• Writing an expression of interest letter is one of the most crucial parts of applying for a job because that's the first representation your employer will get about you.
• In order to write your expression of interest letter as professionally as possible, you will need to stick to a certain writing format and a few tips to remember.
• This article will teach you how to write a professional expression of interest letter and make your potential employer call you back for an interview.

An expression of interest letter is a brief, introduction letter for a job opening sent by a person interested in the vacancy found as a result of your job search. In it you introduce yourself, explain to the prospective employer why you're interested in the position, and why he should consider you to be a good fit for the company.

An expression of interest letter is your chance to sell yourself. So you should write the document in a way that is professional, and at the same time, helps you to stand out from the rest of the candidates.

While writing an expression of interest letter, remember that it's the only representation of you and your skill set that your prospective employer will see, and he will use what he sees on paper as the basis on whether or not he is interested in contacting you for an interview.

Here are a few hints to making sure you are one of those your employer chooses to call back based on your expression of interest letter:

1. Font

In order to write a letter of expression of interest, use a regular, standard font. As Ehow writer Amanda Johnson suggests, Times New Roman and Arial are the most professional fonts. Also, pay special attention to font size - 12 for the headings and 10 for the body, or 14 for the headings and 12 for the body is sufficient. Although you should want your expression of interest letter to be noticed, you do not want it to be remembered as the most unprofessional one in the tremendous heap of papers your employer has read during the course of the day. 

2. Formatting

Format this letter as you would any business letter. On the first line, write your first name. Immediately beneath it should go your contact information: address, telephone number, and email address. (If you don't have an email account, get one prior to writing your letter.

They are free, so they are easy to acquire.) For your letter, use the most professional-sounding of your email account names. If you are looking to land a job - an email such as churchmouse@yahoo.com is more likely to prejudice your employer against calling you back for an interview. A more professional account would be barbara.raymond@yahoo.com, if that happens to be your name.

Then write the date, using the month, day, and year format - August 19, 2013, as opposed to 8-19-13. The only exception to that is if you are in a country whose custom is to write the numerical date first, then the month, and then the year (19 August 2013, for example).

Skip a line. Then write your introductory paragraph, in which you indicate your interest in the position and the reasons you would like to work for this company. It would also be helpful to let your reader know how you found out about the position - whether you were referred by a friend, a current employee, or Internet advertisement.

Start this paragraph with a salutation. Assume that the person wishes to be addressed as Mr., Ms., Mrs., or Dr., followed by their last name. Besides being the respectful way to address an authority figure, it is also the most professional, especially for the purpose of the expression of interest letter.

In the next paragraph, you should include why you are interested in working for this company. Be careful against giving stock answers, such as "I want the experience." Most people who apply for these positions answer the "why" question that way, because they think it's the most appropriate answer. This is far from being the case. Instead, do your research on the company before writing an expression of interest, and think about what really struck you about this particular employer that attracted you along with your skills and experience to him. 

3. The Final Section

End your letter by reiterating your interest in an interview. Designate whether the best way to reach you is by telephone or email. Then thank your reader for taking the time to read your letter, telling him that you look forward to speaking with him. Then, skipping a line, sign your name. 

Some Final Thoughts

Proofread your work. While this may seem like a common sense suggestion, you would be surprised at the number of people who forget this important step while writing an expression of interest! In order to be further considered for the position, you must review your work to check for spelling errors, poor grammar, and violations of basic capitalisation rules.

While using spell check is effective, nothing quite replaces the human eye. Along with these two proofreading methods, have a friend read it to you and check for errors. An extra pair of eyes can catch items you may have, in a rush to finish writing an expression of interest and send it to the company with your resume, overlooked. 

Have you ever written an expression of interest letter? Have you read one? What do you think it should include?