Resume, Letter, Interview
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What is Job Application Letter and What to Include
The résumé is a condensed version of the story of your professional
life. It can't, and shouldn't, contain details about your work
history--those go into the cover letter you send along with your résumé
to an employer.
Purpose
The résumé cover letter (sometimes called a job application letter)
gives you an opportunity to make a strong positive impression on an
employer. It is your way of marketing yourself-- it can explain who you
are and what you can do for them. If you are not answering an ad for a
specific job opening, you can use the CD-ROM database Computer Select to
search for information about manufacturers and companies. Ask yourself:
- What do they sell?
- Who are their customers?
- In what direction do they appear to be moving?
- Why does this employer appeal to me?
- Why would I appeal to them?
Audience
Job application letters are often aimed at two different audiences: the
technical people with whom you will be working and the business-oriented
people who handle staffing, payroll, promotions, and human resources
management. These two audiences have different needs and different
values.
Format
Engineering Career Services (at the U.W.-Madison) offers this advice on
developing a good cover letter:
- It should be one page long and neatly typed (or word-processed)
on the same paper used for the résumé.
- Address your letter to a specific person {ask for help in
getting a name from Engineering Career Services}.
- Use a formal, dignified serif-type font in 10, 11, or 12 points.
- Center your letter on the page.
- Spellcheck and proofread a letter before you send it.
Keep a copy for yourself to help you remember what you told them
about yourself. If it's good enough to get you an interview, you may
want to use it again with a different employer.
Introduction
This is the most important part of the letter. You have just a few
seconds to make a strong positive impression on your reader. Choose each
word with extreme care.
Tell who you are and why you are writing.
I am writing in response to your advertisement in the Wisconsin State
Journal for an Engineer.
If you are responding to an ad, tell the reader where you saw
it--they may have run different ads in different places.
If you learned of a job opening from a friend or colleague, mention
this contact in your letter.
My Inferential Differential professor, Calvin MacTavish, suggested
that I write you regarding the opening you have for a Computer Engineer.
If you are not responding to a specific job opening, explain what you
have to offer the employer.
Body
Tie your training and experience to what the employer is looking for.
Show what you have to offer the employer.
- Read ads carefully to find out what the employer is looking for.
When you are applying for an advertised position, your letter must
respond directly to the points covered in the ad.
If an ad describes "the ideal candidate," your letter must show how
you fit that description.
If the ad lists skills or experiences applicants should have, your
letter must explain how you fit the bill.
You may find ads that seem to promote the benefits of working for
the organization more than they advertise job openings. Your
response should show how well you would fit into that organizational
culture.
- If possible, get a copy of the job description used by the
employer--you can ask for one when you call to find out the name of
the person in Human Resources to whom you should address your
letter.
- Don't assume that your reader knows all the abbreviations and
acronyms that you know. Unless these are everyday terms, define them
in your letter.
- Don't lie. Explain what you know and assure the reader that you
are a fast learner who is capable of quickly filling any gaps in
your knowledge.
- In addition to the specific skills you bring to a job, keep in
mind that employers also consider other characteristics. Their idea
of a good worker may be someone who is:
- Careful; thorough, but fast
- Dedicated; loyal to the organization
- Team player; gets along well with others
- Willing to go along with organizational culture
- Problem solver
- Easy to train
- Stays calm in crisis situations
- Skilled at communicating ideas to others
- Doesn't need a lot of close supervision; can work
independently
- Persistent; sticks with it; sees things through to
completion
- Shows Leadership potential
- Technical people sometimes forget to mention non-technical
experiences which may be valuable. Include any experiences you may
have had dealing with the public, handling money or working with a
budget, serving on teams or committees, holding elective office,
writing, or training others.
- If an organization you have worked for adopted a particular
management philosophy, such as participative management or total
quality management, you may want to mention that in your letter.
- Be concise. Be clear. Every word counts.
Conclusion
Always conclude by asking the reader to do something.
- State specifically what you hope your reader will do: set up an
interview, send you an application form, etc. Be careful not to
sound too demanding or insistent.
- Let your reader know where you can be reached.
- End with a goodwill statement:
- I look forward to hearing from you.
- Thank you for your consideration.
- Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions
about my qualifications or training.
Tone
It may be very difficult for you to find the right tone for this sales
pitch for yourself.
Engineering Career Services suggests you write in a voice that is
professional, warm, and somewhat formal. Try reading it out loud to hear
how it sounds before you send it.
- Avoid being too "cute" or making inside jokes
- Show confidence in yourself without sounding arrogant, brash, or
overconfident
- I am sure you will agree that I am extremely qualified
for this position.
- "I am sure" is cocky and conceited.
--- The sentence leaves nothing for the reader to do since it
implies that the writer has already evaluated his or her own
qualifications
- Don't be shy about telling your readers how good you are.
Couch it in terms of what you can do for them and for their
organization. Remember: you know you need them, but they need to see
why they need you.
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