a)Arrangethe contents of your cover letter into four paragraphs. Consider what you need to say and use good writing style. Name the parts of cover letter characterized by the following information:
Full name and address details.
Date
Reference (if required).
Dear (Mr. /Mrs. /Ms. Surname),
Your Street Address
City, State Zip Code
Telephone Number
Email Address
Month, Day, Year
Mr. /Ms. /Dr. FirstName LastName
Title
Name of Organization
Street or P. O. Box Address
City, State Zip Code
b) State why you are writing; how you learned of the organization or position, and basic information about yourself.
c) Tell why you are interested in the employer or type of work the employer does (Simply stating that you are interested does not tell why, and can sound like a form letter). Demonstrate that you know enough about the employer or position to relate your background to the employer or position. Mention specific qualifications which make you a good fit for the employer’s needs. This is an opportunity to explain in more detail relevant items in your resume. Refer to the fact that your resume is enclosed. Mention other enclosures if such are required to apply for a position.
d) Indicate in the 3d paragraph that you would like the opportunity to interview for a position or to talk with the employer to learn more about their opportunities or hiring plans. State what you will do to follow up, such as telephone the employer within two weeks. If you happen to be in the employer’s location and could offer to schedule a visit, indicate when. State that you would be glad to provide the employer with any additional information needed. Thank the employer for her/his consideration.
e) Close the letter with
Sincerely,
Your handwritten signature
Your name typed
Enclosure(s) (references to the resume, etc.)
3.2. Here are samples of an information- seeking meeting and a follow-up letter to it.
Study the examples and see if you can introduce corrections and improve your application documents.
23 Roanoke Street
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 555-1123
Email: KWalker@vt.edu
Mr. James G. Webb
Delon Hampton & Associates
800 K Street, N. W., Suite 720
Washington, DC 20001 – 8000
Dear Mr. Webb:
I will be graduating from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in Architecture in May 2011, and am researching employment opportunities in the Washington area. I obtained your name from VT CareerLink, Career services’ Alumni database. I very much appreciate your volunteering to help students with job search information, and I hope that your schedule will permit you to provide me with some advice. I am particularly interested in historic preservation and understand that your firm does work in this area. I am also interested in learning how the architects in your firm began their careers. My resume is enclosed simply to give you some information about my background and project work.
I will call you in two weeks to arrange a time to speak to you by telephone or perhaps visit your office if that would be convenient. I will be in Washington area during the week of November 21. I very much appreciate your time and consideration of my request, and I look forward to talking with you.
Sincerely
(handwritten signature)
Kristen Walker
Encl.
November 30, 2006
Mr. James G. Webb
Delon Hampton & Associates
800 K Street, N. W., Suite 720
Washington, DC 20001 – 8000
webb@delon.com
Dear Mr. Webb:
Thank you so much for taking time from your busy schedule to meet with me last Tuesday. It was very helpful to me to learn so much about the current projects of Delon Hampton & Associates and the career paths of several of your staff. I appreciate your reviewing my portfolio and encouraging my career plans. I also enjoyed meeting Beth Ormond, and am glad to have her suggestions on how I can make the most productive use of my last semester in college.
Based on what I learned from my visit to your firm and other research I have done, I am very interested in being considered for employment with your firm in the future. I will be available to begin work after I graduate in May 2011. As you saw from my portfolio, I have developed strong skills in the area of historical documentation and this is a good match for the types of projects in which your firm specializes. I have enclosed a copy of my resume to serve as a reminder of my background, some of which I discussed with you when we met.
During the next few months I will stay in contact with you in hopes that there may be an opportunity to join your firm. Thank you again for your generous help.
Sincerely,
Kristin Walker
23 Roanoke Street
Blacksburg, VA 24060
(540) 555-1123
KWalker@vt.edu
INTERVIEW
Given below are some frequent and sometimes quite tough questions put by the interviewers. Practice in pairs and afterwards compare your answers with the recommendations given in Appendix VII.
1) Why do you want this position?
2) What are your strengths?
3) What are your weaknesses?
4) What would your references say about you? Can we check your references?
5) How do you handle tension/stress?
6) What was the last book you read and how did it affect you?
7) What does/did your father do for a living? or
What do your parents do for a living? or
Tell me about what your parents do for a living. or
What work are your parents involved in?
8) Tell me about a big challenge or difficulty you've faced; how did you deal with it?
9) Tell me about something recently that really annoyed you.
10) Give me some examples of how you have adapted your own communicating style to deal with different people and situations.
11) What type of people do you get on with most/least?
12) Give an example of when you've produced some poor work and how you've dealt with it.
13) What do you find difficult in work/life/relationships (etc)?
14) How do you plan and organize your work?
15) How much are you earning? /do you want to earn?
16) How many hours a week do you work/prefer to work?
17) Do you make mistakes?
18) How to do measure your own effectiveness?
19) What personal goals do you have and how are you going about achieving them?
20) How do you balance work and family/social commitments?
21) Why should we appoint you?
22) What can you do for us that other people cannot?
23) Tell me about yourself.
24) What do you think of your last boss/employer?
25) If you won a million on the lottery what would you do?