CHAPTER
I
INTRODUCTION
Writing a letter is not as easy as you think. Apart from style and
formatting, you must first learn about the company and meet the needs of the
job (experience, skills) outlined in the job offer. Here are our tips for
writing an effective cover letter.
Before you start writing a cover letter, you should already have a resume
that matches the description of the job you are applying for. The resume will
help you think your letter more clearly and keep your objective in view. This
being said, the cover letter is as important as and sometimes even more
important than your resume. Unlike the resume which can sometimes be
impersonal, the cover letter will provide the first direct contact between you
and the recruiter. You will disclose facets of your personality through your
choice of words and phrasing which is why special care must be brought to the
writing of such a letter.
It is a lot easier to write a good cover letter if you know exactly what
kind of job you are applying for and in what type of business. The more you
know about the job and its environment, the better the letter will be. This
does not mean that you should content yourself with a laudatory speech on the
firm but rather try to focus on what makes you so perfect for this particular
firm in this particular position.
You should also try to use the name of the person who will read you. A
letter that is addressed to the employer specifically will be more likely to
attract his attention. Do not hesitate to contact the company in person or by
phone to find out the name of this person. This will only show greater
motivation and knowledge of recruiting procedures. (See section in resume
writing for “how to prepare a good resume”)
CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION
A.
Preparation
for Letter Writing: Word Choice and Layouts
1.
Definition
of Letter Writing
Letter writing is a marketing tool intended to generate interest in you and get
the reader excited about reviewing your accompanying
resume. The cover letter should succinctly articulate your interest and enthusiasm
for both the company and specific position, and demonstrates how your unique
background,skills and experiences make you an excellent fit for both the
position and organization to which you are applying.
Not only that, Letter-writing is a skill that has to
be developed. In general there are two types of letters: formal, that are
written to convey official business and information and informal, which are
personal letters to communicate with friends and family. Formal letters are
sent out when we need to write to various public bodies or agencies for our
requirements in civic life. For example, we might have to ask for a certificate
or to inform a change in our address. A letter is usually one in a series of
exchanges between two people or parties.[1]
2. Tips For an Effective
Letter Writing
a.
Make Your Letter Employer-Centered.
Design your letters to be work-centered and
employer-centered not self-centered. Your letters are marketing tools that
should address the needs of employers and evoke a desire for them to learn more
about you. Stress the benefits of your employment for the reader.
b.
Write a Draft First.
You can edit a draft several times and still
finish quicker than writing a final copy first.
c.
Simplicity is the Key to Clarity, Quickness and Credibility.
Respect the reader’s time. Your letter should
inform, interest, and establish rapport with the reader. Ask for the reader to
take an action, and make the action convenient to take.
d.
Keep Your Letters to One Page with Three Targeted Paragraphs or Sections.
Eliminate extraneous words and avoid
rehashing material from your resume. Say what you mean directly without a lot
of verbiage. Demonstrate you understand the value of the reader’s time by being
as brief as possible.
e.
Be Positive in Content, Tone, Word Choice and Expectations.
Some
of the most common problems with letters are they are poorly organized,
confusing, unclear, and choppy. Keep your letter flowing smoothly and watch
your transitions.
f.
Tailor Your Letters for Each Position.
Your cover letter is a bridge between your
resume and the position. Review whatever information you know about the open
position. Address the key points from your research or the advertisement when
highlighting your qualifications. You may want to include additional
information not mentioned in your resume. Be honest – back up your claims with
evidence and specific examples from your experience.
g.
Keep Your Letters Personal, Warm and Professional.
Avoid being either overly familiar or overly intrusive
in tone. Remember business letters are formal. Be timely. Demonstrate that you
know how to do business for yourself and, by implication, for others.
h.
Salutation:
Always address your letters to a specific
individual with his or her correct title and business address. When addressing
a woman, the safest choice is “Ms.” unless you know for sure that a woman is married
and prefers “Mrs.”
i.
Format/Layout:
Polish your writing style. Good writing
requires good editing. Produce an error-free, clean copy. Stand back and take a
visual look at the entire letter.
3.
Types
of Letter Writing[2]
As
we know that, letter writing is a correspondence which could be formal,
informal and semi formal between two parties like a person or an organization,
an establishment representing a person. Actually, there are three types of
letter that means to communicate. Each of types has unique formats or formal
features what could generally be refer to as conventions.
a. Formal/official
letter and its formal features
A formal or an official letter is the
correspondence between a superior and a subordinate in an establishment or any
correspondence done in an official setting for official purposes. Irrespective
of the informal relationship existing between the parties involved in a formal
letter, the correspondence must be formalized by adhering to the tenets of this
letter writing types. All applications, business letter and all correspondences
that can’t formality belong to this category of letter writing.
|
Example
of the format of a formal letter:
Ritu
Patel
Manager,
Customer Services
Vijayanagar
Gas Company
121,
Ameerpet
Hyderabad
500 016
12
November 2005
Mr
Shagun Thomas
801,
Vijay Apartments
Begumpet
Hyderabad
500 016
Sub:
Your application No. F323 for a new gas connection
Dear
Mr Thomas,
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
With
regards,
Yours
sincerely,
Ritu
Patel
|
Nowadays
all the parts of a letter are aligned on the left. This style is called the
Full-Block style.[3]
1) The
date and signature are very important in letters.
2) We
do not use commas after every line in the address.
3) Do
not begin your letters with hackneyed expressions like, ‘With reference to your
letter dated 10 January’. Instead, use personalized variations like, ‘I was
glad to receive your letter of 10 January…’ or ‘We were happy to note from your
letter that the goods have reached you safely…’
4) Never
end your letters with hanging participles like ‘Thanking you’ or ‘Awaiting your
reply’. Instead write, ‘Thank you’ or ‘We/I await/look forward to your reply’.
b. Informal/
Friendly Letter and its formal features
This
type of letter is termed a friendly letter because it doesn’t carry any element
of formality. Rather it uses much familiarity in its presentation. It’s formal
features are:
·
The writer’s address and date
·
Salutation
·
The Body
·
Complimentary Close or subscription name
The
earlier discussion on the writer’s address and date, and the body of the letter
as reflected in a formal letter is applicable to those features in an informal
letter. However, the format for salutation, complimentary close or subscription
and name in an informal letter is different from that of a formal letter.
Salutation
in an informal letter is multiple. It is multiple in the sense that there is a
kind of familiarity between the writer and the recipient of an informal letter.
For this reason the salutation is expected to address the name of the recipient
rather than any other title. Thus, salutation in an informal letter could be
Dear John or John, etc.
Informal letters include personal letters. If it is
a personal letter the format is flexible. We might just write the name of our
city on top, followed by the date.[4]
|
Example of informal letter:
Hyderabad
12
November 2005
Dear
Sujata,
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
Bye,
Yours
affectionately/With love/
All
the best/Take care etc.
(Signature)
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There
are format of the informal letter:
1.
Your address
(but not your name) usually goes in the top right hand corner, but may go on
the left too.
2.
The name
and/or job title (if you know them) and the address of the person you are
writing to goes on the left.
3.
To address
someone whose name you do not know you can write: Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear
Sirs, Dear Sir/Madam.
4.
To address
someone by name, use their title and surname e.g. Dear Dr Balakrishnan.
5.
To end a
letter, use ‘Yours sincerely’, if you have addressee the person by name; ‘Yours
faithfully’, if you have begun the letter with ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Madam’, etc.[5]
c.
Semi Formal
Letter and its Formal Features
This type of letter has dual “nationality” in the
sense that it has a few formal features of a formal letter and some formal
features of an informal letter. It is neither formal nor informal. Others than
duality, its writers address and date, recipients address and body have the
same format and structure with those letter types already discussed.
The formal features of a semi formal letter are the
writer’s address and date, sometime the recipient’s address, salutation, the
body, complimentary close, or subscription name. The possession of a
recipient’s address and a complimentary close that is peculiar makes this type
of letter semi – formal. It shares common recipients address, salutation and
name with a formal letter while it shares the same writer’s address and body
with both formal and informal letters. [6]
|
Example
of semi formal letter:
Obagidan
Commercial College,
Ogbe
– Loko,
PO
– BOX 12,
Ogbe,
Kogi
State.
May
12th, 2008.
The
Paramount Ruler,
Ogbokolo
Palace,
Ogbokolo
Kingdom.
Dear
Sir,/ Your Royal Lighness,
I am short of words to express my gratitude to
you for the hospitality, I enjoyed in your palace on the May 12th,
2008 when I was going to Ogbonda to attend the conference of All Nigerian
Students Association (ANSA). Your quick intervention rescued me from a
mistaken identity. I was to suffer in the hands of the law enforcement agent
in that area. In addition to this, I am also grateful to you for
accommodating me for a night and your financial assistance with which I was
able to accomplish my mission.
I want to use this medium to plead with you not
to relent in doing good because someday this will turn out to transform
humanity. Thank You Sir.
Your
Sincerely
Balogun,
L.M.J.
|
B. Word Choice in Letter Writing
(Formal and Informal Letter)[7]
A
good letter should consist of:
1) An
appropriate greeting (Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Kathy, Dear Mr Brown)
2) An
introduction clearly stating the reason you are writing
3) A
main body in which the subject is developed. Begin a new paragraph for each
main point
4) A final paragraph in which you sum up the
topic or express your wish for something to be done
5) An
appropriate ending (Yours/Best wishes, + first name, Yours sincerely, Yours
faithfully, + full name).
The
characteristic of formal style in letters are:
1) The
greeting (Dear Mrs Lee, Dear Sir,)
2) Frequent use of the passive
3) Formal
language ( complex sentences, non-colloquial English)
4) No
abbreviated forms
5) The
ending (Yours sincerely,/Yours faithfully)
The
characteristic of informal style in letters are:
1) The
greeting (Dear Alex, Dear Dad)
2) Informal
language and style (idioms, colloquial English)
3) Abbreviated forms, pronouns omitted
4) The
ending (Yours/Love/Best wishes/Regards,Anthony)
4.
Layouts
“Layout” means the overall look of your page – from
the typefaces you choose, to your effective use of white space.
“White space” refers to
empty space on the page.
The following elements will constitute the formal
outlay:
1. Letterhead
This will include your
company's name, address, telephone number, fax number and email address.
Include your web address if available. Other information may be required
depending on the legal status of your business formation. Contact your legal
adviser for exact details.
2.
Name and address
Always include the
recipient's name, address and postal code. Add job title if appropriate. Double
check that you have the correct spelling of the recipient’s name.
3. Date
Always date your
letters. Never abbreviate January to Jan. 31.
4. Reference
These are optional.
They are a good idea if you have a large volume of correspondence. These days’
modern word processors made this an easy task to complete and maintain.
5. Salutations
The type of salutation
depends on your relationship with the recipient. Always try to personalize the
letter thus avoiding the dear sir/madam situation.
6. Subject
matter
Again this is optional,
but its inclusion can help the recipient in dealing successfully with the aims
of your letter. Normally the subject sentence is preceded with the word Re: It
should be placed one line below the greeting.
7. Communication
This will contain a number
of paragraphs, each paragraph dealing with one point and one point only.
8. Signature
The signature should be
clear and legible showing you are interested in the letter and consequently the
recipient. Your signature should also be followed underneath by a typed version
of your name and your job title.
9. Enclosures
If you include other
material in the letter, put 'Enclosure', 'Enc', or ' Ends ', as appropriate,
two lines below the last entry.
There are some advantages of using good techniques of
layout and white space:
a. If
your document looks good, people will be more likely to pick it up and read it.
b. Good
layout sets the right tone by making your document look professional..
c. An
effective layout helps readers know what the parts of a document are.
CHAPTER
III
CONCLUSION
From the discussion above we know that
letter writing is an important channel of communication between people who are
geographically distant from one another. So, it means that letter writing is
useful beside of social media that available in this modern era. Even though we
can access social media everywhere but letter writing is important in formal
situation.
There are nine tips
to make an effective letter writing
a.
Make Your Letter Employer-Centered.
b.
Write a Draft First.
c.
Simplicity is the Key to Clarity, Quickness and Credibility.
d.
Keep Your Letters to One Page with Three Targeted Paragraphs or Sections.
e.
Be Positive in Content, Tone, Word Choice and Expectations.
f.
Tailor Your Letters for Each Position.
g.
Keep Your Letters Personal, Warm and Professional.
h.
Salutation:
i.
Format/Layout:
Because of that, there are some types of letter
writing that we have to know:
a. Formal/official
letter and its formal features
b. Informal/
Friendly Letter and its formal features
c.
Semi Formal
Letter and its Formal Features
So, by
knowing about letter writing we can make a letter not only on formal situation
but also informal situation because it related with our daily life.
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