An appointment letter is essentially a request for an appointment. If you need to meet with someone of importance, this is your best tool to set a meeting up. There are many different reasons you may need to request an appointment, but the core of the letter will always be the same. However, you may not realize how important it is for you to write your letter correctly. If it is not tactful, concise, and deliberate, the recipient may not even read all of it, much less grant your request. Make sure your letter is as strong as possible by reviewing these appointment letter templates and implementing the same strategies.
The process of filling a temporary position can vary greatly from one opening to the next. Requesting an appointment to discuss the position and how you can apply is often the first step. To make sure you create the most effective letter possible, take a look at our appointment letter templates.
Appointment Letter
There are many different reasons you may need to set up a meeting with someone. It may be to discuss something in their field of expertise, to interview for a position, or to make plans. Our appointment letter templates will allow you to create an appointment request letter fitted to your exact situation.
Appointment Letter for Employee
Appointment letters for employees typically indicate they have received a promotion or achieved something. Writing for those in positions lower than yourself requires a unique voice. You can use our appointment letter templates to effectively create letters which remain professional and ensure you maintain the relationship with the employee to whom you are writing.
Request for Appointment Letter
A letter which requests an appointment is commonly the first point of contact with an employer or school. These letters must include an introduction and greeting before requesting some of their precious time. These are often employed in the academic field especially. Create the strongest appointment letter possible by using our appointment letter templates.
1. State the reason for the appointment immediately
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to dance around the reason for the appointment. As you see in our appointment letter templates, include the reason in the first few sentences of your letter. If the reader has to make it through filler before even learning what your request is, the chances that they will turn you down greatly increase. It is acceptable to have clarification or in-depth details later in the letter, but make sure the reader will understand the reason after only reading for a few seconds.
2. Your letter must be convincing
It is likely that whomever you are writing a letter to is very busy. Because their time is important, you need a good reason if you are going to convince them to set an appointment with you. The most effective appointment letters make a point to emphasize the importance of meeting. Explain why meeting is a necessity rather than a desire.
3. Keep the letter concise
Simply put, longer letters are usually weaker. You are asking the reader for something, which means you should strive to meet their needs as much as possible. Reading your letter should be convenient. If it takes several full minutes to get all the way through your letter, it is too long. After only a few paragraphs, you should have successfully communicated your needs and posed the request. After you have done this, conclude the letter quickly. This also means you do not need to include over-the-top or fanciful language. Less is usually more.
4. Gauge what kind of introduction is necessary
Are you familiar with the recipient? Has he or she met you before, and if so do you expect the reader to remember you? The answers to these questions will determine what your introduction looks like. If the reader would need a refresher on who you are, begin your letter by mentioning how you met. If you are strangers, describe what makes you relevant to him or her. Alternatively, if you are familiar acquaintances, simply stating your name may be enough.
5. Always have the dynamics of your relationship in mind
No two relationships are the same, so no two appointment letters should be the same either. A letter written to an academic professional is going to be very different from one written to an employee. Before you begin writing, think carefully about whether you need to write as if the recipient is your superior. This will determine the exact way you word the request. When writing to employees below you, it is understandable to describe the appointment as an obligation they have. No matter what your relationship is, respect and professionalism should be in your letter.
6. If appropriate, praise the recipient
Under the right circumstances, a little praise can significantly improve your chances of having your appointment request granted. If the reader is an expert in his or her field, mentioning his or her success is a good idea. In other situations, however, praising the recipient may be awkward, unprofessional, unnecessary, or inappropriate. Additionally, when writing to employees regarding their recent accomplishments, praise is perfectly natural despite being their superior.
7. Consider suggesting appointment times in your first correspondence
Making suggestions for when an appointment might work is a good way to increase your chances. It can be tempting to simply state that you would like to schedule a time, but including specifics not only encourages a reply but expedites the entire scheduling process. Remember that keeping it as convenient as possible for the reader is vital. Beginning the discussions about which times would work for both of you in the first letter gets the ball rolling immediately.
8. Be respectful and professional at all times
No matter who you are, who the recipient is, or what your relationship is like, keeping appointment letters respectful and professional is essential. Avoid making demands or talking about the potential appointment as if it is a guarantee. It can seem like you are being considerate when writing, but it is easy for others to interpret certain phrasing or language in a way you did not intend. Always think carefully about all the different ways one could take what you say to avoid accidentally offending the reader.9. Break up large paragraphsWhile the content of your letter is most important, the way you organize it makes a big difference as well. It is not uncommon for letters to remain unread because they were intimidating. Large blocks of text do not encourage readers. Take a broad look at your letter and try to imagine what you would think if you saw it at a glance. Is it accessible and easy to consume, or is it dense and obtuse? Simply splitting text up into two paragraphs can have an immediate and profound effect on your writing.10. Always proofread your letter for simple errors