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Most of the time, job application in Nigeria stands out when you include an application letter that expresses your interest in a job, stating your skills, competencies, and experience and showing the employer why you are the ideal potential hire to fill the job role.

This article is aimed at answering the following questions;

Do you need an application letter for employment?

An application letter for any position format?

An Application letter template that could be modified to suit the role you’re applying for?

In a scenario, when the job description does not include an application letter, such as some part-time jobs, factory jobs, or dispatch rider jobs writing one will help you highlight your skills and achievements at a glance and get the hiring manager’s attention.

What is a Job application Letter?

An application letter is a formal document written to a potential employer to express your interest in an open position. The job application letter highlights why you are a professional and an individual, showing your achievements and skills, and helping to get the attention of the hiring manager or recruiter responsible for reviewing applications.

This letter should be interesting enough to the recruiter or hiring manager, highlighting the key qualifications that make you a fit for the role, and creating thoughts in his heart to request an interview.

A job application letter also focuses on key competencies that set you apart from other applicants showing your familiarity with the role, and company to which you’re applying.
This application letter shows how your personality, professional goals and aspirations align with the company’s goals.

Difference between a Cover Letter and an Application Letter.

• In most cases the application letter and the cover letter perform almost the same function, they are different as an application letter is intended to stand alone, while a cover letter is usually sent alongside a CV or resume.
• An application letter directly states your skills, competencies, personality, and goals as they align to the organization, while a cover letter highlights information on the CV or does not contain too much information about the job seekers because it is merely an introduction of the CV/resume
• A cover letter contains a brief introduction that consists of three to four sentences about the potential hire/job seeker’s experience, skills, education, and accomplishments, stating clearly why the job seeker is the best candidate to fill the job. While an application letter may have an extensive introduction as it stands alone just like the CV.
• A cover letter is written with the intention to capture the recruiter or hiring manager’s attention enough to review the CV or resume, thus inviting the job seeker for an interview. An application letter is mostly used by a job seeker to show interest in an unsolicited job.

How to write a Cover letter
Dear Sir/Madam
Application for employment
I hereby apply for this Position. I believe that my experience and qualifications will make me a valuable asset to your organisation. Below are the reasons why I think I am the best candidate for this position

— Collen Kagiso Mogwera ???????? (@kagisodoc) June 1, 2020

Download, a free cover letter template to boost your job application.

Why You Need an Application Letter for a Job

For jobs in Nigeria, an application letter serves as a formal introduction between you and your prospective employer, and in most cases helps you get ahead of other job seekers giving your potential hire a reason why you are ahead of other applicants.

Nigeria which has a much more competitive circle in comparison with what happens when jobs are advertised with thousands of applicants showing interest, an applicant letter helps you stand out.

Learn how to write a stunning cover letter with a free cover letter sample now.

Steps to Writing an Application Letter

Writing an application letter for jobs in Nigeria requires the following steps;

1. Research and understanding the company and Job role.
2. Decision on the Application format narration
3. Address Heading of the letter
4. Address the letter to the HR, Hiring manager & recruiter.
5. Introduction describing your interest
6. Describe your relevant experience and qualifications
7. Include key aspects that stand you as an applicant.
8. Express gratitude for an opportunity
9. Close the letter

 

1. Research & Understanding the company and Job Role: Research is a very important tool in writing an application letter, the first step is understanding the company and job role you’re applying for making it clear what you want to achieve, and all the things that you want your prospective employer to know that make you stand out as a potential hire.

Creating an outline of your application letter based on your research and understanding of the company will make it easy for you to write your application letter because you have the structure planned out already.

2. Decision on the Application format narration: Once you concluded the structure based on research, understanding of the company and job role for your application letter, based on you should create a rough draft of the application letter before writing the original one.

Once you’ve created a draft of your application letter don’t worry about grammatical errors and punctuation errors, this would aid in developing a prototype application letter.

3. Address Heading of the letter: Addressing the header of the application letter is important, but Salutation is one aspect of the application letter that the employer or hiring manager will likely see first as soon as they open the application letter and require it to be written with care.

Important salutation tips before you start writing your application letter:

• Include a comma at the end of your salutation
• Addressing more than one recipient, in the application process you should address the recipient as ‘Dear Sirs/Madams’.
• If the recipient name of the application is unknown, you should address the hiring manager or recruiter as ‘Dear Sir/Madam’.
• If the recipient’s gender (hiring manager or recruiter) is not known, you should address him/her by the full name. Like; ‘Dear David Samuel’.

 4. Address the letter to the HR, hiring manager & recruiter: How you address the hiring manager or recruiter is important as he/she can sense your tone from the way that you write. Treating the recipients with respect when you are writing your application letter, be polite and use formal language when you are writing not to using any slang or ambiguous words.

5. Introduction describing your interest: Describing your interest you should be brief as much as you can giving your prospective employers reasons why are the best candidate for the job role.

Due to the high number of applications Employers receive especially in Nigeria, they may not be able to spend time reading your application letter. Your application letter stands out when you mention the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph because this is what the recruiter or hiring manager will likely look at first.

6. Describe your relevant experience and qualifications: Tailoring your application to the job and company by describing your relevant experience and qualification for that role you are applying for and the company will give your prospective employer the mindset that you are passionate about the job and the company and helping the company achieve their set goals and objectives, offering value.

Prospective hires or recruiters look forward to hiring people who are offering value, with the right skills, competence and passion for the job. Tailoring your application letter with these criteria may be all you need to land the job of your dreams.

7. Include key aspects that stand you as an applicant: It is important to include key aspects that stand you out as an applicant, unless a handwritten letter is requested, you should send a typed and computer-generated document. Typing your document clearly using these outlines will help you present a well-aligned, clear, and easy-to-read document.

It’s important to use Quality Paper If you are sending a hard copy application letter to the employer’s office, make sure you use a good and quality paper.

Proofreading your application letter repeatedly will help you see grammatical or typographical errors that you would need to fix before you send your application letter. You can read your application letter out loud to yourself to see some errors.

 10. Close the letter: When you are sending your application letter to the hiring manager or recruiter, you should make sure that your tone matches the tone of the letter. A formal application letter closing note should be polite, courteous, and respectful.

These are common closing that you can use to end your application letter:

• ‘Faithfully Yours’
• ‘Sincerely’ or your ‘faithfully’
• ‘Your Truly’

If you need an Application Letter for any specific role leave a comment and I will upload it in 24 hours.

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Tags: application letter in Nigeria