What Is The Difference Between Application Letter & Cover Letter?

Belinda Wandera, a recent graduate at Mount Kenya University has had a recurring problem with applications since she began job hunting.

“I applied for a Human Resource job and was later called for an interview. However, I was told to report to the interview accompanied by my cover letter which made me confused. My impression was that a cover letter was something different I had to carry apart from the letter of application. Which is the way forward?” she asks.

When applying for a job, many candidates always confuse when it comes to differentiating a cover letter and an application letter.

Normally, when the job advertisement reads “applicants must submit a cover letter together with other supporting documents,” it tends to breed a state of confusion.

However, a cover letter and an application letter are the same thing.

In a normal Kenyan setting, trying to differentiate the two will not apply.

This is because regardless of how you chose to call them, they all include the same information such as highlighting the skills listed in the Job description.

It is, therefore important to highlight your qualifications and strengths as they relate to the requirements of the position.

A cover letter or an application should be formal and one must remember to indicate what skills you will make the employer consider them for the position.

So next time they ask you to come with a cover letter to the interview, you know what to carry, don’t you?

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