APPLICATION LETTER

A job application letter, also known as a cover letter, explains to the employer why you are qualified for the position and why you should be selected for an interview. It is always accompanied by a resume/ curriculum vitae which tells the employer more about the detail of your qualification and experience.

Layout and Style

The letter should be limited to one page and a few paragraphs will normally be sufficient. It is better to address a letter to a specific person, e.g. Dear Miss Chan, rather than to Dear Sir or Madam . However, in some job advertisements the name of the person you are writing to is not given. It is good practice to try to find out the following information before you write your letter:
the full name of the person you are writing; their title - Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms, Dr, Professor, etc, and; their position - Personnel Manager, Human Resources Manager, etc.

Things You Should Remember in Giving Greeting:

* Never write Dear Miss W. Chan. It should be Dear Miss Chan. Do not use the initial except in the address. * If you start with Dear Sir/Madam, it is accepted practice to finish with Yours faithfully. * Whereas, if you start with Dear Miss Chan, you may finish with Yours sincerely. Your letter should be neat and free from careless mistakes.

Structure of The Letter

The general structure of the letter is given below:
Paragraph 1 It should state clearly why you are writing and where you saw the job advertised. e.g.

I would like to apply for the post of ... as advertised in today's issue of .. With reference to your advertisement in ... on ..., I am writing to apply for the position of ...Trainee Manager. I would like to apply for the above post (of Trainee Manager) as advertised ...

Paragraph 2: It should give a little information about your qualifications and experience. Make sure the information you give is relevant to the job that you are applying for. eg.

As you can see from my enclosed CV, I have worked in my present position for five years. During this time I have gained invaluable experience in ... I am currently a student at HKPU studying ........ I am due to graduate in....... Although I have been studying full time, I have had a number of summer jobs which have helped me to gain experience in ... My experience over the past two years has been at the managerial level, where I have had responsibility for ...

Paragraph

It should say why you believe you are suited to the job and what you can offer the company. Those currently employed can state the reason for wishing to change their present job. However, you should not sound critical of your present employer.

e.g.

1. I am currently working as a receptionist in ...The reason for my seeking a new position is that I wish to pursue a secretarial career. Unfortunately, there are no openings for advancement in my present employment. 2. For the last two years I have been working as a receptionist in ...Unfortunately the company is moving its main offices overseas and I have therefore decided to look for a new position. I believe that the experience I have gained in ... has given me the qualities you are looking for ... 3. I believe I would be an asset to your company. I will be able to bring with me my experience of ... which I believe would be useful in this position ... 4. I feel that my ability to ... will help/enable me to ...

Paragraph 4
It should tell the reader when you are available for an interview and how to contact you. e.g.

1. I would like to have the opportunity to talk to you further about my application. I am available for interview at any time and I can be contacted at/on ... 2. I am available for an interview at any time but would appreciate two days notice. I can be contacted on/at ... I look forward to hearing from/meeting you soon. 3. As requested in the advertisement, I enclose a copy of my resume together with a recent photograph. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss my application further. I am available ... and can be contacted on/at ...

CURRICULUM VITAE / RESUME

What Is A Curriculum Vitae (CV)?

Curriculum Vitae: an outline of a person's educational and professional history, usually prepared for job applications. Another name for a CV is a rsum.

A CV is the most flexible and convenient way to make applications. It conveys your personal details in the way that presents you in the best possible light.
A CV is a marketing document in which you are marketing something: yourself! You need to "sell" your skills, abilities, qualifications and experience to employers. It can be used to make multiple applications to employers in a specific career area. For this reason, many large graduate recruiters will not accept CVs and instead use their own application form.

Note:

Often selectors read CVs outside working hours. They may have a pile of 50 CVs from which to select five interviewees. It's evening and they would rather be in the pub with friends. If your CV is hard work to read: unclear, badly laid out and containing irrelevant information, they will just just move on to the next CV.

What Information Should A CV Include?

a. Personal details

Normally these would be your name, address, date of birth, telephone number and email. It is also optional if you note your marital status, number of your children you have.
b. Education and qualifications

Include dates, majors, and details of degrees, training, and certification

High School University Graduate School Post-Doctoral Training Your degree subject and university, plus A levels or equivalents. Mention grades unless poor!

c. Work Experience

Use action words such as developed, planned and organised. Even work in a shop, bar or restaurant will involve working in a team, providing a quality service to customers, and dealing tactfully with complaints. Don't mention the routine, non-people tasks (cleaning the tables) unless you are applying for a casual summer job in a restaurant or similar. Try to relate the skills to the job. A finance job will involve numeracy, analytical and problem solving skills so focus on these whereas for a marketing role you would place a bit more more emphasis on persuading and negotiating skills.

eg.: "All of my work experiences have involved working within a team-based culture. This involved planning, organisation, co-ordination and commitment e.g., in retail, this ensured daily sales targets were met, a fair

d. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS You can include certifications, accreditations, and computer skills.
The usual ones to mention are languages (good conversational French, basic Spanish), computing (e.g. "good working knowledge of MS Access and Excel, plus basic web page design skills" and driving ("full current clean driving licence").

If you are a mature candidate or have lots of relevant skills to offer, a skills-based CV may work for you

e. References

Normally two referees are sufficient: one academic (perhaps your tutor or a project supervisor) and one from an employer (perhaps your last part-time or summer job. The order and the emphasis will depend on what you are applying for and what you have to offer. For example, the example media CV lists the candidate's relevant work experience first.

Interests and achievements

Keep this section short and to the point. Don't use the old boring cliches here: "socialising with friends". Don't put many passive, solitary hobbies (reading, watching TV, stamp collecting) or you may be perceived as lacking people skills. If you do put these, than say what you read or watch: "I particularly enjoy Dickens, for the vivid insights you get into life in Victorian times". Show a range of interests to avoid coming across as narrow : if everything centres around sport they may wonder if you could hold a conversation with a client who wasn't interested in sport. Hobbies that are a little out of the ordinary can help you to stand out from the crowd: skydiving or mountaineering can show a sense of wanting to stretch yourself and an ability to rely on yourself in demanding situations Any interests relevant to the job are worth mentioning: current affairs if you wish to be a journalist. Any evidence of leadership is important to mention: captain or coach of a sports team, course representative, chair of a student society, scout leader: "As captain of the school cricket team, I had to set a positive example, motivate and coach players and think on my feet when making bowling and field position changes, often in tense situations" Anything showing evidence of employability skills such as teamworking, organising, planning, persuading, negotiating etc.

TASK
Choose a job advertisement from a newspaper. List the requirements it is asking for and then practise writing an application letter. Write about your qualities and what you can give the company. Revise your letter and show it to your teacher for comments.

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/elsc/material/Writing/ap pln.htm#Structure%20of%20the%20letter