The Presentation of Self in Letters of Application: A Mixed‐Method Approach

Abstract

The application letter, as the first phase of employment‐seeking, is an opportunity for a job applicant to make a favorable impression on a potential employer. In the current study, the author used a mixed‐method approach to empirically explore strategies for self‐presentation in job application letters and determine the methods used in the letters and their lexical content. An array of self‐presentation strategies, both structural (relating to the formal aspect of the letters) and tactical (involving specific tactics or strategies), were identified and discussed. Job candidates’ self‐evaluation strategies in application letters may contribute to a more accurate assessment of interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies. The results suggest that lexical and meaning levels of analysis in letters of application should be treated as distinct.