Chapter Four: Human Resources

The following lines are from a consultant talking about the recruitment process:
“Well, what usually happens is that an employer will advertise vacancy or
new post – sometimes both inside and outside the company. Then, after they have
received all the applications, they will screen them – go through and shortlist the
candidates for interview – choosing those who appear to meet the criteria for the job.
Next, they will assemble an interview panel, which is perhaps as many as four or five
people in some cases, and then call the candidates to interview. Some employers
choose to check references at this stage to avoid delays later, while others wait until
after the interview when they have chosen one of the candidates. Provided the panel
is happy, the employers will make a job offer, and the successful candidate starts
work. Often he or she will attend induction sessions or be given a mentor who helps
to train new staff”.

Application for job or job application

An application letter is the one you write to apply for a job. It should be written
with great care. A well-written letter could lead to an interview; whereas a badly written
one will almost certainly lead to your application being rejected. The person or
organization to which you send your application is likely to have many others to read
and consider, and it is therefore important that your application conveys the necessary
information neatly and succinctly. Unless the advertisement for the post you are
applying for specifies that the application should be in your own handwriting, the letter
should be typed. You should sign the letter in your own hand. The following
instructions need to be found in such a letter:

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  Refer to the job offered:
E.g.: I refer to…/ With reference to…/ Referring to…/ Your advertisement of…
(date) in… (Newspaper) for the job of a/n … has attracted my attention.

 Offer your service

E.g.: I wish to apply for the vacant post of…/I wish to apply for this post.
 Give information about yourself, that means:
Introduce yourself (give your age) / Your education (I am now completing my study
in…, I hope to get my diploma this year) / Your experience (I am now employed
as…in…, I have been working as… with…for…, I have a three years’ experience
in…

 Special abilities
For example, giving your mother tongue if it is necessary to the kind of job vacancy:
My mother tongue is…; I have a fair knowledge of both spoken and written
(English); I speak… fluently; An x years’ stay in… has given me an opportunity for
improving my practical knowledge of English, …

 State reasons for applying

 Give references
E.g.: X is willing to…; X is ready to…; Messrs… have allowed (giving) (to give)
their names as a reference; I enclose a copy of the characters granted by my former
employers…

 Mention the salary you require (if necessary)

E.g.: I agree to the salary/I am ready to accept the salary you mention in your
advertisement.
 Express the hope of being given the job
E.g.: I hope you will consider my application; Hoping to be your future employee…

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 When you apply for a job, you may want to give information about yourself
in chronological order.

Note: The information about yourself is usually given apart in Curriculum Vitae as
an enclosure of the application itself. The following is information you would include
in your CV

Writing a CV or résumé

A well written, well produced, appropriate CV (BrE) or résumé (AmE) is vital for
getting you to the interview stage for a job. Use the examples and advice here to help
you.

Tips:

 Adapt your CV/résumé so that it is appropriate for the job you are applying
for;
 Keep your CV short - no more than two (2) pages if possible;
 Present yourself positively and accurately,
 Make your CV attractive and easy to read: use capitals, bold type, spacing
and underlining;
 Choose a type face such as Times New Roman, Arial or Verdana. Use at
least ten pt.

British Style CV (Curriculum Vitae) - new graduate

Name Emily Jane Wilson

Address 29 Greenlands Avenue, London SW3GRF

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Telephone 01924786512 Mobile 07799238182

e-mail em_wilson@scapenet.com

Objective To find a role in a film or TV production company that will enable me

to acquire and develop the skills required for a career in film or television.

Profile An outgoing and articulate graduate with work experience both

television and teaching.

Education and qualifications

2014 - Main Media Studies. Bristol University. Expected 2015

2010 - 2014 BA in Media Studies with French (2:1) Bristol University

2002 -2009 Beacon School, London

3 A levels: Drama (A); French (A); German (B)

5 AS levels 9 GCSEs

Work experience

October 2012 – June 2013: Language assistant in secondary school in France. Taught
English to large classes and small groups. Ran a film club and a holiday dance
and drama club. Assisted with school drama productions.
September 2009- August 2010: Production assistant at Oordman and Associates
Filmmakers, London N16. Performed office and on – set duties
June – September 2009: Tutor for Jacaranda Drama Workshops. Led groups of
teenagers of different backgrounds in dance and drama activities.
July – August 2008: Host at Adventure Camping holiday campsite in France. Led

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 the children’s club for 4 – 10 year olds and performed various practical duties
on the campsite.

Skills Languages: French – near native-speaker fluency (CEFR C1); German

(B2).
Good keyboard skills. Familiarity with Word, Excel and film editing
packages.
Clean driving licence.
Interests

Drama, both acting and directing; singing (was member of university choral society).
Regular volunteer at a local centre for the homeless.

References: attached.

American style résumé – new graduate

These are similar to British style CVs. But notice:

 For new graduates, your résumé should only be (written on) one page
 Describe your work experience in terms of self-motivation, teamwork,
organization problem-solving, and enthusiasm

Tips

The standard US paper size is not A4 (210x297 mm) but (216x279mm)

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 Jessica M. Brown

jmbrown@mba.nau.edu

Present Address: Permanent Address:

508 Blackbird’s Roost 50, rue de Vaugirard

Flagstaff, AZ, USA86011 Saint-Sulpice, France 75006

Tel +1 929 555 1212 Tel +33 1234 567 890

OBJECTIVE To obtain an entry-level management position within an

International hospitality organization.

EDUCATION Masters in Business Administration (M.B.A) 2011-2013

Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

B.A in International Hospitality, 2007 – 2011

Université de Savoie, Chambéry, France

EXPERIENCE Travel Agent , Sep. 2011 – Present

Kokopelli Extreme Tours, Sedona, Arizona, USA

Organized adventure package tours for large student groups,

trained and supervized new staff members, and maintained

partner relationships.

Camp Counselor, Jun 2007 – Aug 2011

Voyageurs Summer Camp, Voglans, France

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 Group leader for children aged 10 – 15. Developed curriculum
for campers and led overnight hiking trips.

HONORS Agent of the Month, Kokopelli Extreme Tours, March 2013

Voted ‘Most Popular Counselor’, Voyageurs, 2010 & 2011.

SKILLS &

INTERESTS Fluent in French and English; conversational Spanish. Enjoy

web design in HTML and Flash.

The Cover or covering letter

A covering letter (NAmE cover letter) accompanies a CV/résumé or an
application form. Britain and North America they are usually typed on a single page.
A good letter uses formal language and presents some key arguments for why your
application should be taken seriously.

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Dear Mrs Hunter

Senior Accounts Clerk

I am writing to apply for the post of senior accounts clerk

advertised in the Cambridge Evening News of 17 January.
As you will see from my enclosed CV I am currently an accounts
clerk in a medium-sized printing firm. In addition to my normal
bookkeeping duties, I am responsible for invoicing and chasing up
late payments. I also deal with credit checks on potential
customers.
I am committed to pursuing a career in management accounting
and am currently studying for further professional qualifications
by distance learning. I am particularly interested in your post as it
would enable me to gain experience of working in a larger
company with the opportunities for professional training and
development that this brings. In addition to my skills and
experience as an accounts clerk, I would bring to the post a proven
ability to deal successfully and tactfully with customers and
clients.
I am available for interview for the next three weeks.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Adil Desai
Adil Desai
Enc. CV