Unit-3--Job-Application(writing-a-Cover-Letter).ppt

Unit 3 Job ApplicationWritingaCoverLetterYouwillneedtoknownWhatacoverletterisandwhatitisusedfor?nWhyacoverletterisimportanttousewhenapplyingforajob?nHowtowriteacoverletter(format,contentandlanguage)?nWhatkindofthingsarerememberedoravoidedinacoverletter?YouwillbeabletonEvaluateacoverletter(goodorbad)nCraftagreatcoverletterWhatisacoverletter?nAcover letter,covering letter,application letter,motivation letter,motivational letteroraletter of motivationisaletterofintroductionattachedto,oraccompanyinganotherdocumentsuchasarsumorcurriculumvitaenYourCV/resumewillhaveacoveringletter/aletterofapplication.Itisthefirstandmostimportantletterinyourjob-hunting,which,infact,isyourfirstcontactwithyourtargetemployer.Itiscrucialinyoursuccessorfailureinjobhunting.Whatisacoverletterusedfor?nThepurposeofacoverletteristomakeafavorableimpressionontheemployerandgetyouaninterview.Inmanycases,itisthewell-craftedcoverletterthatgetstheapplicanttheinterview,nottheirresume.Therearethingsacoverlettercandothataresumecannot.Thecombinationofbothawell-craftedcoverletterandastrongresumecangiveyouanedgeandaninterview.Whatisagoodcoverletter?nAcoverletterwithstandardformat,integralcontent,logicalclarityandappropriatechoiceofwordswillmakeyoustandoutamongthemultitudesofapplicants.FormatofacoverletternCoverlettersaregenerallyonepageatmostinlength,dividedintoaheader,introduction,body,andclosing.nHeader.Coverlettersusestandardbusinessletterstyle,withthesendersaddressandotherinformation,therecipientscontactinformation,andthedatesentaftereitherthesendersortherecipientsaddress.Thefinalpartoftheheaderisasalutation(e.g.,DearHiringManager).nIntroduction.Theintroductionbrieflystatesthespecificpositiondesired,andshouldbedesignedtocatchtheemployersimmediateinterest.nBody.Thebodyhighlightsoramplifiesonmaterialintheresumeorjobapplication,andexplainswhythejobseekerisinterestedinthejobandwouldbeofvaluetotheemployer.Also,mattersdiscussedtypicallyincludeskills,qualifications,andpastexperience.Ifthereareanyspecialthingstonotesuchasavailabilitydate,theymaybeincludedaswell.nClosing.Aclosingsumsuptheletterandindicatesthenextsteptheapplicantexpectstotake.Itmayindicatethattheapplicantintendstocontacttheemployer,althoughmanyfavorthemoreindirectapproachofsimplysayingthattheapplicantwilllookforwardtohearingfromorspeakingwiththeemployer.Aftertheclosingisavalediction(e.g.Sincerely),andthenasignatureline.Optionally,theabbreviationENCLmaybeusedtoindicatethatthereareenclosures.Howtowriteacoverletter?nStep1:Writea_unique_letternStep2:_Personalize_yourletter.maketheconnection_.whatyouhavegotto_offer_.callfor_further information_.nStep3:Perfectlayout.ThingstoberememberednWhenwritingyourcoverletter,keepinmindthatthereviewerisonlyinterestedinonething:thefacts.Donotthinkofyourcoverletterasanautobiography;itshouldbebriefandtothepointnThepurposeofthecoverletter(andresume)shouldbeonethingitshoulddemonstratethatyoumeetorexceedtherequirementslistedinthejobdescription.nItshoulddemonstratethatyoureinterestedintheposition,andthatyoureavailabletoacceptthepositionifoffered.Additionalinformationbeyondthiscanbecounterproductive,asitdilutesthecorepurposeofthecoverletter.ThingstobeavoidednWhenwritingthecoverletter,avoidnegatives.Acoverletterisnottheplacetoexplainwhyyouleftorareleavinganemployer,whytherearegapsinyouremploymentdates,etc.Thesenegativesarebestdeliveredinpersonduringtheinterviewsothatyourpersonalitycancounterthem.nTrytoavoidasalaryhistoryinthecoverletter.Evenifthepositionspecificallyasksforyoursalaryhistory,providingthisinformationwillmorelikelycostyouajobthannot.Ifthejobadspecificallysaysthatresumeswithoutasalaryhistorywillnotbeconsidered,giveahistoricalsalaryrange,andstatethatyoursalaryrequirementsareflexiblebasedontheopportunitythepositionwillprovide.nSpendtimethinkingaboutthelayoutofyourletter,andmakesurethatitseasyontheeyes.nItshouldbeeasytoscantheletter,andhavealogicalprogression.Keepinmind,thereviewerofyourcoverletterandresumehashundreds(ifnotthousands)ofcoverlettersandresumestolookat,somakeiteasyforhim/hertofindtheinformationyouwanttohighlight.Buncheduptextinlongparagraphswillfrustrateanyonewhohastoreviewhundredsofresumesandcoverlettersaweek.nInadditiontothelayout,dontjustrepeatyourresume.Yourcoverletterisnotasummaryofyourresume;instead,itsanintroductionofyourself,andanargumentforwhyyouarethebestcandidatefortheircompanyandthespecificposition.Aboveall,avoidthegenericcoverletterthatyougetfrombooks.Tipsforwritingagreatcoverletter1.Takethejobpostingandlistthecriteriatheemployerislookingfor.Thenlisttheskillsandexperienceyouhave.Statehowyourskillsmatchthejobinparagraphformorinabulletedlist.2.Includeyourcontactinformation(address,phone,emailaddress)atthetopofeveryletteryouwriteandinthesignatureofeachemailmessageyousend.3.Personalizeyourcoverletterand,ifyoucan,addressittotheindividualresponsibleforhiring.Whenyoudonthaveacontactperson,addressyourlettersandemailmessagestoDearHiringManagerorToWhomitMayConcern.4.Writesimplyandclearly.Yourlettershouldbeonepage,orless.Eachparagraphshouldcontainthreeorfoursentences,atmost.Usea10or12pointfontthatiseasytoreadlikeTimesNewRomanorArial.Singlespaceyourletterandleaveaspacebetweeneachparagraph.5.Whenyourewritingacoverletterorsendinganemailmessagetoapplyforajobitsimportanttocloseyourletterinaprofessionalmanner.6.Evenwhenapplyingonlineorviaemail,yourcoverletterneedstobeproperlyformatted,readable,andwithoutanymistakes.7.DontforgettoincludeaSubjectinyouremailmessagewithyournameandthejobtitleyouareapplyingfor.8.Includeasignatureonallyouremailmessageswithyourname,phonenumber,emailaddress,andLinkedInURLifyouhaveaLinkedInprofile.Theeasieryoumakeitforthehiringmanagertogetbacktoyou,thebetteroutcomeyoullhave.HintsandTipsn nHerearesomegoodwaystomakeyourapplicationletterstandout:n1.Lookforsomethingunusualinyourexperienceorqualifications Put them near the start of your lettern2.Makethecontentofyourletterappropriateforthejobn3.Avoidannoyingphrases“I hope to get the job.”“I am looking forward to working for you.”n4.GetsomeonetoreadyourletterbeforeyousentitNEVER send your first draft!n5.KeepthelettershortSummarize your strengths on a single pagen6.Mentiontheorganization“I am especially interested by your companys latest products,particularly the P8 series,which demonstrates your commitment to innovation and quality.”“I noted the recent coverage of your company in the Asian Wall Street Journal.”“I would like to play a part in your plans to expand in the United States that were recently announced by your chairman.”n7.Makeyourletterphysicallyeasytoreada.Dont use handwriting.b.Use a good quality printer.c.Use short sentences and paragraphs.d.Use plenty of breaks and white space.e.Use a type or font that be easily read and use 12-point size.f.Dont overuse italics,bold,underlining or CAPITALS.WrittenassignmentnSearchthesamplesofcoverlettersontheinternetandtrytoidentifythestructureandtheuseoflanguageofthem.nCraftacoverletterforapplication,payingmuchattentiontotheformat,contentandlanguageofthecoverletter.