The letter of application introduces you and your CV to a recruitment consultant or potential employer. Such a letter should contain three distinct parts:

1. Introduction and statement of source
2. Statement of relevance to role advertised
3. Conclusion

Introduction and Statement of Source
The first section should clearly state the source of the advertisement, ie the newspaper name, Internet or other source, the date that it was advertised, the job number and reference number, if provided. Examples of the first paragraph in a letter of application are: "I am writing to express my interest in applying for the role of Sales Manager, advertised in The Times on 13 May, 2000, Reference number MX/67845."

or

"Following our recent conversation, I am writing to express my interest in the position of Architect that was advertised on your Internet site on 13 February, 2000." The purpose of this first paragraph is to clearly put you in the running for the job you have applied for. Busy recruiters recruit a number of positions with similar titles at the same time, and advertise these on similar dates. The first paragraph should give you a fighting chance for the job by at least getting your application into the right pile.

Statement of Relevance to Advertised Role
The second section of your letter of application should clarify why you are an appropriate candidate for this particular job. In preparing to write the second section, you should read the advertisement clearly and identify the selection criteria articulated in the advertisement. You should also be guided by conversations that you have had with recruitment consultants or company recruiters, so that you clearly understand what they think is important in the role. They often give you extra clues that are not in the advertised media. How you express this section is up to you. For example, you might be more comfortable with the succinct: "I believe I am ideally suited to this role because I have over 15 years experience in sales, tertiary qualifications, managed accounts in excess of £10,000 etc, etc" or you may prefer bullet-point form, for example: "I believe I am ideally suited to this role because":

• I have 15 years experience in sales
• I have tertiary qualifications in sales and marketing
• I have managed accounts well in excess of £10,000

Concluding Section
In concluding your letter, express your interest in the job and provide any particular contact details that may be unique, for example: "I look forward to discussing this application with you in the near future. I can be contacted on XXX or alternatively, XXX during work hours." Another example might be: "I look forward to discussing this application with you in greater detail in the near future and will be available for interview at a mutually convenient time."