NO EXPERIENCE?

How to show you are right for the job

 02
BUILD YOUR LINKEDIN
PROFILE

0 WRITE A
1
COVER LETTER
TODAY’S
OUTLINE
 EDUCATION

• Reverse chronological order – most recent first

• Include
Dates
Programme and institution
Grades
Relevant subjects/modules
Projects, dissertations etc., if relevant
• Include marketable/relevant data only
Source: MIT Global Education and Career Development
 HIGHLIGHT YOURSELF
• Reverse chronological order
• Include:
Job title
Name and location of employer
From/to dates
Do not just copy your job description into this section
Use action verbs
State what you did, learnt or achieved
• Key achievements (results/metrics/numbers, where
possible)
 EMBRACE YOUR INEXPERIENCE

• Highlight skills, accomplishments,

capabilities, and work experience.

• Give evidence of your personal

impact. Cite numbers to convey size
and/or scale of project, budget, and
members supervised.

• Give examples that demonstrate

desirable personality traits such as
leadership, interpersonal facility,
confidence, and independence
Source: MIT Global Education and Career Development
 OTHER IMPORTANT SECTIONS

• To show that you are a well-rounded student

• Awards and Honors: Scholarship, Research
award, Student business challenge
• Skills: Language skill, IT skill. Include
certifications if possible
• Referee: Include two referees – at least one
employer
 ACADEMIC CV?
● Contact details
● Studying objectives/Research interests
● Education & academic achievements
 Relevant degree/courses
 GPA/Ranking
 Research
 International test result
● Work experience
● Activities and involvements
● Awards and Honors
● Skills
 COMPARISON

JOB SCHOLARSHIP
APPLICATION APPLICATION
CV Industry focus Academic focus

Accompanying Cover Letter Statement of Purpose

document Motivation Letter
References Optional Important
Often only need basic At least (2) Letter of
contact details Recommendation is required
Official documents Only required when you Required in the application
are recruited package
 SUMMARY ON WRITING A CV

• Include all fundamental sections

• Explain your background, competencies, passion and future direction
through the Career Objectives
• Include relevant & marketable data only
• Reverse chronological order: Latest experience comes first
• Highlight your skills and achievements by using action verb and
including numbers/examples/evidences
 SUMMARY ON WRITING A CV

• Choose public-friendly title & terms

• There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all CV
• Show your professionalism: Consistently formatted, error-free CV
• Keep everything within an A4-page
• Make sure it is readable when printed out
“I showcase
myself through
the cv, why do I
still need a
cover letter”?
 WHAT DOES A COVER LETTER DO?

• Tell the employer exactly why hiring you in a

narrative, conversational form

• Reveal to employers your ability to put together

complete sentences and to sound intelligent

• Provide extra data to guide recruiters in making the

best choice the first time.
 A COVER LETTER’S STRUCTURE

BODY
OPENING - Showcase the CLOSING
- Capture attention candidate’s skills - Motivate action
- Introduce the and qualifications - Encourage an
message - Show passion for interview
- Identify the the position - Show
position - Focus on the appreciation
employer’s needs

It’s a PERSUASIVE MESSAGE that sells you to the prospect employer

 A COVER LETTER’S STRUCTURE
SHORT OR LONG
• Recruiters disagree on the length of a cover letter
• Some prefer short messages (no longer than 2 paragraphs),
embedded in the email (the email itself is a cover letter)
• Longer message  more information, easier to evaluate
qualifications and writing skill
ALERT
• Writing a proper cover letter is very tiring since you have to
customize it to each employer’s needs
• You can’t say the same thing to different people, right?
 OPENING OF A COVER LETTER

• Impress by personalization: Address the recruiters by name (if

possible), specify the name of the position and company

• Refer to the source of your information precisely.

In response to your job advertisement on YBOX, I am writing this letter to

express my passion and desire for the position of Marketing Intern at Shopee
Vietnam.
 BODY: PROMOTING YOURSELF
• Refer to the job title, and describe how your qualifications and
background fit the requirements

Shopee Vietnam’s marketing intern opening is an excellent match

with my qualifications. As a final-year student of International University with a
major in marketing, I offer solid academic credentials as well as excellent English
communication skills gained from our school’s internationally accredited
undergraduate program.
 BODY: PROMOTING YOURSELF
• Show that you’ve done your homework: Mention your
interest/knowledge about the recruiter’s business

I read with great interest the article in Cafebiz about the upcoming expansion of
the Grab ecosystem. I am very excited and confident about becoming a part of
the great future possibilities of your company.
 BODY: PROMOTING YOURSELF
• Show how your talents and background will benefit the
company

Intensive course work in marketing and management, as well as proficiency in

data analytics, has given me the kind of marketing and computer training that
Shopee probably demands in a marketing team member.
 BODY: PROMOTING YOURSELF
• Spotlighting your education and its application for the job

Weak sentence: I have taken several courses at school that prepare me for the
job.

Strong sentence: Composing professional messages, preparing reports and

analyzing data in my business communication and business computing courses
helped me develop the writing, language, proofreading, and computer skills
mentioned in your ad for an administrative assistant.
 CLOSING: MOTIVATING ACTION
• Direct reference to the resume

Please refer to the attached résumé for additional information regarding my

education, experience, and skills.
 CLOSING: MOTIVATING ACTION
• Ask CONFIDENTLY for an interview (not the job)

I look forward to the opportunity to discuss my qualifications for the financial

analyst position more fully in an interview. I can be reached at (+84) 123 456 789.

Note: Avoid “I hope” in your job cover letter/university statement of

purpose (weak verb)
 TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL COVER LETTER
• Don’t overuse sentence beginning with “I”. Be flexible with
sentence structure
Eg: Classes in marketing and branding prepared me to. . . .

• The message tone is professional, but comfortable and

conversational

• Like your CV, your Cover Letter must show professionalism and
suggest quality. Use traditional LETTER FORMAT, block style

• It has to be perfectly written – proofread carefully.

 SENDING YOUR APPLICATIONS
• Be careful when you use template/website
• Name the file appropriately and consistently. No “CV”, “CV (final)”,
“Cover Letter final”
Eg: CV_Audit Intern_Tram Nguyen
Cover Letter _Audit Intern_Tram Nguyen
• Email subject: Include the position and your name
Eg: Application for Audit Intern – Tram Nguyen
• Send short email message with documents properly attached. Email
etiquette!
• PDF your files
 WHY LINKEDIN IS IMPORTANT?

• Network specialized for

professional purposes
• Millions of members
• Research about
companies
• Offer invaluable
resources
• Accessing jobs in the hidden market
• Directly connecting with prospect recruiters
Getting industry updates
 WHY LINKEDIN IS IMPORTANT?

A Linkedin profile helps you stay

visible in the professional market
• Allow people to search/research
about you
• Show up first in Google search
• Create your professional brand
• Help manage your network Put a name + company/organization/school
+ title here
Professional personal branding
Actively reach out for job
opportunities in professional
network
 UTILIZING LINKEDIN PROFILE
NO YES

• Provide a professional URL

• Utilize all sections in the profile
• Clear and professional
formatting
• No grammar or spelling
mistake
• Spend enough time on
completing your profile
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR
LINKEDIN PROFILE
 E-PORTFOLIO IN THE DIGITAL AGE
PLAYING THE DIGITAL RULES: Getting your profile more “searchable” by using keywords

• Include specific keywords and keyword phrases: words that frequently appear in job
advertisement, industry hot keywords, highly-demanded skills…

• Focus on nouns: Job title (Marketing Analyst), technical skills and qualifications
(JavaScript), certification, tool, specific experience (Google Analytics, Adobe AI)

• Use variations of the job title (Marketing Executive, Marketing Specialist, Performance
Marketer..)

• Do not skip the skill section – it helps match your profile and job requirements
automatically
E-PORTFOLIO IN THE DIGITAL AGE

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/h%E1%BA%B1ng-l%C
3%AA-20b776198_uiuxdesign-graphicsdesign-opentow
ork-activity-6733205836845469696-0SM-/?fbclid=IwAR
3DdfGFy7anYOCA9cNcGnqxiGePmaUSek_DWRqNlG
yipg2NnrxeJU-bG1Y