Application-Letter-Vs.-Cover-Letter

ApplicationLetterVs.CoverLetter2013年11月20日9:53Therearesubtledifferencesbetweenapplicationlettersandcoverletters.However,thetermscoverandapplicationaresometimesusedinterchangeably.Anapplicationletterisoftenintendedtostandonitsown,whereasacoverlettergenerallycan'tbetheapplicant'sonlydocumentsubmittedtoexpressinterestinajobopening.IntroductionCoverletterstypicallycontainabriefintroduction.Theintroductionforacoverletterconsistsofthreetofoursentencesaboutthejobseeker'sworkexperiences,education,accomplishmentsandthetypeoforganizationshefeelsarebestsuitedforhisqualifications.Ontheotherhand,anapplicationlettermightcontainamoreextensiveintroductionsimplybecausethisletterservesapurposethat'ssimilartotheresume.WorkHistoryAnapplicationlettergenerallycontainsabriefdescriptionofthejobseeker'sworkhistoryorprofessionalexperience.Anapplicationletteroftencansubstituteforaresumeand,therefore,requiresthatthejobseekerincludespecificinformationaboutherworkhistoryandprofessionalcompetencies.Acoverlettershouldn'tcontaintoomuchinformationaboutthejobseeker'sworkhistorybecauseit'smerelyanintroductiontotheresume.It'sacceptableforacoverlettertoreferencethejobseeker'sworkhistoryinasentenceortwoabouthercurrentorpreviousemployer;however,itshouldn'tcontaindetailsaboutprofessionalexperience.CompletenessAcoverletterisateaser.Itsintentistocapturethereader'sattentionenoughtomaketherecruiterorhiringmanagerwanttoreviewtheresume.Thecoverlettershouldcontainjustenoughinformationthatitdoesn'tgiveawayeverythingabouttheapplicant.Anapplicationletter,ontheotherhand,isamorecompletedocument.Itdescribestheapplicant'seducationalbackground,certificationsandlicenses,andinsomecases,salaryhistoryforjobpostingsthatrequireit.AppropriatenessWhenanemployerspecificallyrequiresacoverletterandresume,that'swhatthejobseekershouldsubmit.It'srelativelyrarethananemployerwillacceptanapplicationletterinlieuofacoverletterandresume.Thetwoapproachesaredifferentandemployersuseapplicationlettersinfrequently,whencomparedtohowtheyusecoverlettersandresumes.Anapplicationletterismoreappropriateforunsolicitedinterest,orwhenthereisn'tajobposting.Forexample,anapplicationlettercouldbemailedtoseveralemployersthataren'tadvertisingspecificjobsvacanciesasawaytoprovideamoreextensiveintroductiontoprospectiveemployers.UsesAcoverletterisalmostalwaysusedtoexpressinterestinemployment.Anapplicationlettercanbeusedforemploymentpurposes;however,itcanalsobeusedforapplyingforaplaceinanacademicprogramoraninternshipprogram.Employersdon'talwaysrequirecoverletter,butit'salwaysagoodideatouseacoverletter.Ontheotherhand,anapplicationlettermightbetheonlyrequirementsoughtbyschoolsoremployers—withanapplicationletter,itmaynotalwaysbenecessarytoincludearesume.Althoughtheyarecommonlythoughtofasthesamething,applicationlettersandcoverlettershavesignificantlydifferentpurposes.Whilebothdocumentsaccompanyarésumé,understandingtheirdifferenceswillhelpyouorganizeyourdocumentsduringthejobapplicationprocess.1.FunctionoAsexplainedbytheUniversityofNorthCarolinaWritingCenter,thefunctionofanapplicationletteristo“marketyourskills,abilitiesandknowledge.”Theapplicationletterservestosupplementyourrésuméand/orformalapplication.Ontheotherhand,thecoverlettersimplyacknowledgesthetransmissionofthedocuments.FocusoWhenwritinganapplicationletter,theUniversityofNorthCarolinarecommendsthreemainareasoffocus.Youwanttocatchthereader’sattention,provideaconvincingargumentthatyouarequalifiedforthejobandrequestaninterviewfortheposition.Thefocusofthecoverletteristosimplyidentifyyourselfasthesender,alongwiththepersontowhomyouaresendingtheinformationandthereasonforitbeingsent.ContentoFortheapplicationletter,provideasmanydetailsaboutyourqualificationsaspossible.Includeyouroverallobjective,previousworkandleadershipexperience,educationalbackground,specialskillsandcontactinformation.Onthecoverletter,includecontactinformationforyourselfandthepersontowhomyouaresendingthedocuments.Youshouldalsoaddabriefexplanationofwhyyouaresendingtheinformation.FormatoAnapplicationlettershouldbeonetypedpageincludingthreeparagraphs.Introduceyourselfandyourobjectiveinthefirstparagraph,sellyourselfinthesecondparagraphandaskforaninterviewinthethirdparagraph.Thecoverlettershouldfeaturethecompletecontactinformationforthepersonreceivingthedocuments,alongwithafewsentencesexplainingthematerialandthesender’snameandcontactinformation.ImportanceoTheapplicationlettershouldaccompanyarésuméinmostsituations.Acoverletterisnotnecessaryifyouarehandingoutarésuméduringanetworkingevent(withnospecificjobintended)orhand-deliveringtherésuméduringascheduledinterview.Acoverletteristypicallyonlynecessarywhenelectronicallydeliveringthedocuments,suchasoverfaxoremail.