, on the other hand, can be used independently.
In order for you to better understand the difference, we will give details about each document and how to compose them properly.
What is a cover letter?
Cover letters are sometimes attached to resumes submitted by applicants; even though it is not always compulsory to attach one, it is a good way to establish contact with an employer, catch his interest and show your individuality.
- A cover letter can be beneficial to complement and clarify your main document for employment. It is also a good way to show your interest in a position, convince an employer to invite you to an interview and generally to increase the likelihood of a positive decision.
- A cover letter can be sent to the employer before the resume in order to offer your services.
- You can send a cover letter after sending your CV to clarify some details, convince the administration to invite you for an interview and or tell them why you should be hired.
You can also send it after the interview to express your gratitude and thereby increase your chances of being hired.
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A cover letter is a document, and like all other documents, it has its own rules of compilation.
1. Scope
Try to make your main points known using about 10 sentences separated by several paragraphs. Your goal is to attract the attention of an employer and to interest him. If your cover letter is too long, he may only glance through casually or not even read it at all.
2. Content
A cover letter should not be a duplicate of your resume, but contain useful additions. Show your awareness about the company's business, explain why you want to work in it and how you can make the company grow. You can also talk about your relevant working experience if there is any. If you are applying for a job that requires more working experience than you posses, the cover letter is a good place to prove that you have enough knowledge to cope with the position. If there is any negative factor present in your resume, it is always best to start explaining them first before the good ones.
3. Language and style
Your cover letter should be formal and professional; do not use slangs, smileys, etc. It is however unnecessary to use difficult professional words, after all, the HR manager hardly knows the subtleties of your work. You can show your professionalism at the interview. Do not forget to thank the addressee in the end.
It is true that a cover letter is not the key to success, but when combined with a powerful resume, good self-presentation, interview and other factors, your chances will increase significantly.
Features of an application letter
This document can be a full-fledged substitute for the resume. In this case, you also show your desire to get a vacant position, but in a more detailed format. Sometimes companies provide candidates with standard letterhead forms which indicate the questions their administration is interested in; these forms just need to be filled in and submitted via post or email.
However, if an employer asks you to send an application letter but does not specify what exactly they want you to write, these tips should help:
To prepare an excellent application letter for a job opportunity, you need to know how to properly arrange the relevant information about yourself and your professional experience.
There is no single perfect way to place these details in your resume, but there are a few popular formats you can follow; it is way more convenient to use them than to try and invent something new.
You can use the following sequence:
- Name, contact information, personal information
- Purpose and desired salary level (optional)
- Experience
- Education
- Professional skills
- Additional Information
2. Name, contact details, personal information
This included the following information:
- Surname
- Name
- Email address
- Phone
- City of residence
- All other data are optional.
3. Purpose and desired level of wages
Specify this information according to your desire; this is not always necessary considering your desired pay can be discussed in details during the interview, and you can also briefly describe your goals in your cover letter.
4. Experience
It is recommended that you mention your last 5-9 years of working experience. Experience should be indicated chronologically, starting with the last job. Accordingly, the functions performed at the last place of work need to be described in more details.
5. Education
If you have been working for a long time, it is recommended that you briefly mention details of your education; however, fresh graduates or students need to describe everything concerning their educational qualifications in details, including successful coursework, diploma, work practice, etc.
Courses, training, seminars and other educational events can also be specified; just remember that they must be relevant to the vacancy you hope to fill.
6. Professional skills
This section identifies all the skills and competencies relevant to the vacancy for which the application letter is compiled.
There is one main recommendation for this section - do not mention cliche’ things like responsibility, learning abilities, dedication, leadership, high efficiency, stress resistance or aspiration for career growth. Many people write these things without even thinking about it; do not be like "everyone", learn to stand out from the crowd.
7. Additional information
In this section you can specify everything that was not included in the previous sections, but could be relevant for the vacancy in question. Here you can indicate your personal qualities, personal successes, hobbies and other interesting things you want the employer to know.
It is very important to remember that you need to fill out each section in accordance with your desired position, and not make a standard application letter that can be used generally.
We have described each document in details and hope that the difference between an application letter and a cover letter is now clear to you. The above information will help you make a good impression and get the job of your dream. We wish you good luck and success in your career!
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Source: Naij.com
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