RESUME & APPLICATION LETTER:Personal Details, Two Types of Job Letters

<< RESUME WRITING:The Chronological Resume, The Combination Resume

JOB INQUIRY LETTER AND INTERVIEW:Understanding the Interview Process >>

Lesson 35

RESUME & APPLICATION LETTER

Chronological Resume

Name

Address Contact Nos.

Objective

Experience

November 2000 to present

· .

September 1998 to November 2000

· .

Education

1996-1998

___________________________________.

1994-1996

Personal Details

Language and Technical Skills

Objective

1. State Over Objectives

Experience

· Organize information chronologically

· Draws reader's attention to important point

· Provide the sort of specific information on duties and accomplishments that catches the employee's

eye

· Highlight duties and work achievements in bulleted lists

· Use active language to describe duties

· Include information headings throughout, making it easy for potential employers to find work-

related, education, or skills-information.

· Make each description concise, easy to read and information

· Avoid the word I thoughtout

· Use no unnecessary words

Leadership Experience (Extra Curricular Activities)

· .

Personal Details

· .

References (Optional)

· .

Listing leadership positions in a separate section is useful for the people entering the job.

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Naeem Ahmed

5687 Crosswood Road, Lahore

Home: (042) 987-0086 Office: (042) 549-6624

I have been staff accountant/financial analyst at AZ Corpration, Islamebad from March 1999 to

present.

I have negotiated with major suppliers.

I speak both English and Urdu fluently, and I was recently encouraged to implement an electronic

funds transfer for vendor disbursements.

In my current position, I am responsible for preparing accounting reports.

In have audited financial transactions.

I have also been involved in the design of a computerized model to adjust accounts for fluctuations

in currency exchange rates.

I am skilled in the use of Excel, Access, HTML, and Visual Basic.

Was staff accountant with ABC of Agricultural Chemicals in Quetta, (October 1995 to March 1999).

· While with ABC Quetta, I was responsible for budgeting and billing.

· I was responsible for credit-processing functions.

· I was also responsible for auditing the travel and entertainment expenses for the sales department.

· I launched an online computer system to automate all accounting functions.

· Also during this time, I was able to travel extensively in the country and abroad.

· I have my Master of Business Administration with emphasis on international business, which I

learned attending Punjab University in Lahore1993 to95.

· Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting (1990-1993), earned while attending College,

Lahore.

Application Letters

Whenever you submit your resume

Accompany it with a cover, or application, letter to let readers know

What you're sending

Why you're sending it, and

How they can benefit from reading it. Because your application letter is in your own style (rather

than the choppy, shorthand style of your resume)

You a change to show your communication skills and some personality.

Send you resume and application letter together, because each has a unique job to perform. The purpose of

your resume is to get employers interested enough to contact you for an interview. The purpose of your

application letter is to get employers interested enough to read your resume.

Learn something about the organization you're applying to;

Then focus on your audience;

Imagine yourself in the recruiter's situation, and

Show how your background and talents will solve a particular problem or

Fill a specific need the company has. During your research, find out the name, title of the person to

contact.

So respect your reader's time,

Include nothing in your cover letter that already appears in your resume.

Keep your letter straightforward, fact-based, short, upbeat, and professional. (drafting cover letter)

Be Specific.

Avoid general objectives.

Be as clear as possible about the kind of opportunity and industry you're looking for.

Make-email cover even shorter. When sending a cover letter by e-mail, make it a bit shorter than

traditional application letters. Remember, e-mail readers want the gist very quickly.

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Aim for high quality. Carefully check your spelling, mechanics, and grammar. Employers and

complaining about the declining quality of written communication, including cover letters.2 typs of cover

letter

Two Types of Job Letters

Solicited application letter is in response to an announced job opening you'll usually know what

qualifications the organization is seeking. You'll also have more competition because hundreds of other job

seekers will have seen the listing and may be sending applications too.

I would like to apply for the position of Accountant advertised is Sunday's The News.

Please consider me a candidate for the Account Assistants position advertised in Yesterday's "The

Dawn".

In the October 31 issues of the Daily Post, you ad mentioned "proven skills". I believe I have what you are

looking for in an administrative assistant. In addition to experience in a variety of office settings, I am

familiar with the computer software used in your office.

An unsolicited letter is sent to an organization that has not announced an opening stands a better

chance of being read and receiving individualized attention.

You should gains attention by focusing on the needs of the employer.

If there is a vacancy in your organization for a competent Accountant, I may please be considered a

candidate.

Mr. Ahmed, the head of your marketing department tell me that you have an opening in your office

for an experienced computer programmer I would like to apply for this position.

I understand that you are looking for an experienced computer programmer.

Both solicited and unsolicited letters present your qualifications similarly. The main difference is in

the opening paragraph. In a solicited letter, you need no special attention-getter because you have been

invited to apply. In an unsolicited letter, you need to start by capturing the reader's attention and

interest.Aida

Getting Attention

Follow the AIDA approach when writing you application letter: attention, interest, desire, action.

Like your resume, your application letter is a form of advertising, so organize it as you would a sales

letter:

Use the AIDA approach,

Focus on your audience,

Emphasize reader benefits.

Make sure your style project confidence.

To sell a potential employer on your merits, you must believe in them and sound as thought you do.

An Unsolicited Confident Opening

You want retail clerks and managers who are accurate, enthusiastic, and experienced. You want someone

who cares about customer service, who understands merchandizing, and who can work with others to get

the job done. When you're ready to hire a manager trainee or a clerk who is willing to work towards

promotion, please consider me for the job.

The opening of an application letter captures attention, gives the reason you're writing, and states

which job you're applying for.

Open a solicited application letter by mentioning how you found out about the position.

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Please consider my application for an entry-level position in technical writing. Your firm advertised a

position (on September 23, 2006, in the New Sun). With my two years experience, won't you consider me

for that position?

Building Interest and Increasing Desire

The middle section of your application letter presents your strongest selling, points in terms of their

potential benefit to the organization, thereby building interest in you and creating a desire to interview you.

The middle section of an application letter

Summarized your relevant qualifications

Emphasized your accomplishments

Suggests desirable personal qualities

Justifier's salary requirements

Refers to your resume

Unsolicited Application Letters

Show how your strongest skills will benefit the organization. A 20 years old his/her third year of

college might begin like this:

When you need a secretary in your export division who can take shorthand at 125 words a minute

and transcribe notes at 70 in English, Urdu or Portuguese call me.

Describe your understanding of the job's requirements and then show how well your qualifications

fit them.

Mention the name of a person known to and highly regarded by the reader

When Ahmad Hassan of your franchise sales division spoke to your business communication class

last week, he said you often need promising new marketing graduates at this time of year.

Use a question to demonstrate your understanding of the organization's need.

Can your fast-growing market research division use an interviewer with 1½ years of field survey

experience, a B.A in public relations, and a real desire to succeed? If so, please consider me for the position.

Solicited Application Letters

Identify the publication in which the ad ran; then describe what you have to offer

You ad in the April issue of Travel & Leisure for a cruise-line social director caught my eye. My

eight years of experience as a social direction in the travel industry would allow me to serve your new

Caribbean cruise division well.

Spell out a few of your key qualification, and back up your assertions with some convincing

evidence of your ability to perform:

Poor: I completed three college courses in business communication, earning an A in each course,

and have worked for the past year at Imperial Construction

Improved: Using the skills gained from three semesters of college training in business communication, I

developed a collection system for Imperial Construction that reduced its 2001 bad-debt losses by 3.7

percent, or Rs. 90,000, over those of 2000. instead of using timeworn terminology, the new system's

collection letters offered discount incentives for speedy payment.

The middle of your application letter also demonstrates a few significant job-related qualities, such

as your diligence or your ability to work hard, learn quickly, handle responsibility, or get along with people:

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While attending college full-time, I trained 3 hours a day with the varsity track team. In addition, I

worked part-time during the school years and up to 60 hours a week each summer in order to be totally self-

supporting while in college. I can offer you organization the same level of effort and perseverance.

Another matter you might bring up in this section in your salary requirement but only if the

organization has asked you to state them.

For the past two years. I have been helping a company similar to yours organize its database. I

would therefore like to receive a salary in the same range over twenty for helping your company set up a

more efficient customer database.

Toward the end of this section, refer the reader to your resume by citing a specific fact or general point

covered there:

Motivating Action

The final paragraph of your application letter has two important functions:

to ask the reader for a specific action and to make a reply easy. In almost all cases, the action you request is

an interview. Don't demand it, however; try to sound natural.

After you have reviewed my qualifications, could we discuss the possibility of putting my marketing skills to

work for your company? Because I will be on spring break the week of March 8, I would like to arrange a

time to talk then. I will call in late February to schedule a convenient time when we would discuss

employment opportunities at your company.

Adapting Style and Approach to Culture

The AIDA approach isn't appropriate for job seekers in every culture. If you're applying for a job

abroad or want to work with a subsidiary of an organization based in another country, you may need to

adjust your tone.

Guideline for Writing Applications Letters

A. Attention (opening paragraph)

1. Open the letter by capturing the reader's attention in a businesslike way.

2. Use a summary, name, source, question, news, personalized, or creative opening.

3. State that you are applying for a job, and identify the position or the type of work you seek.

B. Interest and desire, or evidence of qualifications (next several paragraphs)

1. Present your key qualifications for the job, highlighting what is on your resume: job-related education and

training; relevant work experience; and related activities, interests, and qualities.

2. Adopt a mature, businesslike tone.

3. Eliminate boasting and exaggeration.

4. Back up your claims by citing specific, achievements in educational, work, and outside settings.

5. Demonstrate your knowledge of the organization by citing its operations or trends in the industry.

6. Link your education, experience, and personal qualities to the job requirements.

7. Relate aspects of your training or work experience to those of the target position.

8. Outline your educational preparation for the job.

9. Provide evidence that you can learn quickly, work hard, handle responsibility, and get along with others.

10. Show that you possess personal qualities and work attitudes that are desirable for job performance.

11. If asked to state salary requirements in your letters, state current salary or a desired salary range, and link

it to the benefits of hiring you.

12. Refer the reader to the enclosed resume.

C. Action (Closing Paragraph)

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1. Request an interview at the reader's convenience.

2. Request a screening interview with the nearest regional representative, if company headquarters is some

distance away.

3. Make it easy to comply with your request by providing your phone number (with area code) and stating

the best time to reach you, or mention a time when you will be calling to set up an interview.

4. Express your appreciation for an opportunity to have an interview.

5. Repeat your strongest qualification, to reinforce your claim that you can contribute to the organization.

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