The Cover Letter Application letter 2 The Cover

The Cover Letter, Application letter

2 The Cover Letter • Also: memo, e-mail • Accompanies a document such as: ▫ Proposal ▫ electronic file • • Identifies the item being sent The person to whom it is being sent The reason Highlighting the contents

3 Application Letter • This is the “advert” for your CV… where you get to say WHY you want the job • Introduces resume, highlights experience and promotes your skills • Use standard business format ▫ Stress how your skills, education, experience can benefit the employer • Close by indicating your interest in the position and follow-up plans

4 The basics • One page, quality paper (same as your CV) • Keep any formatting consistent with your CV • No more than one page ▫ ▫ Why are you writing? Why the company? Why you? Why the job?

5 Application letter structure • No more than one side of A 4 • Usually 3 paragraphs • Introductory paragraph ▫ Why the company, why the job • Summary of your background, including strengths and experience • Summary and thank you

6 How To Write an application Letter - Contents • Paragraph 1: ▫ What you want. ▫ How you know about the organization. ▫ Mention enclosure of your resume. • Paragraph 2: ▫ Concise overview of work history and skills that will help you perform the job.

7 • Paragraph 3: ▫ State confidence in your ability. ▫ Give information on how you can be contacted. • Paragraph 4: ▫ Express appreciation • Closing, signature, and typed name

8 Example My responsibilities included the development and management of the site's editorial voice and style, the editorial calendar, and the daily content programming and production of the web site. I worked closely with health care professionals and medical editors to help them provide the best possible information to a consumer audience of patients. In addition, I helped physicians learn to utilize their medical content to write user-friendly, readily comprehensible text. Your City, State, Zip Code Your Phone Number Your Email Contact Name Title Company Name Address City, State, Zip Code Dear Contact Person: I'm writing to express my interest in the Web Content Specialist position listed on Monster. com. I have experience building large, consumer-focused health-based content sites. While much of my experience has been in the business world, I understand the social value of the non-profit sector and my business experience will be an asset to your organization. Experience has taught me how to build strong relationships with all departments at an organization. I have the ability to work within a team as well as cross-team. I can work with web engineers to resolve technical issues and implement technical enhancements, work with the development department to implement design and functional enhancements, and monitor site statistics and conduct search engine optimization. Thank you for your consideration. Signature First. Name Last. Name (2)

9 Example: A good cover letter? Dear Sir, I saw your advert in the Manchester Evening News for a Marketing Assistant. I enclose my CV. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely,

10 What not to do! • • I want a job in this your Firm I am extremely clever – true IQ rating 123 supervised IQ test. I am clinically cool under the worst. Also brilliant Linguist, Logician Big Time! Also 3 weeks ago standing in bookshop Hemel Hempstead town centre reading A Level Study Aids Maths Book and understood theory of Permutations and Combinations in 26 minutes (and I’m honest)

11 In the textbook see • Cover letter (general) • Application letter (specific to CV or résumé)

12 CV Assignment

Preparing for Job

14 Textbook Page 272, Interviewing for a job.

15 Interviewing for a job • Time: 30 min – hours, or series of interviews • How: ▫ On person, ▫ by telephone, often done to check language ability ▫ or via video conferencing • Number of interviewers: 2 -4 or more.

16 Be carful!! • "I'm not wanted in this state. ” • "How many young women work here? ” • "I've never heard such a stupid question. ”

17 Keep in mind An interview is not a one way communication

Purpose of an Interview • An interview is an opportunity to learn whether or not there is a “fit” between you and the employer. • Your chance to “advertise” yourself to your future peers. 18

Preparation • Go over your CV or resume and any other materials you’ve sent • Reread the job description • Think about your abilities and experience • Know your strengths • Be able to talk about the not-so-obvious 19

Learn about the Employer • Do your homework before you attend the interview. • Gather information about the company and the work you’re applying to: ▫ ▫ ▫ Websites of the company Internet Current employees News and journal articles You should also know about general trends in the 20 industry/field in which you intend to work.

Some interview questions to practice • • Tell me about your research. What will you need to start up your research program? Why are you the best candidate for this position? Tell me about the greatest professional assignment you’ve ever handled. Tell me about yourself. Tell me about your experience being part of a team. Have you ever worked with difficult people? How would those who have worked with you describe you? 21

22 Types of interviews: • Traditional, straight forward questions • Behavioral ▫ Ask the candidate to provide solutions for hypothetical situations ▫ Should reply from own experience

Setting up the interview • Get the name(s) and title(s) of the person(s) with whom you will meet. • Find out where you need to be and when. • What will the interview involve? ▫ Is it a series of individual interviews? ▫ Is it a group interview? • What should you prepare? ▫ A presentation? �How long should it be? �Who will attend? • What should you bring? 23

The Day Before • Know what you will wear. • Get together whatever materials you need to bring, including the materials you initially sent that got you the interview • Think about some good questions to ask. 24

The Day of the Interview • Arrive a little early. • Shake hands with each person and look them in the eye. Memorize their names. Say your name. • Try to establish a connection with each person you meet. • Respect the time limits of each meeting. 25

26 During the Interview • Behavior: ▫ ▫ Thank the interviewers Good posture Relaxed and confident Don’t take note, nor use laptop! • Responses: ▫ Answer questions ▫ Presentation • Conclusion: ▫ Thank you ▫ Time frame for hiring ▫ handshake

During the Interview • The employer wants to find out: ▫ What you can do for them. ▫ Why you want to work with them. ▫ What you are like as a person. • You want to find out: ▫ What the specific responsibilities of the job are. ▫ What resources you’ll be able to use in order to do your job. ▫ How performance is evaluated and when. 27

During the Interview • Ask for clarification if you do not understand a question. Do not guess. • Try to not sound like a broken record if many people ask you the same questions. • Illustrate your answers with specific examples. • Feel comfortable taking a moment to think about an answer. • Be honest. • Connect your accomplishments to what you know about the job. • Have questions for the employer. 28

During the Interview • Avoid being negative or saying negative things about your current job, supervisor, etc. • Don’t bring up salary. • Avoid taking notes. • Don’t be annoyed if an interviewer is interrupted by a colleague or a phone call. 29

30 It happened! Q: What kind of computer software have you used? A: "Computers? Are those the black boxes that sit on the floor next to the desks? My boss has one of those. He uses it. I don't have one. He just gives me my schedule and I follow it. "

31 Q: Why should we hire you? A: "I would be a great asset to the events team because I party all the time. ” Q: Why are you looking for a job? A: “Cigarettes are getting more expensive, so I need another job. ” A: “My parents told me I need to get a job so that is why I'm here. ”

Other tips • Before the talk, get a few minutes in the room by yourself. • Try to establish eye contact with everyone present. • Avoid speaking in a monotone. Use your voice to highlight the most exciting aspects of your project. • If some members of the audience seem uninterested or fall asleep, don’t let that bother you. • If you are using slides, don’t rush through them. 32

33 • Have a clear and marked ending. • A strong conclusion lets your audience know that you’re finished • Leave them with a clear picture of your research. • In the Q & A stay calm and focused: ▫ Be confident enough to admit that you don’t know something. ▫ Respond to even unreasonable questions reasonably. ▫ Practice in advance how you might respond to strange questions. • How you respond during the Q & A is as important as the talk itself. Your potential colleagues want to see how well you think.

Closing the Interview • Be aware of signals that indicate the interview is over. • Express your enthusiasm for the organization. • If you’re interested in the position, ask what the next step is, when a decision will be made and when you can call. • Maintain eye contact and shake hands. 34

After the Interview • Write a thank you note. • Send anything you offered to send. • Follow up if you were planning to do so. 35

36 Example: Follow up Correspondence 170 Roanoke Street Blacksburg, VA 24060 (540) 555 -6241 JRichardson@vt. edu March 3, 2011 Ms. Patricia Smith Personnel Manager Sheldon E-Solutions 1212 Lark Lane Richmond, VA 23230 Dear Ms. Smith: Thank you for the opportunity to visit with you and see your facilities last Wednesday. Both the interview and the tour made for an exciting and complete day. I was so very impressed with your warehousing procedures. Mr. Allen was so thorough in explaining your process to me, and I will be corresponding directly with him to express my appreciation. Incidentally, the process you use is quite similar to one I have been researching through an independent study this term. Perhaps I can share my final report with you and Mr. Allen. The expense report you requested is enclosed. Again, thank you for your hospitality during my time in Richmond and for all your efforts to arrange my visit. Having seen your operation, I am all the more enthused about the career opportunity that Sheldon ESolutions offers. I look forward to your decision. Sincerely, Jan Richardson Enclosure

Accepting/Rejecting Offers • A real job offer has terms of employment and a salary figure attached to it. Until an employer gives you an exact figure, keep looking. • It’s not a good idea to accept a job immediately. ▫ Reach an agreement with the employer as to when you’ll need to make a decision. § Notify other institutions that interviewed you and withdraw from the search. § Notify your network of contacts that you have accepted an offer. • Thank everyone who has helped you. • If you reject an offer, do it warmly and express what you enjoyed/found interesting about the 37 interview/institution.

38 References 1. Text book 2. About. comhttp: //jobsearch. about. com/od/coverlettersamples/a/le tterofapplication. htm 3. CNN. com http: //www. cnn. com/2009/LIVING/worklife/07/22/cb. you. said. what. interview/index. html 4. Virginia Tech Websitehttp: //www. career. vt. edu/Interviewing/After. Thanks. F ollow. Up. html