The first piece of employment communication is the application letter. You will write the application letter to a potential employer and ask for some specific action in the hiring process. Your

UNIT 3 A COVER LETTER 1. Read the text: The first piece of employment communication is the application letter. You will write the application letter to a potential employer and ask for some specific action in the hiring process. Your purpose in the application letter is not usually to ask for a job. Since the letter serves as only one step in the job search process, its purpose is to get you an interview. The letter accomplishes this task by introducing and referring your reader to your accompanying resume. By sending your letter and resume together, you hope to create interest in yourself as a potential employee. Then, the reader will want to talk further with you. The application letter should answer the question for the reader, “Why should I see you?” An application letter serves as a sales letter for your services. When an application letter accompanies a resume that details the writer’s education and work experiences, it becomes a cover letter. Your application letter helps develop the reader’s first impression about you as a potential employee. Your application letter must be neat, polite, purposeful, accurate, and technically correct. Make your letter brief, one typed page, consisting of four elements that contain the following information: Design the first paragraph to gain attention and make your reader want to read further. Your first paragraph can accomplish this purpose in one of several ways: ü By briefly summarizing your qualifications ü By mentioning the name of a mutual acquaintance, or where you saw the job ad ü By referring to news about the company or current activity ü By asking the reader a challenging question. State the job you are after. The paragraph should state what job you are applying for. Mention the source you got an information about a vacancy. Sell yourself. The paragraph should emphasize the skills that will be most attractive to that employer. Begin to convince the company to hire you. Your purpose in paragraph is to create interest in examining your background further. Here is where you discuss the benefits the company would derive from hiring you. Your goal is to convince the reader that you can satisfy the need that the company has for a new employee. Don’t go too far and outwardly boast about your skills and abilities. However, do present a businesslike and objective description of what you can do. Be positive. Close your cover letter with a request for an interview. State that you will be calling within the week to arrange a time and date for your meeting, and then be sure to make that follow-up call. Letters of application arise from two situations – either someone solicits the application or not. In either case, your purpose is to convince the reader to examine your resume. If someone solicits your application, you are applying for a known job opening. The potential employer advertises the available position, you respond to a job announcement or recruitment bulletin, or someone personally notifies you about an available job. In an unsolicited situation, you are initiating the search. You are seeking an interview where, as far as you know, no one has sought applicants. You are attempting to generate 5. Study the following cover letter and answer the questions: ü What does this letter respond to? ü What kind of cover letter is it? ü What are the main parts of the letter? ü What information is presented in the letter? ü What are the purposes of giving this information? Dear Mr. Jones Since Computer Systems is a fast-growing company, you are likely in need of young and energetic people with a good knowledge of computers. In one month I will be graduating from University with a Computer Science degree and would like to join your company as a programmer. In addition to my university courses, I have had work experience in programming and operating computers. Last summer I implemented programs for the design of loudspeakers at Nortec Industries. At your convenience, I would like to meet you to discuss how my qualifications could benefit Computer Systems. I am looking forward to our meeting. Next week I will call you to try to arrange an interview. Yours sincerely, Susan Runnels Enclosure: Resume 6. Study the following cover letter. Add everything that has been omitted: David Benton Worldwatch UK Ltd 357 Ferry Rd Basingstoke RG2 5HP Dear Mr. Benton I saw you advertisement for the job in sales department. I am very interested in the job. I graduated from a college. I worked in a related field. I enclose a copy of my resume. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please let me know if you need more information. Yours sincerely, Nancy Mann UNIT 4 PREPARING EFFECTIVE RESUME TYPES OF RESUME 1.Read the text: What is a Resume? In the language of careers, your resume is like a balance sheet. Just as the balance sheet is a current snapshot of a business’s financial position, the resume is a snapshot of the status of your career. However, while a balance sheet includes both assets and liabilities, the resume presents only your assets. Do not include weaknesses. The resume is a job search tool that you design to present your skills, abilities, and experiences to potential employers and others interested in your background. A variety of formats, styles, and types of resumes are acceptable. Since your resume reflects you, it shows the individual choices you make when preparing it. The diversity of some resumes can help stimulate your thinking. Remember that a real value of a resume comes from your background and skills, and you will tailor your resume to present that information. Very important is the fact that your resume will be different from everyone else’s. The resume is one of several tools that you will use to communicate your qualifications to potential employers. Your application letter, the firm’s application form, your interviews, and other correspondence you send work together to present your qualifications for a particular position. The resume has a specific purpose – to create enough interest in you so a potential employer will grant you an interview. The resume serves as an extension of the application letter and a prelude to the interview. Although no standard form or style really exists for a resume, readers of resumes have certain expectations that you must meet. How you meet them is a matter of choice. The types of details included and the format chosen can vary widely from person to person. You can choose from among many “correct” ways to present your qualifications in resume form. Since diversity is acceptable, you can use it to your advantage in presenting the best picture of your qualifications. In the same way that a snapshot doesn’t reflect your entire personality, the resume cannot fully reflect all your qualifications, it does not provide every detail. Although it will show your educational level and briefly describe your work experience and accomplishments, it is not a complete picture of you. Remember, the resume, like the application letter and the interview, is simply one step in the process. It helps get you in the door. You must select the facts you want to include. You want to highlight those facts that reflect a favorable picture. You want to be accurate. However, you may also omit facts that don’t show you in the best way. You must select elements of your background that are your strongest qualifications and strengths. Remember, we all have our weaknesses. Employers, though, will hire you for your strengths, and these are what you want to show. While preparing your resume, you have to make some choices. Revolve your choices around the type of resume you choose to prepare. The type of resume will determine which information you will include and exclude and the order in which you will present it. It will also dictate the format of presentation and the structure of the wording you’ll use to present this snapshot of your qualifications. 4.Agree or disagree with following statements. Support your answer by the facts from the above text. Use the phrases: It goes without saying…, One can’t deny…, I don’t think…, It is not right to … ü Resumes are grouped into two basic types: chronological and functional. ü Functional resume presents information based on the skills and abilities. ü Functional resume is the best type of resume for recent graduates. ü You are not allowed to combine different types of resumes. ü The chronological resume allows applicants to focus attention on the positive aspects of what they can do. ü A chronological resume is useful to emphasize the steady and systematic development of an individual. ü A potential employer never pays attention to any gaps in your resume. ü There is one generally accepted type of resume. 5.Compare the suggested resumes. State the type of each of them. Say what qualities they are focused on. Example 1: Nataliay Rudenko Tel.: [phone] e-mail: [e-mail] Job Objective: Leading economist of industrial enterprise Education: 2006-2010 - Master Degree in Economics, Kiev National University 2003-2006 - Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, College of Commerce, Kiev Work Experience: 2009- present - Assistant to the Head of Financial Department, Brown & C°, Kiev 2005-2009 - Economist of Financial Department, Brown & C°. Personal Information: Computer Literate: C-1, Microsoft Office 10. Languages: Russian, Ukrainian (native), English (fluent) Ref. Available on request

interest for a potential position, or you are working your way into a situation where you can respond when an opening does occur. In either case, the purpose of the letter is specifically definite. You want to create enough interest for the reader to review your resume and then to talk with you. 2. Answer the following questions. Give your reasons: ü Is it important to attract the reader’s attention? ü Why is it important to attract the reader’s attention in the first paragraph of your cover letter? ü What are the most common ways to attract the reader’s attention? ü Which of them is the best one? Why? 3. Ask your group mate about the information you must present in your cover letter. Begin your questions with: Could you tell me…?, What can you tell me about…?, Why should I…? 4. Analyze the following cover letter. As you study the letter, note the four components of the cover letter: ü Gaining attention by making a connection ü Introducing the “product” by briefly outlining your background and situation ü Giving evidence of value by emphasizing the benefits to the employer and referring to the attached resume ü Asking for action by asking for an interview. Mr. Hardly Samuels Personnel Director Merchants Department Store 222 Medium Road Columbus, OH 44512 Dear Mr. Samuels: Cover Letter Please consider my application for administrative assistant that you advertised in the May 1 edition of the Columbus Herald. The requirements you describe match my qualifications. I will be graduating from the business program at Pace County Community College at the end of the month. I’m planning to enroll part time at the Ohio State University in the fall to complete a bachelor’s degree in business administration. However, I would like to begin working full time to apply what I’ve learned at the college. Please note on my enclosed resume the part-time and temporary positions I’ve held over the past three years. As a result, you could hire an administrative assistant with experience in office management and customer relations with strong word processing skills. After you have read my credentials, I would like to meet you to discuss how I can contribute to Merchants’ operations in the Columbus area. I will call next week to see if we can arrange a convenient time. If you wish to reach me before then, please leave a message at [phone]. Sincerely, Charles Jacobs Enclosure: Resume 7.Write a cover letter for any job opening advertised in your local newspaper, for which you feel you are qualified. While writing a cover letter you should keep in mind the following points: ü Write the letter in standard business format. ü Make you cover letter attractive and businesslike in quality, grammatically precise, and free from typographical errors. ü Specially identify the position you want and the circumstances that led to writing the letter. ü Make your points briefly, directly, and firmly. ü Focus on relevant skills, training, or experience by highlighting your resume or adding other appropriate information. ü Stress how the employer will benefit from hiring you, yet give the idea you’ll learn a great deal by becoming a part of the company. ü Make the connection between you and the job you are applying for. ü Refer briefly to your attached resume and any other enclosures. ü Specifically request an interview at the employer’s convenience, or suggest other appropriate action. ü Limit this letter to one page, and keep paragraphs short. Notes to the text: balance sheet - балансовый отчет - балансовий звіт snapshot - фотография - фотографія assets and liabilities - активы и пассивы - активи та пасиви to tailor - специально приспосабливать - навмисно пистосовувати accomplishments - достижения - досягнення to omit - не включать - не включати ü What can a resume be compared with? ü What information can be included in a resume? ü What information can be omitted? ü Why is it necessary to write a resume? ü What can a resume show? ü Why can’t a resume reflect all your personality? 3. Read the text: Types of Resumes There are six different kinds of resumes. The most common are: ü The chronological resume – list education and work history in reverse chronological order with the most recent activity first. ü The functional resume – emphasizes your abilities and achievements rather than your work history. The skills listed should correspond to skills which are important to the position for which you are applying. ü The targeted resume – focuses on a specific job and lists only capabilities and accomplishments which relate to that job. ü Electronic resume - serves for sending your resume through Internet. ü Combined resumes - different parts of resume may be presented in different formats. Job applicants who use the chronological resume present information based on time. A potential employer will read about your education and work history. He or she will want to see your most recent experiences first, followed by previous experiences. A chronological resume is useful to emphasize the steady and systematic development of an individual’s education or work experience. It’s the most used type of resume. Job applicants who choose the functional resume present information based on skills and abilities that they have acquired at various jobs. This type of resume will let you emphasize what you can do instead of what you have done or when you did it. The functional resume is especially useful for people who are making significant changes in their careers, for people who have a chronological gaps in their work experience or educational development and recent graduates. The functional resume allows applicants to focus attention on the positive aspects of what they can do. In the functional resume, people do not raise questions about what happened during a specific time. The third option is to combine the two approaches. The combined resume lets you focus attention on your specific skills and abilities and yet still include a chronological listing elsewhere in the resume. Example 2: Susan Great 16, Fort Road New York 11678 Tel: [phone] Job Objective: Public relations trainee Experience: Communication: Gave oral presentations to public as guide at Huronia Village in summer. Debated as a member of Queen’s Debating Society. Leadership: Elected Vice-President of English Club at Queen’s University. Initiative: Founded my own home-baked cookie business, when at the University. Organizing: Planned and chaired monthly seminars. Writing: Wrote in-house, monthly newsletter. Education: Master of Counseling degree, Queen’s University 2006. Bachelor of Arts degree, Long Island University, 2003. Personal: Award included a full scholarship, work-study grants, and graduation with honor. Interests: Jogging, skiing, playing tennis, reading, and playing the saxophone. References: Available on request Example 3: Ward Gantney Tel: [phone] Job Objective: Leading Engineer specializing in machine-tool design Work experience: 2008- present - Engineer of Design Bureau, Lugansk Pipe Works. 2002-2004 - Entry-level Engineer of Design Bureau, Holding Company ‘Lugansklocomotive’ Education: 2001-2005 - Master Degree in Metal-cutting Machine-tools, East- Ukrainian National University named after V.Dal. Professional Affiliations Member of Machine-Builder’s Association of Ukraine References: Dr. Ivanovsky T. B., Head of Production Engineering Department - tel: [phone]

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