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Preparation for Letter Writing: Word Choice and Layouts



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)

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.


[1] www.google.com/kehb115.pdf
[2] https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/balogun/Doc12.pdf

[3] https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/balogun/Doc12.pdf
[4] https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/balogun/Doc12.pdf

[5] https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/balogun/Doc12.pdf

[6] https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/balogun/Doc12.pdf

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