How to write a job application letter, with a sample

A job application letter has three or four short paragraphs: the role and where you saw it, your strongest result that matches the job, why this organisation, and a close that points to your attached resume or CV. A formal letter adds addresses, a date, and a subject line. Keep it to one page.

An application letter has one job: get the reader to open your CV with interest. Most letters fail because they repeat the CV in full sentences, or say nothing a hundred other applicants couldn’t also say. A good one is short, specific to the job, and built around one or two results.

“Application letter” and “cover letter” mean the same thing. In the US and Canada, people say cover letter. In the UK, India, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, the Philippines, and many other countries, you’ll see both. Some employers still want a formal letter with addresses at the top. Others, especially remote and tech companies, are happy with a short email or a text box in an application form. This guide covers both.

The application letter format

A formal application letter has these parts, in this order:

1. Your address, top right, with your phone number and email below it.
2. The date, under your address.
3. The recipient’s name, title, and address, on the left. Use the person named in the advert if there is one, or “The Human Resource Manager.”
4. The salutation: “Dear Mrs Boateng,” if you know the name, or “Dear Sir/Madam,” if you don’t.
5. The subject line, in bold or capitals: APPLICATION FOR THE POSITION OF ACCOUNTS OFFICER.
6. Three or four short paragraphs (see below).
7. The closing: “Yours sincerely,” if you used their name, or “Yours faithfully,” if you wrote “Dear Sir/Madam.”
8. Your signature and full name.

Keep it to one page. If it runs over, cut.

What to say in each paragraph

Paragraph 1: the role and where you saw it. One or two sentences. Name the exact job title and where you found the advert, so HR can match your letter to the right vacancy.

Paragraph 2: your strongest proof. Pick the one or two results from your experience that match what the job does most. Give numbers where you have them. This paragraph does most of the work.

Paragraph 3: why this organisation. One or two sentences that show you know something about them: a product, an expansion, a problem they’re solving. Skip flattery like “your esteemed company.”

Paragraph 4: the close. Say your CV is attached, that you’re available for an interview, and how to reach you.

Sample job application letter

14 Palm Street
Accra, Ghana
+233 24 000 0000
ama.owusu@email.com

12 September 2026

The Hiring Manager, Finance
Northwind Logistics Ltd
12 King Street
Manchester M2 4LQ
United Kingdom

Dear Sir/Madam,

APPLICATION FOR THE POSITION OF FINANCE OPERATIONS ANALYST (REMOTE)

I am writing to apply for the remote Finance Operations Analyst position advertised on LinkedIn on 5 September 2026.

For the past three years I have worked as an accounts officer at Akwaaba Foods, a 200-person food manufacturer, where I prepare monthly management accounts in Sage and reconcile over 300 supplier accounts a month. Last year I cut our month-end close from 10 days to 6, and found $6,000 in duplicate supplier payments that we recovered. Before that, I ran weekly supplier payments for a UK logistics firm as a remote contractor, working with a team four time zones away.

Your recent expansion into Germany will mean more suppliers, more currencies, and more to reconcile. I would welcome the chance to help build that process from the start.

My CV is attached. I work on UTC+0, so my hours overlap fully with the UK team, and I am available for an interview at your convenience.

Yours faithfully,

(signature)

Ama Owusu

The names, numbers, and addresses are examples.

Sending your application by email

Many employers now accept applications by email. When they do:

• Subject line: the job title and your name. “Application for Assistant Finance Manager – Ama Owusu.”
• Email body: a short version of the letter. Paragraphs 1, 2, and 4 are enough.
• Attachments: your CV and, if the advert asks for it, the full letter, both as PDFs named with your name and the role.
• Send it to a person if you can. The HR inbox works, but a short note to the hiring manager as well can get your CV read sooner. Here’s who to message about a job.

Common mistakes

• Opening with “I humbly apply.” Be polite and direct. You’re offering skills, not asking a favour.
• Repeating the CV. The letter should pick the one or two things that matter for this job, not list everything.
• Sending the same letter everywhere. HR managers can tell. Change at least the first and third paragraphs for each job.
• Forgetting the job title. Large organisations hire for many roles at once.
• Typos in names. Check the company name and the recipient’s name twice.

After you send it

If you hear nothing in a week, follow up politely. Here are follow-up email templates for every stage. And make sure the resume or CV you attach is as strong as the letter: how to write a resume walks through every section.

Common questions

Is an application letter the same as a cover letter?

Yes. People in the US and Canada say cover letter; in the UK, India, Nigeria, Kenya, and many other countries you’ll see both terms for the same document.

Should I end with Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully?

Use “Yours sincerely” when you addressed the reader by name and “Yours faithfully” after “Dear Sir/Madam.”

Can I send my application letter in the body of an email?

Yes, when the employer accepts email applications. Use a short version in the email body and attach the full letter and your resume as PDFs if the advert asks for them.

How Appyl does this

Cover Letter Studio researches the company, asks only for what it can’t find, and writes a letter where every sentence rests on a real fact about you.

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