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BUSINESS ENGLISH 3
LECTURE OUTLINE Lecturer: Simona MITOCARU

Business English 3
2nd Lecture: CVs and Resumes

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Choosing a CV style
CHRONOLOGICAL SKILLS-BASED / FUNCTIONAL COMBINATION

CV PREPARATION AND DESIGN STAGES

1. PREWRITING
ANALYSE: the purpose is to respond to a job advertisement and win an interview. ANTICIPATE: the reader probably sees many resumes and will skim this one quickly. He/she will be indifferent and must be persuaded to read on. ADAPT: emphasize the specific skills that the targeted advertisement mentions. RESEARCH: investigate the targeted company and its needs. Find the name of the person who will be receiving the resume. ORGANISE: make lists of all accomplishments and skills. Select those items most appropriate for the targeted jobs. COMPOSE: experiment with formats to achieve readability, emphasis, and attractiveness. REVISE: use present-tense verbs to describe current experience. Bullet experience items. Check for parallel phrasing. Adjust spacing for best effect. PROOFREAD: run spell checker. Read for meaning. Have a friend proofread. EVALUATE: will this CV impress a recruiter in 30 seconds?

2. WRITING

3. REVISING

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(REVERSE-) CHRONOLOGICAL CV
it is most popular with recruiters since it is the easiest to assess It lists work history job by job in reverse chronological order It is appropriate for candidates who It is inappropriate for young graduates or people who have gaps in their work experience. It begins with the candidates name, address, telephone number, job objective, education/ work experience.
have experience in their field of employment show steady career growth.

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THE FUNCTIONAL / SKILLS-BASED CV

It focuses attention on the applicants skills rather that past employment. It begins with the applicants name, address, telephone number, job objective, education, skills, short employment section. It groups skills and accomplishments (special subcategories). It is useful for recent graduates, people who have changed jobs frequently or have gaps in their employment records. It demonstrates transferable skills

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COMBINATION
It draws on the best features of the chronological and skills-based CVs. It emphasizes the candidates capabilities but also includes a complete job history. An example is the Europass template (the European CV).

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Deciding on its length

Recruiters prefer 1-page CVs. Make your CV as long as needed to sell your skills.

Arranging the parts

Main heading Career/job objective/personal statement/profile Education Experience Capabilities and skills Awards and activities Personal information References

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MAIN HEADING

CAREER/JOB OBJECTIVE

begin with your name, address, and telephone number. Avoid showing both permanent and temporary addresses; some specialists say that dual addresses immediately identify about-to-graduate college students. Keep the main heading as uncluttered and simple as possible. Do not include the words CV or resume as a title. Opinion is divided about the effect of including a career objective on a CV career objectives make the recruiters life easier by quickly classifying the CV. They can also disqualify a candidate if the stated objective does not match a companys job description.

EDUCATION
If it is more noteworthy than your work experience, education is the next component. include the name and location of schools, dates of attendance, major fields of study, and degrees received. It is better to refer to courses only if you can relate them to the position sought. When relevant, include certificates earned, seminars attended and workshops completed. This section may be entitled Education, Academic Preparation or Professional Training.

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WORK EXPERIENCE OR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

If your work experience is significant and relevant to the position sought, this information should appear before education. List your most recent employment first and work backwards, including only those jobs that you think will help you win the targeted position For each position show the following:
Employers name, city, country Dates of employment Most important job title Significant duties, activities, accomplishments and promotions

Describe your achievements concisely but concretely. Statements describing your work experience can be made forceful and persuasive by using action verbs

ACTION VERBS FOR PERSUASIVE RESUMES / CVs

MANAGEMENT SKILLS administered analysed consolidated coordinated delegated directed evaluated improved increased organized planned prioritized recommended strengthened supervised COMMUNICATION SKILLS addressed arbitrated arranged collaborated convinced developed drafted edited explained interpreted negotiated persuaded promoted recruited translated wrote

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ACTION VERBS FOR PERSUASIVE RESUMES/ CVs

RESEARCH SKILLS clarified collected diagnosed evaluated examined extracted identified inspected interpreted interviewed investigated organized summarized surveyed systematized TECHNICAL SKILLS assembled built calculated computed designed devised engineered executed fabricated maintained operated programmed repaired solved upgraded TEACHING SKILLS adapted advised clarified coached communicated coordinated developed enabled encouraged evaluated explained guided instructed persuaded set goals trained

ACTION VERBS FOR PERSUASIVE RESUMES/ CVs

FINANCIAL SKILLS administered allocated analysed appraised audited balanced budgeted calculated computed developed forecast managed marketed planned projected researched CREATIVE SKILLS conceptualized created customized designed developed established founded illustrated initiated instituted introduced invented originated planned revitalized HELPING SKILLS assessed assisted clarified coached counseled demonstrated diagnosed educated expedited facilitated familiarized guided motivated referred represented

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ACTION VERBS FOR PERSUASIVE CLERICAL OR DETAIL MORE VERBS FOR RESUMES/ CVs SKILLS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
approved catalogued classified collected compiled generated monitored operated organized prepared processed recorded screened specified systematized tabulated achieved directed expanded facilitated formulated improved oversaw pioneered reduced (losses) resolved (problems) transformed

CAPABILITIES AND SKILLS

list your special skills, include your ability to use computer programmes, office equipment, foreign languages. Describe proficiencies you have acquired through training and experience, i.e., trained in computer accounting, including. Use expressions like:
Competent in Skilled in Proficient with Experienced in Ability to

highlight exceptional aptitudes, such as working well under stress and learning computer programmes quickly. For recent graduates, this section can be used to give recruiters evidence of your potential. Instead of Capabilities, this section might be called Skills and Abilities.

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AWARDS, HONS, and ACTIVITIES

If you have more than 3, list them under a separate heading. If not, put them with the Activities. Include awards, scholarships (financial and other), recognition, commendations and certificates This section provides an opportunity to demonstrate leadership and interpersonal skills. Explain your activities.

PERSONAL DATA (U.S. style) Todays resumes and CVs omit personal data, such as birth date, marital status, height and religious affiliation. Such information does not relate to genuine occupational qualifications. Some job seekers write them, including hobbies and interests that might grab recruiters attention or serve as conversation starters. Do not mention dangerous pastimes or timeconsuming interests. You should indicate your willingness to travel or to relocate, since many companies will be interested.

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REFERENCES
Normally, recruiters prefer that a candidate bring to the interview a list of individual willing to discuss their qualifications. Write their full names and titles, include addresses and telephone numbers (e-mail addresses). Ask 3-5 instructors or previous employers whether they will be willing to answer inquiries regarding your qualifications for employment.

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CHAPTER REVIEW
Resumes/ CVs that list work history job by job, starting with the most recent position, are classified as ____________ resumes / CVs.

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CVs that emphasize skill categories and deemphasize work history are classified as ____________ CVs. This CV can be used to focus on accomplishments and to hide negative employment history.

A CV should always begin with a main ____________ that includes name, address and telephone number.

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Opinion is divided on whether to include a career ____________ on a CV. Although this statement makes the recruiters life easier, it can limit a candidates opportunities.

One of the most important sections of a CV is devoted to work ____________. List your most recent employment first and work backward.

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Answer the following questions:

From the candidates view, what are the advantages of chronological CVs? Of functional / skills-based CVs? When should you include a career objective / personal statement on your CV? Should you include references on your CV? Why or why not?

INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS LETTER WRITING

Lecture 3

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Ashley, A. The Oxford Handbook of Commercial Correspondence. New Edition. Oxford: OUP, 2003.
Correspondence, whether it is by letter, fax, or email, is a key aspect of the world of commerce and business. It reflects on the competence and professionalism of the person who has written it and the company he or she works for. Clear, effective correspondence is an important part of running an efficient business, and can promote good relations. Unclear or confusing correspondence can cause many problems, and can lead to misunderstandings, delays, lost business, and poor relations between individuals, departments, and companies. Therefore, writing skills what is written and how it is expressed should be as much a part of a business education as accountancy or economics.

PROFESSIONAL WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

PURPOSE-ORIENTED
Why do I write? What is the desired outcome of my message?
INFORM and REMIND PERSUADE REQUEST and INQUIRE (ENQUIRE) FOLLOW UP and REPLY THANK, WELCOME or CONGRATULATE

AUDIENCE-ORIENTED
To whom do I write? (status, level of knowledge, relationship)

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The 5 Cs of Effective Business Letter Writing

COURTEOUS (polite) CLEAR (logical arrangement, specific terms, directness) COMPLETE (communicate all the essential ideas and details) CONCISE (mention only the essential ideas and details; short, active sentences) CORRECT (proofread the letter for typos [typographical errors] and failures to check reference sources)

PARAGRAPHS
INDENTED PARAGRAPH XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX BLOCK PARAGRAPH XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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LETTER LAYOUT Parts of a Letter

RETURN ADDRESS (senders) DATE INSIDE ADDRESS (sending address) (attention line) SALUTATION (subject line) BODY OF LETTER COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE SIGNATURE BLOCK (Enc. / Encl., p.p., c.c.)

British FORMAT

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AMERICAN FORMAT

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SALUTATIONS and COMPLIMENTARY CLOSES

NO NAME MENTIONED
Dear Sir Dear Madam Dear Sir or Madam Dear Sirs --------------------------------------- Gentlemen Dear Mr Smith Dear Ms Smith Dear Mrs Smith Dear Miss Smith Dear Messrs Smith and Jones

NAME MENTIONED

Yours faithfully ----------------------- Yours truly Best wishes / Best regards (addressed to smb. that you know well) Yours sincerely ------------------------ Yours truly Sincerely Best wishes / Best regards (addressed to smb. that you know well)

PUNCTUATION
MIXED PUNCTUATION
EUROPEAN STYLE
Dear Ms Smith, Dear Sirs, Sincerely yours, Faithfully yours, Dear Ms. Smith: Gentlemen: Sincerely (yours), Best wishes,

OPEN PUNCTUATION
EUROPEAN STYLE
Dear Ms Smith Dear Sirs Sincerely yours Faithfully yours Dear Ms. Smith Gentlemen Sincerely Best wishes

AMERICAN STYLE

AMERICAN STYLE

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SENDERS ADDRESS
British format: the top right-hand corner of the page. American format: the top left-hand corner of the page. Punctuation is rarely used in addresses these days. The BLOCK(ED) STYLE is the most widely used: each line starts directly below the one above. In the UK it is not usual to write the senders name before his or her address.

LETTERHEAD
TYPE OF COMPANY
Ltd (UK)/ LLC (USA) the company has limited liability PLC (public limited company in the UK)/INC. (incorporated in the USA) - shares can be bought and sold by the public (&) co. a partnership If nothing is written after the companys name a sole trader (a person who owns and runs the business on their own).

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LETTERHEAD
Board of Directors
the name of the chairman (president US) The name of the managing director (UK)/ chief executive officer CEO (US and increasingly UK)

Address
The address of the office from which the letter is being sent The address of the head office or registered office, if different Telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses

Registered number
In small print, sometimes with the country or city in which the company is registered.

REFERENCES
Are often quoted to indicate what the letter refers to (Your ref.) and the correspondence to refer to when replying (Our ref.) May appear in figures (661/17 661 refers to the number of the letter and 17 to the number of the department) May appear in letters (DS/MR DS stands for the initials of the writer, Donald Sampson, and MR for his assistant, Mary Raynor)

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DATE
Is written below the senders address, separated from it by a space. LETTERHEAD the date is written on the righthand side of the page (UK), left-hand side (USA) the month should not be written in figures
Br.E. day/month/year Am.E. month/day/year

INSIDE ADDRESS (recipients address)

Written below the senders address and on the left-hand side of the page. Surname known Job title known
the name of the person is the first line of the address (Mr J.E. Smith/ Mr John Smith) If you ignore the name of the person you are writing to, but know their job title, you can use that (The Sales Manager, The Finance Director) You can address the letter to a particular department of the company (The Sales Department, The Accounts Department) If you know nothing about the company and do not know which person or department your letter should go to, you can simply address the letter to the company itself (Compuvision Ltd.)

Department known Company known

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INSIDE ADDRESS
ORDER OF THE INSIDE ADDRESS
Name of house or building Number of building and name of street, road, avenue, etc. Name of town or city and postcode Name of country

ATTENTION LINE
An alternative to including the recipients name or job title in the address (For the attention of the Sales Manager)

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SUBJECT TITLE/LINE
Written before or after the salutation, provides a further reference Saves introducing the subject in the first paragraph Draws attention to the topic of the letter May begin with Re. (with regard to)
Re.: Application for the post of web designer

SALUTATION
Dear Sir a letter to a man whose name you do not know Dear Sirs (UK) / Gentlemen (USA) a letter addressed to a company Dear Madam letter addressed to a woman, single or married, whose name you do not know Dear Sir or Madam (Dear Sir/Madam) letter addressed to a person when you do not know their name or sex.

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SALUTATION
Dear + courtesy title (Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss/Messrs/Dr/Prof) + surname
Dear Mr Smith

Mr male Mrs married female Miss unmarried female Ms married and unmarried female Messrs two or more men

COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE
Usually placed on the left, aligned under the rest of the letter Salutation without any name complimentary close: Yours faithfully Salutation with a personal name complimentary close Yours sincerely

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SIGNATURE BLOCK
Leave some space for the handwritten signature Below, type your name and, if relevant, your job title

Donald Sampson

Donald Sampson Sales Manager

Per pro
p.p. per pro for / on behalf of Used by administrators or personal assistants when signing letters on behalf of their managers.

Mary Raynor
p.p. Donald Sampson Sales Manager

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ENCLOSURES
If there are any documents enclosed with a letter, it is common to write Enc. or Encl. below the signature block. If there are a number a documents, these can be listed:
Enc. Bill of lading (3 copies) Insurance certificate (1 copy) Certificate of origin (1 copy) Bill of Exchange (1 copy)

COPIES
When copies are sent to people other than the named recipient, c.c. (carbon copy) is added, usually at the end of the letter, before the name(s) or initials of the recipient(s) of the copies
c.c. Messrs Poole & Jackson Ltd, Solicitors

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COPIES
When copies are sent to people other than the named recipient, c.c. (carbon copy) is added, usually at the end of the letter, before the name(s) or initials of the recipient(s) of the copies
c.c. Messrs Poole & Jackson Ltd, Solicitors

PUNCTUATION
Lecture 4 (alternate)

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Punctuation
Using the correct punctuation is an essential part of making your writing clear to your readers. Very often when sentences or texts are difficult to read or do not seem to make sense, it is because they contain errors in punctuation. The following punctuation marks are used in English.

FULL STOP .
The full stop, or period (US), marks the end of a sentence.
The firms expect Brussels to approve the deal within three weeks.

Full stops are also used after some abbreviations and can be used after numbers which appear in lists:
i.e. 1. 2.

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COMMA ,
Commas help the reader to pause at the right point in a sentence and to avoid confusing the meaning within the sentence: Commas are also used when a clause is inserted in the middle of a sentence: Commas are particularly important when part of a sentence or word group could be interpreted in different ways:
Most important aid should be lavished on the countries that can use it. Most important, aid should be lavished on the countries that can use it. Lagardere, the media-to-missiles group, will not become the biggest publisher. After two months of discussions, the fate of the company has been decided.

The investors said the fund managers were fools. The investors, said the fund managers, were fools.

QUESTION MARK ?
Question marks are only used at the end of direct questions (DQ). They are not used in indirect questions (IQ):
How long will Mr Marchionne be able to survive in his present position? (DQ) Many analysts are wondering how the new strategy will work. (IQ)

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EXCLAMATION MARK !
Exclamation marks give extra impact to a sentence and show surprise or shock:
Take it or leave it! No one was expecting that!

COLON :
Colons indicate that what follows is an illustration or example of what has been referred to before:
The company is in a strong position financially: its shares are now trading at 4.5 times their original price.

Colons can also be used to introduce lists:

The issues that will be discussed are the following:
Education Trade Governance

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SEMI-COLON ;
Semi-colons mark a pause that is longer than a comma and shorter than a full stop:
Getting accurate results with this method is tricky; two different samples will not produce the same result.

APOSTROPHE
An apostrophe shows that something either belongs to a particular person or is closely associated with either a person, a group of people or with another thing or things: The apostrophe comes before the possessive s with a singular noun, even when the noun itself ends with an s: The apostrophe comes after the final letter of a plural noun ending with an s: But with irregular plural nouns it is followed by the s: An apostrophe is also used to show that a letter (or letters) is missing:
Womens preferences The employees complaints Londons traffic problems My bosss office Messiers biggest mistake was to have underestimated shareholder discontent.

Well agree to your offer if you dont make any further demands.

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INVERTED COMMAS or
Inverted commas, or quotation marks, are used when citing the exact words that somebody used:
Just 50m out of 750m Africans have a mobile phone. There is much more room for growth, says Marten Pieters of Celtel.

BRACKETS () or []
Brackets, or parentheses (US Eng), are used to present additional information:
Lagardere wants to stop making missiles (his firm owns 15% of the European Aerospace Defence and Space group) and instead concentrate on the companys media interests.

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DASH
Dashes introduce explanations and comments that are connected to what precedes and can, like brackets , show interruptions to the flow of a sentence:
The company shouldnt have agreed to the merger it wasnt in its best interests. Last weekend in Sydney only half of the properties for auction the most common method of sale in Australia were actually sold.

HYPHEN Hyphens connect two words when they are used as compounds:
State-owned Asia-Pacific region Debt-equity ratio

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EMAILS
LECTURE 4

Advantages
It is personal and easy to use. It can be used both within and between companies. It is an effective way to communicate quickly and easily with people all over the world. It is especially useful for short messages and for everyday correspondence (e.g., setting up a meeting, passing on information, and making or replying to a request). With compatible systems you can access text, graphic documents, spreadsheets. Whatever you send or receive can be quickly and easily filed.

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Disadvantages
Technical problems (unexpected non-delivery of messages, attachments arriving in unreadable form). The ease of sending email messages results in large amounts of junk and unnecessary communication, which waste time. Possible lack of privacy and security (one should not use email to communicate confidential information).

Email and other forms of correspondence

In some areas of business more traditional forms of correspondence are still the most suitable.
LETTERS are used for:
personal and sensitive correspondence (messages of congratulation, condolence, or complaint). confirmation of contracts, memos which are confidential, any correspondence that may be needed for legal or insurance purposes. application forms with covering letters.

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Email addresses
The first part of the address is usually the surname and initial or the name of the sender/ the name of the department or a shortened version of it. The second part is the name of the ISP or organization (or an abbreviation of it). The last part includes the domain name: .co = company .ac = academic .biz = business .gov = government office .org = non-profit-making organization (e.g. charity) .pro = profession (e.g. medicine, law) .uk/.ro/.no/.de/.za = the country

Header information
c.c.= carbon copies (the same message was sent to the following addresses). b.c.c. = blind carbon copies, used when the sender does not want the main recipient to know who has received copies.

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Signature
It is like the signature block in a letter, with more details: the senders company or private address, telephone and fax numbers. If programmed, it is usually added automatically by the email software to the end of all outgoing messages.
Beatrix Kaasen (Ms) Bredgade 51 DK 1260 Copenhagen K Tel/Fax: (+45) 741583 Email: kaasenb@intertel.net.dk

Style
Although email correspondence may tend towards informality, it should follow the same principles as any other form of business correspondence. Generally, email messages follow the styles and conventions used in letters and faxes (salutations i.e., Dear Mr Pinto or Dear Tom; complimentary closes i.e., Yours sincerely or Best wishes). If you know the recipient well or in the case of an exchange of messages with one person, you may omit the salutation and complimentary close.

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Style
In business messages, the same rules of writing apply as for a letter: Write clearly, carefully, and courteously; Consider audience, purpose, clarity, consistency, conciseness, and tone; Use correct grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Do not write words in capital letters in an email message. This is normally seen as the equivalent of shouting and thus has a negative effect. If you want to stress a word, put asterisks on each side of it, e.g. *urgent*; Keep email messages short and to the point; In general, limit yourself to one topic per message. This helps to keep the message brief and makes it easier for the recipient to answer, file, and retrieve it later; Check your email message for mistakes before you send it.

Advice
Use a subject line that summarizes briefly and clearly the content of the message. Use short, simple sentences. Long sentences are often difficult to read and understand. Be careful with jokes, irony, and personal comments. Humour rarely translates well from one culture to another. Wait for 24 hours before you write if you are angry. Use the replies you receive to modify your writing to the same person. If a recipient writes back in a more informal or more formal style, then match that in your future emails to them. Be positive!

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Email abbreviations
TLAs (three-letter acronyms)
Used to keep email messages short, only when you have established a friendly, informal relationship with your correspondent. (They should not be used in letters and faxes!)
AFAIK as far as I know BFN bye for now BTW by the way COB close of business FYI for your information IOW in other words NRN no reply necessary OTOH on the other hand

EMOTICONS (emotion + icon) or SMILEYS

Used in informal email correspondence. They express emotions that may not be evident from the text. [ a smile; a frown; ;-) a wink). It is better not to use them in business messages, as they may be considered unprofessional, esp. if you do not know the recipient well or are not sure that he or she will understand them.

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COVERING LETTERS
Lecture 5

PURPOSES
introducing the CV; highlighting your strengths in terms of benefits to the recruiter; gaining an interview. N.B. The letter of application/cover letter/covering letter is a sales letter, it sells your talents and tries to beat the competition.

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LENGTH and PARTS OF THE LETTER

should have three primary parts:
An opening that gains attention A body that builds interest and reduces resistance A closing that motivates action.

GAINING ATTENTION IN THE OPENING

PERSONAL TOUCH (distinguishes the letter and demonstrates serious interest)
address the contact person by name (no Dear Personnel Manager or To the Human Resources Department) call the organization for the correct spelling and the complete address. The opening of the letter depends on this DIRECT APPROACH: if an employment position has been announced and applicants are being solicited the opening should attract the attention of the reader. (Strive for openings that are more imaginative than Please consider this letter of application for the position of or I would like to apply for )

SOLICITED vs. UNSOLICITED LETTERS

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OPENINGS FOR SOLICITED JOBS

If possible, refer to the name of an employee in the company. Remember that employers always hope to hire known people rather than complete strangers.
Mitchell Sims, a member of your Customer Service Department, told me that IntriPlex is seeking an experienced customer service representative. The attached summary of my qualifications demonstrates my preparation for this position. At the suggestion of Ms Jennifer Larson of your Human Resources Department, I submit my qualifications for the position of staffing coordinator.

OPENINGS FOR SOLICITED JOBS

Refer to the source of your information precisely. If you are answering an advertisement, include the exact position advertised and the name and date of the publication. Your advertisement in Section C-3 of the June 1 Daily News for an accounting administrator greatly appeals to me. With my accounting training and computer experience, I believe I could serve Quad graphics well.
The September 10 issue of The Washington Post reports that you are seeking a mature, organized and reliable administrative assistant with excellent communication skills. Susan Butler, placement director at Sierra University, told me that Data Tech has an opening for a technical writer with knowledge of Web design and graphics.

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OPENINGS FOR SOLICITED JOBS

Refer to the job title and describe how recruiters are looking for a match between an applicants credentials and the job needs:
Will an honors graduate with a degree in recreation and two years of part-time experience organizing social activities for a convalescent hospital qualify for your position of activity director? Because of my specialized training in computerized accounting at Boise State University, I feel confident that I have the qualifications you described in your advertisement for a cost accountant trainee.

OPENINGS FOR UNSOLICITED JOBS

use a more persuasive opening Demonstrate interest in and knowledge of the recruiters business. Show them that you have done research and that this organization is more than a mere name to you:
Since Signa HealthNet, Inc., is organizing a new information management team for its recently established group insurance division, could you use the services of a well-trained information systems graduate who seeks a professional systems analyst position?

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OPENINGS FOR UNSOLICITED JOBS

Show how your special talents and background will benefit the company. Recruiters need to be convinced that you can do something for them:
Could your rapidly expanding publications division use the services of an editorial assistant who offers exceptional language skills, an honors degree from the University of Maine, and two years experience in producing a campus literary publication?

Building Interest in the BODY

the body of the letter builds interest and reduces resistance. Keep in mind that your CV emphasizes what you have done; your application letter stresses what you can do for the employer. relate your remarks to a specific position. SOLICITED APPLICATION: you will want to explain how your participation and experience fill the stated requirements. UNSOLICITED APPLICATION: Your employment research and knowledge of your field, however, should give you reasonably good idea of what is expected for this position.

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Building Interest in the BODY

emphasize recruiter benefits:
you should describe your strong points in relation to the needs of the employer. Instead of I have completed courses in business communication, report writing and technical writing, try: Courses in business communication, report writing and technical writing have helped me develop the research and writing skills required of your technical writers.

Choose your strongest qualifications and show how they fit the targeted job. (Spotlight your education and practical applications if you lack work experience): Because you seek an architects apprentice with proven ability, I submit a drawing of mine that won second place in the Sinclair College drafting contest last year. Successfully transcribing over 100 letters and memos in my college transcription class gave me experience in converting the spoken word into the written word, an exacting communication skill demanded of your administrative assistants.

Building Interest in the BODY

discuss relevant personal traits. In addition to developing technical and academic skills at Mid-State University, I have gained interpersonal, leadership and organizational skills. As vice president of the business students organization I helped organize and supervise two successful fund-raising events. These activities involved in conceptualizing the tasks, motivating others to help, scheduling work sessions, and coordinating the efforts of 35 diverse students in reaching our goal. I enjoyed my success with these activities and look forward to applying such experience in your management trainee program.
Notice how the following paragraph uses action verbs to paint a picture of a promising candidate:

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Building Interest in the BODY

refer the recruiter to your CV. Do so directly or as part of another statement:
Please refer to the attached/enclosed rsum for additional information regarding my education, experience and references. As you will notice from my CV, I will graduate in June with a bachelors degree in business administration.

Motivating Action in the CLOSING

ask for an interview, never ask for the job. suggest reader benefits or review your strongest points. sound sincere and appreciative.

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Motivating Action in the CLOSING

E.g. I hope this brief description of my qualifications and the additional information on my rsum indicate to you my genuine desire to put my skills in accounting to work for you. Please call me at (405) 488-2291 before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. to arrange an interview. To add to your staff an industrious, well-trained administrative assistant with proven word processing and communication skills, call me at (350) 492 1433 to arrange an interview. I can meet with you at any time convenient to your schedule. Next week, after you have examined the enclosed rsum, I will call you to discuss the possibility of arranging an interview.

CHECKLIST FOR WRITING A PERSUASIVE COVER LETTER

OPENING Use the recipients name. Whenever possible, address the proper individual by name. Identify your information source, if appropriate. In responding to an advertisement, specify the position advertised as well as the date and publication name. If someone referred you, name that person. Gain the readers attention. Use one of these techniques:
Tell how your qualifications fit the job specifications; Show knowledge of the recruiters business; Describe how your special talents will be assets to the company; Use an original and relevant expression.

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CHECKLIST FOR WRITING A PERSUASIVE COVER LETTER

BODY Describe what you can do for the recruiter. Demonstrate how your background and training fill the job requirements. Highlight your strengths. Summarize your principal assets from education, experience, and special skills. Avoid repeating specific data from your CV. Refer to your CV. In this section or the closing, direct the recruiter to the enclosed / attached CV. Do so directly or incidentally as part of another statement.

CHECKLIST FOR WRITING A PERSUASIVE COVER LETTER

CLOSING Ask for an interview. Also consider reviewing your strongest points or suggesting how your assets will benefit the company. Make it easy to respond. Tell when you can be reached during office hours or announce when you call the company. Note that some recruiters prefer that you call them.

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1501 Deer Park Lane Pasadena, TX 77830 May 23, 2010 Ms. Kesha M. Scott Manager, Human Resources Del Rio Enterprises Houston, TX 77073 Dear Ms. Scott: Your advertisement for an assistant product manager, appearing May 22 in Section C of the Houston Chronicle, immediately caught my attention because my education and training closely parallel your needs. According to your advertisement, the job includes assisting in the coordination of a wide range of marketing programs as well as analyzing sales results and tracking marketing budgets. A recent internship at Ventana Corporation introduced me to similar tasks. I assisted the marketing manager in analyzing the promotion, budget and overall sales success of two products Ventana was evaluating. My ten-page report examined the nature of the current market, the products life cycles and the companys sales/ profit return. In addition to this research, I helped formulate a product merchandising plan and answered consumers questions at a local trade show. This brief but challenging introduction to product management convinced me that I could be successful and happy in a marketing career.

Intensive course work in marketing and management, as well as proficiency in computer spreadsheets and databases, has given me the kind of marketing and computing training that Del Rio demands in a product manager. Moreover, I have had some retail sales experience and have been active in campus organizations. I am confident that my academic preparation, my marketing experience and my ability to work well with others qualify me for this position. After you have examined the enclosed rsum for details of my qualifications, I would be very happy to answer questions. Please call me to arrange an interview at your convenience so that we may discuss how my marketing, computing and interpersonal skills could contribute to Del Rio Enterprises. Sincerely, Angelica Avila Luna

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2250 Turtle Creek Drive Monroeville, PA 15146 May 29, 2010 Mr. Richard M. Jannis Vice President, Operations Sports World, Inc. 4907 Allegheny Boulevard Pittsburgh, PA 16103 Dear Mr. Jannis: Todays Pittsburgh Examiner reports that your organization plans to expand its operations to include national distribution of sporting goods and it occurs to me that you will be needing highly motivated, self-starting sales representatives and marketing managers. I have these qualifications to offer: Four years of formal training in business administration, including specialized courses in sales management, retailing, marketing promotion and consumer behavior. Practical experience in demonstrating and selling consumer products, as well as successful experience in telemarketing. A strong interest in most areas of sports and good communication skills (which helped me become a sportscaster at Penn State radio station WGNF).

I would like to talk with you about how I can put these qualifications and others summarized in the enclosed rsum, to work for Sports World as it develops its national sales force. I will call the week of June 5 to discuss your companys expansion plans and the opportunity for an interview. Sincerely,

Donald W. Vinton

Encl.

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