How to Write a Motivational Letter + Examples

It is the dream of every young graduate to find their dream job without having to walk the length and breadth of the country search for jobs. It is no top secret; searching for job if not properly managed can seem like a white charcoal, getting a flying horse might just be quite easier for many than getting jobs opportunities in Nigeria. From the task of identifying recruiting firms, searching the internet for websites for offers job opportunities,  knowing how to write application letter, cover letters, getting called up for interviews, preparing for interviews, going for this interviews and knowing how to answer the interview questions without falling under pressure. The complexities were much however it is no magical task. All you need is to put in the right energy in the right source to make this achievable and attainable.

Leaving school for me was the same as every other Nigerian student; it is at this point that I started preparing for the life after school. There in the process of doing this I came across the need to write motivational letters. Prior to this I had no idea about motivational letter nor do I have the slightest idea of its purpose and how to write or prepare one.

It was in the process of putting in for internship, and searching for other opportunities within the academic circles that I got to understand what a motivational letter is and its relevance.

Just like me, there are plenty opportunity seekers, young school graduates who does not understand the essence of motivational letter. One of the most overlooked aspects of an application is the motivational letter. As this is the first thing a recruiter will see, you need to make sure that you make an excellent first impression.

A well-written motivational letter can be a decisive factor in ensuring you a place in your desired dream programme or job. It is probably the most personalized document of your application. Therefore, writing an original motivation letter for any spot that you are applying for should not be taken lightly

This article focuses on a few key points drawn from personal experiences, which proved effective in my case, and will hopefully be useful in helping you write a good motivational letter.  But first, what is a motivation letter, anyway?

What is Motivational letter?

A motivation letter is a document detailing your professional skills and reasons for applying for a course of study, a scholarship or volunteer job. This letter accompanies your application and supporting documents, such as a transcript of your grades or a resume. A motivation letter is sometimes called a “statement of purpose” or a “motivational letter”. Motivation letters are not commonly used for paid job applications, which are typically accompanied by cover letters.

A motivation letter, motivational letter or a letter of motivation is a letter of introduction attached to, or accompanying another document such as a résumé or curriculum vitae. The main purpose of a cover (motivational) letter is to persuade an HR specialist that you are the most suitable candidate for a given position.

At this point it is however important that you know the difference between motivational letter and cover letter, making a research online for this article, I saw various blogs and website saying that both are the same, using inter-changeably these two words for one another. They are not and must never be taken for one another. The difference between both is stated above, a quick glance at the definition of motivational letter given earlier on for more clarity on what a motivational letter is.

Motivational letters and Cover letters

Cover letter speaks of the applicant’s professional experiences, industry competencies, and value offer to the company where they intend to work for. On the other hand, motivation letters are the applicant’s mirror to their personal and career endeavors and experiences which contributed to who they are as a professional. Both are needed in applying for a certain position but cover letters are most commonly submitted along with the resume for real-world jobs; while motivation letters serve as one of the requirements when applying for admission to a university also known as a personal statement.

The cover letter is used when you apply for a job. You send both a letter and your detailed Curriculum Vitae.

In the cover letter, you must state clearly the position you are applying for and explain why your profile matches the position. To put it simply, it must answer the question ‘’Why you?’’

You may find more information about the cover letter on Curriculum Vitae here and Cover Letter here. However, you must keep in mind that the cover letter should highlight you relevant skills and experience to relative to the position. Leave the details in your resume and take the chance to say things that cannot be expressed through your Curriculum Vitae. Always finish your cover letter by asking for an interview, and by saying how you can be contacted (e.g. by phone).

There are numerous advantages or benefits to writing a good motivational letter. They are listed below

1. Shows Worth– a well written motivational letter helps prospective applicant present themselves in a good light to their respective recruiters. Not only this, it helps them show their self- worth, through this process they get to sell themselves not only ready but also qualified for the position, role or office that they are applying for. By emphasizing your key strengths will help ‘sell you,’ grabbing the reader’s attention and increasing the likelihood of progression through the selection process.
2. Unique Fit- A motivational letter is an important way to showcase how your unique combination of skills and experience meet the key requirements of the job description. It is your chance to show a clear link between your knowledge, experience and abilities and the needs of the employer.
3. Personality– another good and vital benefit of having a good and strong motivational letter is that it gives prospective applicants, job chasers etc. the opportunity to not only sell themselves, present themselves as a good fit for the advertised role but it also help you express your personality in a way that your resume cannot. The tone of your letter gives the employer an important insight into your personality and the kind of traits that could add value to their team. It allows you to explain in your own words why you are the best person for the job.
4. Enthusiasm A tailored, compelling motivational letter shows you have taken the time to research the company and understand the employer’s needs and job requirements. It is an opportunity to express that you are enthusiastic about the role and to demonstrate the value you would add to the employer.

Step By Step Guide to Write A Good Motivation Letter

Writing a good motivation letter is not like writing any other letter, a good and strong motivational letter requires time and precision. All organizations are looking for people who genuinely want to be there and people that are excited about what they do. The intent should be your driving motivation

Furthermore, a good motivational letter must be one paged except if the requesting organization or firm states otherwise. There two main structure to writing a motivational letter.

1. Using three major paragraph structure, where your motivational letter will contain an introduction, the body and the conclusion
2. Using the five to seven structures where you split your main body into smaller one to three sentence paragraphs according to the main points which you have highlighted to use.

You have to have it in mind that you can be only required to write a motivational letter in these particular four cases

1. You are applying to get admitted for an educational program in a college or university. It can either be undergraduate, graduate or post graduate
2. You are applying to work at a non-profit organization.

• You are applying as a volunteer in an organization

1. You are applying for an internship in a company

In the light of this make sure you methodically work through the step which will be highlighted and explained in this article to make yours the best possible. Allowing plenty of time to write your motivation letter ensures you include all the necessary content and follow each important step, including the following

Introduction, Body and Conclusion

1. Introduction

   here you write a short captivating and engaging details about yourself and why you are applying for the advertised role. This can include your personal information which tells others who are you and what you do. This will help the recruiting firm have a peep into who you are and what you are. It also must contain details about what you are applying for. From here you can now begin to state more about your general reason for applying for the job, role or office. After this you can now give reasons why you think or why you are sure that you are the best fit for the roles.

While doing this ensure that your letter is properly addressed

For example

To: Company/Firm/Organization Name

First Name Last Name

Insert your Email address

Relevant social media link (LinkedIn, Medium, Quora)

Dear [Name of the Contact Person]

My name is [insert your name] and I would like to express my interest in applying for the Doctoral Program in English Language at [insert university name] I have always wanted to become an English Tutor as a way of not just improving my grasp of the language but also to teach others to have a better understanding of the language especially in our local areas and community and I believe that a Ph.D. in English from the {insert university name]would set me miles ahead in attaining my goals.

2. Body of the Motivational Letter

This is the major part of the motivational letter where you get the chance to sell yourself and present yourself well. This is where you get to state your abilities, strengths and achievements, skills and passion for the role or position that you are applying for. While doing this ensure to back your claims with facts and numbers. Be real with it and do not just go and paint an imaginary achievement or story of what you are not or what you have not achieved.

Kindly ensure that you must ensure that the abilities, strengths and achievements that are stated must be tailored to meet or fit the requirement or standard that you are applying for.

My passion for _______ started when.

I want to _______ because ______

I have been part of _____ for _____ months/years. It is the best thing for me because ______

I remember once when I ______

_______ resonates with me because_______.

What distinguishes me from my peers is/are________

Here is a practical example

I developed my passion for writing during my internship with independence newspaper in Ibadan where I worked for 6- months.

Working in a media firm has allowed me to get the much needed experience having worked with renowned and experienced editors which allowed me harnessed my skills as a writer.

Now I will like to deep-dive and gain advanced know-how by attending the Emirates University program in Content creation.

3. Conclusion:

Finally, you can conclude your motivational letter  by writing the following

Briefly summarize your main points-

“I believe I will be a good fit for the program because of ______”

Mention your overarching goal, “ I will love to be a  part of _______, as it would allow me to _______.”

Thank the reader and conclude the motivational letter.

Kindly note that while writing your motivational letter, do well to ensure that you do not lie or input anything that cannot be validated there. Do well to express and demonstrate that the organization, firm or institution that you are aspiring to enter is the best fit for you and you do share in their values and that you are qualified for the role, position in question.

Also endeavor to use accessible language that readers can easily understand is best for motivation letters. Identify any unnecessarily complex terms or jargon when you are proofreading and replace them with simpler words. Write short, active sentences that cannot be misinterpreted. Adding to these focus on your strengths. Write about your personal strengths, rather than your challenges or limitations. Writing about your strengths helps the recipients of your motivation letters understand your value to their organization and keeps your letter’s tone positive.

In conclusion, now that you have understood what a motivational letter is, its relevance and how you can successfully write one. Do ensure that you give it to a third party to proof read for you so that you can identify any other mistakes or errors that you might have overlooked in the process of writing it. Also ensure that it appears professional by using proper font style and   font size. A black and white letter sheet with Times New Roman, 12-pt font size might be great for a formal document. You can decide to use otherwise if there is a formal standard given by the requesting form, or organization

Motivational Letter Example

Dear Mr/Ms. [recipient’s surname],

My name is [your name] and I am a [position/qualification/area of study]. I am writing to apply for a [scholarship/volunteer opportunity/place] at [name of organization].

I would love to [study/volunteer] with you because [reasons for wanting to study course or volunteer]. I am especially interested in your [school/non-profit organization] because [reasons for choosing a particular organization].

I feel I would be an asset to your organization because I am [list of positive qualities]. I am also skilled in [list of positive skills] which I developed through [experiences or courses that taught you skills].

In conclusion, I hope to get the opportunity to [study/volunteer] with you at [name of organization]. Thank you for taking the time to review my application. Please contact me at [preferred contact details] if you have any questions for me. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

Dear Sir/Madam,

In May 2019 I will graduate from [university name] with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Minor in Finance. I read your posting for the Business Analyst role with great interest and I’m convinced that I would be a great addition to your team.

My strong work ethic is evident from the fact I have served as President of the [student activity] concurrent with my academic studies, as well as paid summer internships in [name of the internship] at [name of the company] as well as [name of the internship] at [name of the company]. These experiences have enabled me to gain a realistic view of the demands and challenges of the Business Analyst position.

Marcus Amudipe