Unsolicited Application Letter

A job seeker may desire employment with a particular company that has not posted open job requisitions. In this case, an unsolicited application letter is used as an inquiry about possible openings and to gain a hiring managers attention. The letter may be addressed to the head of the Human Resource department or to the manager of a particular division. The letter is most likely to be read when it is addressed to a particular person rather than the generic to ‘whom it may concern’ salutation.
Format and Content

Write the letter so that it immediately captures the reader’s interest by explaining how you could benefit the company. Keep the content broad in scope, especially if you want the manager to consider you for any position in the company that utilizes your specific skills and abilities.The unsolicited application letter format is much like the solicited letter format: the first paragraph serves as an introduction, the body of the letter makes an argument as to why you are the best job candidate and the closing paragraph contains a request for an interview and your contact information.
Sample

This unsolicited application letter sample is written by a job seeker who was advised of possible unadvertised job openings by an employee of the organization. She communicates her value by using specific examples of her accomplishments. She expresses a preference for a particular area but indicates her willingness to consider other openings.
Dear Mr. Jones,

I am writing to express my interest in acquiring a position at Global Accommodation Services. I am very familiar with the company’s excellent reputation for supplying high quality consultation services to the hotel and special event convention industries. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Mike Jefferies, the head of marketing at your company, and he suggested that I contact you about possible job openings in your sales division.I am currently seeking a position where I can utilize my superior sales abilities for the benefit of a company who specializes in the international marketplace.

My sales experience encompasses 5 years in the entertainment and promotion industry as well as 7 years in the accommodation and special event industries. As a senior sales consultant for Brandiff Services, I managed multimillion-dollar accounts with clients located in Europe, China and the United States. At Leonard Enterprises, I averaged annual sales upward of 7 million. I am a published author and my book, Best Practices in Effective Sales Communications, is now used by universities across the United States as part of their business curriculum.

I possess excellent persuasive communication skills and I am able to communicate with people at all job levels. I am experienced in both national and international customer presentations and negotiations. I hold a master’s degree in Corporate Communications with a minor in Foreign Business Management and certifications for Intercultural Communication and Persuasive Communication. I am extremely detail orientated, highly motivated and my work ethic is second to none.

I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you in person and to discuss any job openings within your organization. I prefer to handle international contracts but am willing to work national accounts as well. Please call me at (555)-555-5555 or contact me by email at [email] to arrange an appointment time that is mutually agreeable. I am enclosing a copy of my resume for your consideration. I look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,

Ms. Agnes Stevens

Enclosure: Resume

Paternity Leave Letter

 Taking time off work to care for the needs of a new baby is not just for mothers – an expectant father can often take advantage of paternity leave as well, provided his employer’s company policies allow it. The expectant father should plan to write a paternity leave letter to his employer at least 8 weeks before the desired date, communicating his request in clear terms, in order to have the best chance of getting adequate time off from work to spend with his new family.
Format and Content

The proper paternity leave letter format includes a formally written request for a specific number of weeks in order to care for a new mother and baby. It should be sent to the head of the company’s Human Resources department with plenty of time for the request to be looked over and filed. The expectant father should make all assurances of returning to work at the designated time and putting in the proper amount of effort to make up for the lost time. The letter should briefly state the expectant father’s intentions in a formal, concise writing style.
Sample

This is a paternity leave letter sample from an expectant father to his employers. He and his wife are expecting their first child and he wishes to request paternity leave in order to take care of and spend time with them after the birth. He writes a formal letter to be filed with his company’s Human Resources department 8 weeks in advance.
Dear Ms. Osedo,

As you may already be aware, my wife and I are happy to be expecting our first child, due to be born in June. I am writing this letter to request a paternity leave of 4 weeks in order to care for my family, starting 8 weeks from now on May 26, 2014, until June 23, 2014. At the end of the 4 weeks, I will return to the office and resume my work normally.

I will endeavor to complete all currently unfinished projects between now and May 26, and put forth as much effort as possible into making up for lost time when I return to the office at the end of my paternity leave. I can be reached during my leave if any clarification is needed in this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to leave a message for me via telephone at (555)-555-5555 or by email at [email] and I will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

I appreciate your assistance in this matter, as a paternity leave will enable me to help my family transition into its new stage in a healthier way and allow me to be more focused on my projects when I do come back to work. Thank you for your consideration.

Yours sincerely,


John P. Jacobs

Senior Assistant

Family Emergency Leave Letter

Sometimes, emergency situations in the family can pop up even in the most well-ordered lives. These stressful situations do not mix well with work, often creating a choice between taking good care of your family and focusing on your work. The best thing to do is take an emergency leave of absence from work for a determined number of days. In this case, you should write a family emergency leave letter to inform your employers of the situation.
Format and Content

There is no single correct family emergency leave letter format, but the typical style is a formal business letter which gives a brief summary of the emergency, the expected date of return, your contact information and any other important details that could be pertinent to the situation. Some companies may have policies which require proof of the emergency, so be sure to familiarize yourself with your employer’s leave policies.
Sample

This is a family emergency leave letter sample written by an employee whose sister has unexpectedly collapsed and been hospitalized. He writes a formal letter to his employers to let them know he must take an unexpected leave and gives a date for his return along with a brief summary of the situation. He uses a formal and professional writing style, paying attention to proper grammar, and remembers to give his contact information. He sends a copy to both his supervisor and the company head of the human resources department so that the letter will be put on his file.
Dear Mrs. Jones,

I am writing this letter to inform you of my taking an urgent and unexpected leave of absence due to an emergency in the family. I have just gotten word that my sister has collapsed and I am heading to the hospital to be with her and take care of the family. I plan to return to work a week from now, May 8, 2014. I feel confident that my current projects will not suffer from such a short absence and that my work history speaks for itself as far as my ability to make up for lost time. The staff has already been alerted of the situation and briefed on their responsibilities for the duration of my leave.

I can be contacted during my leave via telephone at (555)-555-5555 and email at [email] Please leave me a message if there are any questions or concerns and I will try to respond in a timely manner. I thank you for your consideration as this emergency leave will enable me to both care for my family members in this urgent situation and focus on my work more clearly once I return.

I appreciate your assistance in this matter and look forward to hearing your response.

Yours sincerely,

Jason J. Hernandez

Regional Manager

Columbus Branch

Smith Communications

Bereavement Leave Letter

When an employee suffers the death of an immediate family member, he or she is usually entitled to a few days of paid vacation leave in order to take care of family arrangements. An additional few days of unpaid leave may be available in most situations. The bereaved employee needs to write a formal bereavement leave letter to employers, clearly stating the situation and the dates needed off from work.
Format and Content

The typical bereavement leave letter format is similar to most business letters, with your address, your employer’s address and the date at the top of the page. The letter should include a brief summary of your bereavement situation, your request for bereavement leave, and the date on which you plan to return to work. Some companies may require proof in order to grant paid leave, so be sure to familiarize yourself with company policies on different types of leave. Include your contact information and any other important details which may be pertinent to your work situation.
Sample

Here is a bereavement leave letter sample, written by an employee whose father has passed away. He is flying out of state immediately in order to tend to the funeral arrangements and requests that his employers grant him 3 days of paid leave with 3 additional days of unpaid leave. He clearly states when he is taking the leave and when he will return to the office.
Dear Ms. Schubert,

I am writing this letter to inform you of the unfortunate and unexpected passing of my father today. I would like to formally request that you grant me 3 days of paid leave plus 3 days of unpaid leave due to these circumstances. I am flying out tonight, April 1, 2014, and plan to be out of town for the funeral and all related arrangements until Monday, April 8, 2014, when I will be returning to the office. I appreciate your consideration in this matter as I will need all 6 days to take care of all of the family arrangements.

I trust that my work over the past few years speaks for itself in regards to my willingnessto make all efforts to catch up satisfactorily upon my return. I am confident that my currently unfinished projects will not be negatively affected by such a short absence. When I return to the office on Monday, I hope be able to focus on my work much more effectively.

If you have any questions or concerns about this matter, please leave me a message. I can be reached during the day by telephone at (555)-555-5555 or by email at [email] I will make an effort to answer all messages as soon as I can. Thank you for your assistance during this time.

Yours sincerely,


Mr. Allen G. Holloway

Marketing Director

Smith Communications

Vacation Leave Letter

Every employee has the right to a little time off from work to go on vacation or take care of personal affairs. However, as a professional, it is an expected and courteous custom to write a formal vacation leave letter to your employers to request your time off. When you take the time to carefully construct a well-written letter to your supervisors several weeks before your planned vacation, they will notice and appreciate your professionalism and efficiency and be more likely to agree to your vacation leave.
Format and Content

The correct vacation leave letter format includes both your address and the recipients Human Resources department.
Sample

This is a vacation leave letter sample written by a long-time employee who has been saving his vacation

days to take a long cruise trip with his wife. He makes sure to send the letter in plenty of time for the necessary paperwork to be put in order. He reminds his employers of his faithful work throughout the year and gives the correct dates of his departure and return while also taking care to write formally with proper grammar.
Dear Mr. Perez,

I am writing this letter to formally request my vacation leave ahead of time. I would like to take my vacation time for the dates of September 1, 2013 through September 21, 2013 in order to take a cruise trip through the Bahamas with my wife. I think you will find that I have not used up enough vacation days this year to prevent me from being absentfrom work for this length of time and have always endeavored to conduct myself with integrity in the office.I am planning to finish all currently incomplete projects between now and September 1, 2013 and send in any remaining ones by fax. I feel very confident that the rest of the team will be able to continue excellent work in my absence. If there are any important work-related questions or concerns, I can be reached by email during

my leave at [email] and will respond when time and an Internet connection become available to me.

If any clarification or follow-up from me is needed in this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at the address already provided above, or by telephone at (555)-555-5555. I look forward to your response and thank you for your consideration.

Yours sincerely,

William Jones


Assistant Manager

Smith Communications