How To Write an Application Letter for a Job in Nigeria

Getting a job in Nigeria, especially faced with the current economic situation can be a tough task. After numerous preparations on how to write a CV, or answer interview questions, many are faced with the challenge of writing an application letter.

The truth is that not all jobs may require you to send an application but that doesn’t mean you should not send it to increase your chances of landing the job. 

You should work on a good application letter and attach it to your resume, the only exception to this is if the company asks you not to do so.

When applying for jobs, you should send or upload a job application letter, often known as a cover letter.

While your CV provides a summary of your work history as well as an explanation of your abilities and achievements, the job application letter you send to an employer shows why you are right for the role and should be considered for an interview.

A letter gives your application more personality by detailing your background and enthusiasm for the position, whereas a resume emphasizes your professional skills and expertise.

What is a Job Application Letter?

An application letter is a one-page document that you send to a potential employer to show your interest in a job opening. The cover letter for a job application explains who and what you are as a professional and as a person.

The letter should emphasize your accomplishments and skills in order to capture the attention of the recruiter who is assessing applications.

This letter, when written effectively, explains why the reader should invite you in for an interview and identifies key qualifications you have that meet the criteria for the position.

A job application letter can help you stand out from the crowd and impress a potential employer. You may also wish to demonstrate your familiarity with the organization in your cover letter.

You can discuss how your professional aims and goals connect with the company's objectives. It's critical to highlight characteristics of your personality in your job application letter.

An excellent application letter can pique the interest of the HR manager and persuade them to examine your resume.

A poor application letter, on the other hand, may result in your application being tossed in the trash.

To avoid this, knowing how to create a persuasive application letter is critical.

Application Letter Tips

Do some research before you start drafting your job application letter. Think about what information you'd like to include. Also bear in mind that you don’t have unlimited space for this.

Realize that this letter is a pitch for you to be considered for the position. However, rather than simply reiterating your resume, emphasize your most relevant skills, experiences, and abilities.

Follow these guidelines when writing a job application letter to ensure that you include all of the information a hiring manager requires:

1. Make your skills and abilities stand out. An application letter is your chance to market yourself as a viable contender for the job opening.

Give specific examples of when you displayed talents or qualities that are relevant to the job, particularly those specified in the job advert or specification.

Include instances of times when you contributed value to a firm if necessary.

Add concrete instances of times when you used your experience, abilities, and skills to help the company. It's also a good idea to offer facts to back up your statements.

2. Be precise. It's enticing to give a lot of comprehensive information about oneself, but it's vital to keep it short. When a hiring manager receives a letter that is several pages long, they may not read it. A short letter is easier to manage and more enticing.

3. Check the letter for errors. You want to make a good first impression with this letter, so make it as positive as possible. To avoid a possible poor initial impression, make sure your letter is free of grammatical and typographical problems.

Ensure to proofread your cover letter with tools like Grammarly before sending it out, or have a friend do it for you.

4. Examine the keywords in the job posting. Most job advertising will specify which talents and qualities the recruiting manager and supervisor are looking for. 

Incorporating these keywords into your application letter will assist the individual in examining it to see why you would be a good fit for that particular position.

5. Write a letter for each role you apply for. Unless a job posting clearly indicates that an application letter is not required, you should send one for each position you apply for.

This letter allows a prospective employer to understand more about you while also allowing you to differentiate yourself from other candidates.

6. Always create one. You should always send a letter of application or cover letter unless the job posting clearly states not to. Even if the firm does not request one, it is always a good idea to include one.

If you are asked to send a letter, make sure you follow the instructions carefully.

For instance, you might be asked to send the letter as an email attachment, or type it directly into their online application system.

When instructions are clearly stated don’t attempt to do otherwise. Don’t assume you know what is best. Just simply follow the given instructions.

What is the Proper Format for an Application Letter?

Follow these steps when drafting a job application letter to ensure that you include data about yourself and your relevant expertise that will appeal to a recruiter:

1. Make use of a professional layout. An email to a colleague or acquaintance should not be more professional than a job application letter. Single spacing, one-inch margins, and left alignment should all be included in the document's alignment.

Use a professional and traditional font at a size of 10 to 12 points, such as Times New Roman. Keep your cover letter for a job application to one page.

When a hiring manager reads your job application letter, it will give them their first picture of you as a possible employee, so make it professional and simple.

2. Develop the headline. For your job application letter, use a professional business header. Your name and contact details, the date, and the company name and address should all be included in the headline.

If you're sending your job application letter through email, you can skip the header and insert your name and contact details after the signature at the bottom of the email.

3. The letter should be addressed to the hiring manager.

As you carry out your investigation for the job, attempt to know the name of the person who will be examining the job applications. Use a standard business greeting, such as "Dear Mr./Ms." and their last name in your letter to this person.

No one wants to employ someone who spams 15 or more firms in the hopes of getting recruited at one of them.

If that is the case, how can you figure out who is in charge of hiring? This can be accomplished in a number of ways.

The most straightforward way is to search for the relevant department's head on LinkedIn, where you will almost certainly find them.

If you can't discover the person examining your application's preferred gender pronouns, such as (she/her, them/they), you can use “Dear (their first and last name)” or “Dear Hiring Manager.”

How to write an Application Letter for a Job

You don't have to be perplexed or even hire someone else to write your application letter; they may not know you and your skills as well as you do, even if they can work with the facts you provide.

You have the option of working with professionals or writing a strong application letter yourself.

If you're not sure how to write an application letter, follow these steps:

1. Examine facts of the company and the position. It's recommended to compose a new application letter for each job you're looking for so you may include relevant information and demonstrate your interest in the open position.

Take some time to look over the firm information and the job posting, which you can probably find on the website. Match your credentials and experience to the competencies listed in the job description.

You could also identify particular accomplishments that have equipped you for the position, such as managing a large event or being the leader of a particular team.

2. Begin the letter by expressing your interest. Specify the job role for which you're seeking and where you read the job advertisement in the opening paragraph of your letter.

Include your personal interest in the career and firm so the reader understands that this is not a simple application letter. Briefly describe your key experience or skill that qualifies you for the position.

This is the portion that will grab the hiring manager's attention as a reader of your application letter, so make your case simple and quick.

3. Describe your background and qualifications. The next few sections of your letter should focus on your experience, qualifications, and skills, all of which should be aligned with the company's aims and mission.

If you're seeking employment with a charitable organization that gives educational opportunities to marginalized community members, for instance, you might discuss your previous work experience with nonprofits or educational offerings.

Because a job application letter should stand alone without a resume, it's a good idea to add details about your background that are relevant to the position you're looking for.

Here you can also include why you are fit for the job.

You present your professional abilities and persuade the HR manager that you are the best candidate for the job.

But first, understand what the most critical needs for the role are before you write anything. So, open the job post and figure out which activities are the most important.

4. Include personal characteristics. Consider how you might infuse pieces of your personality into your job application letter while being professional.

A warm and engaging letter will certainly pique the reader's interest, especially if they can get a sense of how well you would fit into the team.

Express in your letter how you are adept at relating with children or how you embrace community spirit.

5. Show your gratitude. Appreciate the hiring manager for taking the time to read it and consider you for the role, this should be done before you sign off on your letter

Because the hiring manager has taken time out of their day to examine what you've written, thanking them for their time is a courteous and professional way to end the letter.

6. Sign and date as you close the letter. Most people sign off their letters with "Sincerely" or "Best Regards" but any professional signature is acceptable.

Your entire name should be on the last line of the letter. If you're sending a hard copy of the letter, sign it above your typed name.

Instead of placing your contact information in the headline of an email application letter, you should add it beneath your name.

Submitting your Application  Letter for a Job

Your job application letter's layout will be determined by how you intend to deliver it to the recruiting manager or supervisor.

If you want to email the application letter instead of mailing it, the formatting will be different. Your contact information should appear below your typed full name at the bottom of an email.

It's also vital to think about what subject line to use when emailing a job application letter so that the recruiter opens and reads it.

When the recruiting manager scans their inbox, the subject line you included first appears, followed by your name and email address.

The subject line you choose determines whether you read or delete an email, so it's your chance to make a good first impression with your subject line.

It is not something to be careless about or just put anything that comes to your mind.

Professional, courteous, relevant, and succinct subject lines are the ideal ones.

It is critical to include the title of the position for which you are seeking when submitting a job application email.

Keeping your subject line specific also aids the reader in properly categorizing and responding to the email. Ensure your subject line is error-free.

Template for a Job Application Letter

Bear in mind that an application letter is an addition to your resume, not a substitute. That is, you do not simply restate what is in your CV.

If this is your first experience writing a cover letter, all of this may seem daunting. You're likely not a professional writer.

The fact is, you don't need to be particularly creative or skilled at writing. All you have to do is stick to a format.

When writing your job application letter, keep the following template in mind:

[Your name]

[Your address]

[Your electronic mail address]

[Your contact information]

[Date]

[Hiring manager or supervisor's name]

[Hiring manager or supervisor title]

[Name of Organization]

[Organization address]

[Dear Mr./Ms.] Salutation

[State where you saw the job posting and why you want to work in this position.]

[State some of the past accomplishments that might qualify you for the position.]

[Explain your previous experience in a way that highlights your personality and skills while also demonstrating how you connect with the company's aims.]

[Thank the hiring manager for taking the time to read your letter.] If necessary, include any follow-up details.]

Closing [Sincerely, Best Regards]

[Insert your signature]

[Your name (If printed)]

Summary of what an application letter is all about

With only a few key points, you'll have a good idea of what an application letter is and how to write one.

Having such knowledge at your fingertips would be really beneficial since you never know when you might need to write an application letter on the spur of the moment.

You might also help friends or anyone who needs help writing an application letter.

When you master it, it can become a side hustle for you, since you can charge a fee to assist individuals to write a captivating application letter.

Here are the key points to note:

• An application letter is a 250-400 word document that demonstrates your skills to the hiring manager.

• Along with your CV, you should include an application letter with your job application.

• Your application letter's introduction should attract the interest of the hiring manager and maintain it until the end.

• In your application letter, you should address two primary points: why you're the best candidate for the position and why you want to work for the organization you're applying to.

• The majority of your application letter's content should be factual, with no fluff or generalization.

source: Hub For Jobs