Careers Education & Placement Centre
Unsolicited Cover Letter
Date : 24 March 2000 (Friday) Time : 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Venue : T7, Meng Wah Complex
Careers Education & Placement Centre
Louisa Li
Director
E-mail Website
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Slides from this presentation
lecture notes are available at the CEPC
Enquiry Desk for photocopying lecture notes are available at the CEPC homepage:
– – – – Students Services for students Careers Education Courses Lecture Notes
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Who will need to send in unsolicited applications?
ALL job seekers
in particular: PR
advertising broadcasting architecture dentistry
law
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From where did graduates get their first job
1996 HKU Careers Centre Newspaper Employment Agency Friends / relatives 34.7% 40.1% 4.4% 9.3% 1997 35.9% 37.1% 3.4% 9.0% 1998 37.0% 33.1% 2.3% 11.3%
Direct Application
to company Faculty Staff
6.9%
1.9%
6.7%
2.8%
7.8%
27.5% 2.7%
Others
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2.7%
5.0%
5.7%
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Example 1
The final year project which I have completed on
financial modeling was rated as “promising”, “highly practicable”, “innovative” and “brilliant” by the professor who supervised the project. He suggested that your organisation might be interested in the contribution that I might make for your business. Hence, I write to inquire about the possibility of working for you.
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Example 2
I read with great interest the article on the
proposed Centre for Genome Research in the SCMP last December and write to inquire whether or not there is any possibility of involving students in your work, even at this early stage.
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Example 3
As
a recent graduate of the LL.B. programme at the University of Hong Kong, I am about to commence my PCLL studies this Autumn, and plan to pursue a career as a solicitor in Hong Kong. Hence, I have begun to investigate about career opportunities that might be open to me upon completion of my studies. Is it possible to …...
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Example 4
“This letter is intended to introduce myself
and to explore the potential need in your organisation for a bilingual petroleum engineer who is willing to relocate.”
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Rest of letter - 1
state what you have to offer
state related achievements that support the
kind of job you are seeking
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Rest of letter - 2
It tells the reader what action you suggest,
e.g. “It would be my pleasure to offer you additional details regarding my qualifications during an interview. I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.”
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Sample Letters
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Comments from employers
“ One student attended Outward Bound training.
To me, it is a great experience. But he did not elaborate on it in his letter. Isn‟t it a pity ? ”
“ Most of the CVs are too brief. Why don‟t they
use it to tell employers what they have accomplished ?”
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Comments from employers
“ Many of your students repeat the same thing
(from CV) in the covering letter. Sometimes even in the same words. It is so boring to read.”
“ I bet students use the same letter for applying to
all employers. It is too general. It is about what they have done in the past and not what they can do for me in the future! ”
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Your Challenge
To show where you are different or better than your competitors! Add value - your experiences inside and outside the University will set you apart from your peers.
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Sell them to the right person
address it to a particular person by name
and job title in a TARGETED department of an organisation How?? Try switchboard staff, alumni, friends, professors, career service etc type „Private and Confidential‟
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Dull Raised level of sales above previous year With Impact Reversed negative sales trend; sales up by 41% over previous year
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Dull Started new membership programmes to increase subscription
With Impact Created and implemented two new member relations programs (xxx, yyy); resulting in a 33% increase in membership
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Dull Hired and trained six voluntary student researchers during 1996-1998. Only one resigned.
With Impact Recruited, trained, and motivated six new voluntary student reseachers during 19961998; five continued to excel
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How to present the impact - 1
a more detailed description of
accomplishments Cite measurable results * exceeded quotas/expectations * membership increased/ fund raised * development of new/ innovative strategies/products * positive results deriving from your actions/proposals
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How to present past experience with impact - 2
Use action verbs
accelerated administered appraised assembled balanced calculated checked collated
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achieved advised arbitrated assisted budgeted centralized classified collected
adapted analysed arranged audited built charted coached compiled
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cont‟d
composed confronted controlled counselled delegated designed developed dispensed drafted
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conceived consolidated co-ordinated created delivered detailed devised displayed drove
conducted constructed corresponded cut demonstrated determined directed distributed edited
cont‟d
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eliminated estimated exhibited facilitated found guided identified increased
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entertained evaluated expanded forecast founded handled implemented initiated
established executed expressed formulated generated headed improved inspected
cont‟d
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instituted
interviewed investigated led logged marketed mediated
instructed
introduced joined listened maintained maximized met
interpreted
invented launched located managed measured minimized
monitored
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motivated
navigated
cont‟d
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negotiated optimised oversaw pinpointed predicted printed programmed protected
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obtained ordered performed planned prepared processed promoted published
operated organized persuaded prescribed presented produced prepared purchased
cont‟d
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questioned read recorded referred re-organized reported scheduled
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raised realized recruited rehabilitated repaired represented secured
ran recommended reduced reinforced repeated researched selected
cont‟d
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served simplified solved structured supervised taught traded triggered
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set sketched spoke studied supplied terminated trained won
settled sold streamlined summarized systematized tested translated wrote
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Resume and Covering Letter
Why you need a resume and a covering letter
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letter : resume :
product benefits product features
Choice of resume format
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fresh grad : combination same field : chronological different field : skills-based
NO STRICT RULES
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Cover Letter
In about 4 paragraphs, explain why you are writing what sort of job /why why this company/industry what skills/experience you have (with examples)
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CV
What is your target area of work - career
objective what experiences should be emphasised what should your CV look like
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Resume and Covering Letter
clear, informative yet concise be easy to read stress your achievements relate to the employer‟s needs
give examples to demonstrate your skills
size, colour, grammar, style……. Make your own MARKETING
DOCUMENT (selling yourself!!)
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Identifying your Unique Selling Point
What are your achievements ?
academic performance, work experience,
student society activities, community service, travelling experience, exchange programme, sports, hobbies, personal life experience
RELATE to EMPLOYERS‟ NEEDS
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Where to get more information
next session on English Cover Letter &
Résumé Format will be held on 14/4/00, 1-2 p.m. at T7, Meng Wah Complex
books and videos can be borrowed from
Careers Library, 3/F, Meng Wah Complex
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Other Resources on Website
CEPC Homepage
- Application Writing/Interview Techniques/ Assessment Centre - Application Writing Websites :
Student Centre http://www.aboutwork.com/rescov/cover/ Proven Resume http://www.provenresumes.com/ Resume Writing Guide by Job Web http://www.jobweb.org/catapult/guenov/restips.html College Grad - how to post your resume on the Internet http://collegegrad.com/resumes/reslinks.shtml
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Questions & Answers
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