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You know that you can do the job better than other applicants. However, your potential hirer is not aware of it. But that’s for now. You can prove you are the best candidate with the assistance of a powerful letter of intent.
Also, your dream job may require writing a letter of intent unconditionally. If you are planning to apply for your first job, you may wonder about the meaning of a letter of intent. Do not hasten to scroll through Google to find out the necessary questions regarding LOI.
Are letters of intent and cover letters the same? What things should letters of intent include? How to write a letter of intent to be noticed by an employer? There is nothing to worry about since this article will respond to all important issues concerning this type of writing.
Below we will consider everything you should know about letters of intent. From definition to writing tips, the gathered information about LOI will be useful for you to create your own strong letter and be employed in the desired job.
Of course, it is better to begin familiarizing yourself with letters of intent with its definition. If we have a look in a dictionary we will discover letters of intent mean any letter that expresses an intention to take some action. Also, LOI is known as a written statement of the intention to conclude an official agreement.
As a rule, LOI can be regarded as an introductory letter to hirers with whom you desire to work. Usually, applicants send their letters to hiring managers or recruiters at organizations that have not posted vacancy announcements relevant to their experience. At first, one may think that letters of intent are similar to cover letters.
However, intent letters include less detail connected with a concrete job. LOI serves to assist applicants to express their interest in working for the company, why they are interested, and what abilities and strengths they have that the hirer might consider useful.
In simple words, this letter is a description of why the applicant fits the job the best. In the majority of cases, it should be a 3–4 paragraph description. Letters of intent are sometimes called letters of interest. With them, applicants have the possibility to state their intentions to work for specific organizations.
Let’s imagine, you look through a job posting and all things seem standard. You read information about requirements, approximate salary, detailed description of the job vacancy, etc. But you stumble upon the following sentence: Please, send a resume and letter of intent.
You probably have never heard of letters of intent. Do these letters mean the same as cover letters? You may be confused a bit.
To tell the truth, letters of intent and cover letters have a few things in common. Still, there are several differences between these types of letters as well. Let’s consider these distinctions so you do not confuse these letters and send the correct letter of intent to your employer.
| Letters of intent | Cover letters | |
| Content | – It represents an overview of your experience and makes mention of your interests. – By writing letters of intent you report about your education or work experience. Everything will depend on the situation. – Also, in this type of essay, you should point out why you desire to learn about opportunities with the organization. | – It involves information relevant to the job you orient. – You should begin your cover letter with a statement of your recognition of the organization and the concrete necessities of the job position. – Then, your task is to describe how your achievements and experiences go well together with those important job requirements. |
| Job-status | – Letters of interest or intent are usually submitted without admitting concrete job positions. – This type of letter normally brings to potential discussions about probable open vacancies now or in the nearest future. | – Cover letters are created in response to a concrete job vacancy. – It is usually sent along with your application, resume, and different materials asked by the hiring manager. |
| Timing | Applicants can submit letters of intent while still studying in college. This is especially handy if you search for an internship. If you are an employee, submitting a letter of interest is possible at any time when you desire to know about the organization’s opportunities. | Cover letters are submitted in full swing of a job search when candidates actively apply for definite positions. |
Before we proceed to find out how to start a letter of intent, there is a need to sort out its goals. Letters of interest or intent have their purposes as every type of writing.
The main goal of this letter is to grab the attention of the hiring manager. Properly created resumes will be greatly useful. However, it will not be so effective without a powerful letter of intent. At the same time, if you plan to be in a job position that hasn’t been posted, it is advisable to write the best letter of intent that will assist you to start a relationship with the hirer.
A letter of intent is utilized as a means of representation to personalize your application and bind the hiring manager to your resume. This type of letter lets the recruiter or hirer see easily what your qualifications are and what you can offer in comparison to other candidates.
Properly-composed letters assist applications to get noticed and grant detailed information to hirers why a certain applicant is a strong candidate and should be taken into attention. A powerful letter of intent (LOI) can likewise assist applicants to get into an interview.
Letters of interest simplify sending resumes to hirers even when concrete job vacancies in your specialty are not available. This grants the possibility to hirers see applicants’ value and interest in their organizations. The best letter of intent can induce hirers to assess whether the organizations have the necessity or role applicants can perform.
Letters of interest are known as formal letters that can help you express your intentions to take action. As a rule, this type of letter can be composed not only for employment. For example, one can write a letter of intent for graduate school, a letter of intent for colleges, a letter of intent for schools, a letter of intent for business, a letter of intent for medical school, etc.
Thus, we can highlight the following types of letters of intent:
Speaking about a letter of intent’s format and structure, as a rule, this type of letter consists of an introduction, the main body, and a closing. Content in every section will vary depending on what type of letter of intent you are going to write.
It is advisable to set the line spacing of your letter of interest at 1.15 for a clear look. Make your margins one inch on every side (top, bottom, left, and right). Your task is to choose an easy-to-read font for your letter. Examples of good fonts are Helvetica, Cambria, Arial, and Didot. These fonts are not too fancy so it will be convenient for recipients to familiarize themselves with your letter.
Format for letter of intent plays an important role. If you underestimate the format, it can lead to a poorly written letter.
Since we have already sorted out a letter of intent’s definition, the letter of intent’s purpose, the differences between “cover letter VS letter of intent”, and the construction of a letter of intent, it is time to go to the writing process.
It is worth mentioning that an incorrectly written letter can be a sign you do not fit the job position, are not strongly interested in studying the chosen educational institution, etc. If you are not sure how to compose a draft of a letter of intent, do not hasten to worry. We have prepared a detailed guide on how to create a top-notch letter of interest for you.
Writing every letter of intent should be begun with researching the organization. Make sure you format your letter with three paragraphs and 1-inch margins. Also, you should ensure font, line spacing, paragraph spacing, and margins of your letter are clear and business-friendly. These elements will make your letter of interest powerful and noticed by the hiring manager or employer.
Do you still have doubts about how to compose a high-quality letter of interest? This is where the letter of intent examples will be useful for you.
Nowadays, it will not be a problem to find the top-quality and properly written letter of intent examples online. Let’s consider a basic letter of intent example for employment.
Emma Applicant
194 Main Street
Anytown, CA 45678
333-333-3333
November 17, 2022
Liam Lanford
Head Librarian
Stanford University
583 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 87654
Dear Mr. Lanford:
I am composing to convey my intense interest in the vacancy of a library assistant at Stanford University, as detailed on Website.com. I am a current university graduate with a comprehensive library background and a record of exceptional written and oral communication. I consider I would be a perfect fit for this job at your institution.
I am proficient at communicating effectively with various individuals across different platforms. In my position as a helper at the Local Library, I welcomed many visitors every day personally and on the phone. I likewise responded to customer requests via email and social media. I acquired praise from the library director for my friendliness, tolerance, and capacity to communicate professionally with all customers.
I am eager to be in the course on the latest library best practices. I have three years of experience functioning with some of the most widely utilized library management software such as Ex Libris and Koha. I am likewise acquainted with the latest OCLC input standards.
I consider my experience, communication talents, and interpersonal capabilities would make me a powerful fit for this job. I look forward to talking with you more about my skills and qualifications.
Sincerely,
Emma Applicant
The above-mentioned sample letter of intent for a job can be useful for you if you decide to write your own letter for the position. As we know there are many other types of letters of interest. Luckily, it is possible to find a letter of intent sample for every type.
Whether you require to write a college letter of intent, a letter of intent for school, or a letter of intent to be hired, you should consider the writing process with responsibility. Otherwise, the time will be spent in vain. In case, you can not cope with creating a letter of intent for college or other types of letters, we have an offer for you. The best solution is to rely on the Bidforwriting platform.
On the Bidforwriting website, you possess the possibility to hire an author who will create a persuasive and unique letter of intent for you. A team of competent and experienced writers has already composed hundreds of letters of interest of all types. Cooperation with the Bidforwriting company has its benefits:
The best part is that expert writers can compose a letter of intent for you within 3 hours only. At the same time quality will always be high. You can request not only writing from scratch, but also the letter of intent’s header, letter of intent outline, college letter of intent example, and other support with your letter of interest.
Do you wonder how to get a letter of intent from the Bidforwriting platform? Just place your order, provide details of your task, and wait for an ideally-created letter for you. Such a powerful letter of intent will surely attract the attention of the necessary recipient.
1. What is the letter of intent definition?
A letter of intent is a type of writing that expresses the writer’s interest in some action. As a rule, job applicants create letters of intent to show their desire in working for an organization even if open vacancies are not available.
2. How can I write my letter of interest?
To compose your powerful letter of interest, you should follow a certain letter of intent template. There is a need to begin your letter with a formal salutation, and then your task is to introduce yourself and tell about the purpose of your writing. After that, you should proceed to the body of your letter and provide the recipient with information about your skills and experiences. Then, you can finish your letter with a “call to action” paragraph and a formal closing.
3. How should letters of interest be started?
Every letter of intent should begin with a professional greeting. Your letter will be more powerful if you find out the name of the hiring manager or employer in advance so you reach the right person.
4. What letter of intent format will be considered proper?
It is advisable to format your letter of interest with three paragraphs and 1-inch margins.
5. What is the definition of a letter of intent for colleges?
This type of LOI demonstrates your intention to enroll in the chosen educational institution. With this letter, you can inform Admissions of your educational and career background.
6. What is the goal of a letter of interest?
Depending on the type of letter of intent, it has certain purposes. Employment letters of intent show interest of job applicants to the company or concrete position. While education letters of intent show the interest of the future student in studying at a specific school, college, etc.
7. How should I begin my letter of interest?
After you indicate such information as your name, phone number, email address, date, and the organization’s contact information, you can begin your letter of intent with a formal greeting to a certain individual.
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