Professional Letters
Professional letters, which include professional e-mails, are formal written communication such as cover letters, recommendation letters, business proposals and inquiry letters. They are used for business, bureaucratic, medical, academic and many other purposes, aimed at achieving specific objectives with a professional tone and style.
Writing professional letters is an essential aspect of communication in various settings. To write a professional letter that passes the right message, certain guidelines must be followed, including:
- Consideration of audience and purpose
- Following specific formatting and tone guidelines when addressing clients, customers, colleagues, superiors, staff, etc.
- Including appropriate salutations, titles, and signatures to show professionalism, respect, and confidence.
There are four main types of professional letters, each with a specific kind of purpose with specific conventions of writing:
- Cover Letters – These accompany resumes, business proposals, project proposals, job applications, letters of introduction and other cases where the main body of information is in accompanying documents.
- Business Letters – These are used to communicate with clients, customers, or other businesses and can cover various topics such as requests, proposals, or complaints.
- Thank You Letters – These are sent to show appreciation for something, such as attending an interview or receiving a job offer.
- Recommendation and Reference Letters – These letters are written to vouch for someone’s competency or suitability for a particular task or role.
