Formal Request Letter

Request letters are typically required for job interviews, for a raise or a promotion or may be an approach to a company or business colleague for specific information. The formal Request letter should have the complete details of yourself and also the person you are addressing. All this information should be written at the top of the page.

Most of the formal letters are often short, which deal with the personal dealing with business, for example to instruct the bank to cancel a regular payment or it may be a query of return or refund or something dealing with jobs.

However, some letters can be long as they may have some detail information but otherwise keep this simple and short.

Using auxiliary information in the letter can confuse the reader and weaken the main message you actually want to convey. The words used in the letter should reflect your intelligence and should be rich in vocabulary with proper grammar and no spelling mistakes.

Some General Tips for Writing a Formal Letter of Request

As said earlier the letter should be simple. You should inform your recipient the reason of writing in the first paragraph of the letter.
If you feel that it is appropriate then, write about pertinent information to help them remember you. For instance, if you are writing to a former lecturer or professor, explain him the class you were in and the year. As for a supervisor, mention when you worked with them. These all small details will help the reader to recollect how they know you.
In the next paragraph, discuss what exactly you want the reader to do and if there is any deadline involved share the information
If there is any requirement involved include it as a supporting documentation as the recipient may need it
Give all the necessary information that they need to comply with your request
Conclude the letter by giving your contact details such as your full name, mailing address, phone number and your email address in the body of the letter. Ask the reader to contact you if there is any sort of queries or questions or concerns about the request you have asked for.
And finally, thank the person for their patience to read the letter.

The Samples For a Formal Letter of Job Request

Dear XXXX,

My name is (mention your full name), I am a (current job profile) with (number of years) experience. A mutual friend and colleague, (full name of the colleague) have suggested I contact you regarding (the topic on which you want to discuss).

I would like to arrange a meeting with you and discuss the possibility of (what you would like the result to be).

Please contact me at (your email address) or phone number.

Yours sincerely,
(Your full name)

Another sample letter of a formal letter of request is given below:

Date:

(Recipient's address)

Dear Mr. YYYY

Re: Request for an Interview

My Name is (Write your full name) and I am writing this letter to request for an interview to discuss the positions available in the (department's name) with your company (name of your company). [If you are referred to the company by someone you know, make sure you include in the information, for example, (Name of the referred person), who is an employee of your company in the sales department suggested that I contact you].

I am a graduate of (name of the institution you attended) and I have (number of years) of experience in the field of (name of the industry or the field you studied). I am currently looking for new employment opportunities and would like to have an opportunity how my skills and abilities can benefit your company.

I will contact you by phone next week to set up a convenient time when I can discuss my qualifications. I will bring my resume at that time. If you have any queries or like to have more information, please free to contact me by phone at (insert your number and area code). I can also be reached by e-mail at (email address).

Thank you for considering my request and I will be in touch with you very soon.

Sincerely,
- (Your name)

These are some standard guidelines as to how the formal letter of request should be. These types of letter are required for sending your request to professional correspondence, business and on occasions when you need to show respect to the person whom you are corresponding.