Unsolicited Cover Letter

1. Careers Education & Placement Centre Unsolicited Cover Letter Date : 24 March 2000 (Friday) Time : 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Venue : T7, Meng Wah Complex

2. Careers Education & Placement Centre Louisa Li Director E-mail <louisali@hkusua.hku.hk> Website <http://www.hku.hk/cepc>

3. Slides from this presentation • lecture notes are available at the CEPC Enquiry Desk for photocopying • lecture notes are available at the CEPC homepage:<http://www.hku.hk/cepc> • Students  • Services for students  • Careers Education Courses  • Lecture Notes 

4. Who will need to send inunsolicited applications? • ALL job seekers • in particular:PR advertising broadcasting architecture dentistry law

5. From where did graduates get their first job 1996 1997 1998 HKU Careers Centre 34.7% 35.9% 37.0% Newspaper 40.1% 37.1% 33.1% Employment Agency 4.4% 3.4% 2.3% Friends / relatives 9.3% 9.0% 11.3% Direct Application6.9% 6.7% 7.8% to company 27.5% Faculty Staff 1.9% 2.8% 2.7% Others 2.7% 5.0% 5.7%

6. Example 1 • The final year project which I have completed on financial modeling was rated as “promising”, “highly practicable”, “innovative” and “brilliant” by the professor who supervised the project. He suggested that your organisation might be interested in the contribution that I might make for your business. Hence, I write to inquire about the possibility of working for you.

7. Example 2 • I read with great interest the article on the proposed Centre for Genome Research in the SCMP last December and write to inquire whether or not there is any possibility of involving students in your work, even at this early stage.

8. Example 3 • As a recent graduate of the LL.B. programme at the University of Hong Kong, I am about to commence my PCLL studies this Autumn, and plan to pursue a career as a solicitor in Hong Kong. Hence, I have begun to investigate about career opportunities that might be open to me upon completion of my studies. Is it possible to …...

9. Example 4 • “This letter is intended to introduce myself and to explore the potential need in your organisation for a bilingual petroleum engineer who is willing to relocate.”

10. Rest of letter - 1 • state what you have to offer • state related achievements that support the kind of job you are seeking

11. Rest of letter - 2 • It tells the reader what action you suggest, e.g. “It would be my pleasure to offer you additional details regarding my qualifications during an interview. I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.”

12. Sample Letters

13. Comments from employers • “ One student attended Outward Bound training. To me, it is a great experience. But he did not elaborate on it in his letter. Isn’t it a pity ? ” • “ Most of the CVs are too brief. Why don’t they use it to tell employers what they have accomplished ?”

14. Comments from employers • “ Many of your students repeat the same thing (from CV) in the covering letter. Sometimes even in the same words. It is so boring to read.” • “ I bet students use the same letter for applying to all employers. It is too general. It is about what they have done in the past and not what they can do for me in the future! ”

15. Your Challenge To show where you are different or better than your competitors! Add value - your experiences inside and outside the University will set you apart from your peers.

16. Sell them to the right person • address it to a particular person by name and job title in a TARGETED department of an organisation • How?? Try switchboard staff, alumni, friends, professors, career service etc • type ‘Private and Confidential’

17. Dull Raised level of sales above previous year With Impact Reversed negative sales trend; sales up by 41% over previous year

18. Dull Started new membership programmes to increase subscription With Impact Created and implemented two new member relations programs (xxx, yyy); resulting in a 33% increase in membership

19. Dull Hired and trained six voluntary student researchers during 1996-1998. Only one resigned. With Impact Recruited, trained, and motivated six new voluntary student reseachers during 1996-1998; five continued to excel

20. How to present the impact - 1 • a more detailed description of accomplishments • Cite measurable results * exceeded quotas/expectations * membership increased/ fund raised * development of new/ innovative strategies/products * positive results deriving from your actions/proposals

21. How to present past experience with impact - 2 • Use action verbs accelerated achieved adapted administered advised analysed appraised arbitrated arranged assembled assisted audited balanced budgeted built calculated centralized charted checked classified coached collated collected compiled cont’d

22. composed conceived conducted confronted consolidated constructed controlled co-ordinated corresponded counselled created cut delegated delivered demonstrated designed detailed determined developed devised directed dispensed displayed distributed drafted drove edited cont’d

23. eliminated entertained established estimated evaluated executed exhibited expanded expressed facilitated forecast formulated found founded generated guided handled headed identified implemented improved increased initiated inspected cont’d

24. instituted instructed interpreted interviewed introduced invented investigated joined launched led listened located logged maintained managed marketed maximized measured mediated met minimized monitoredmotivatednavigated cont’d

25. negotiatedobtainedoperated optimisedordered organized oversaw performedpersuaded pinpointedplannedprescribed predictedpreparedpresented printedprocessedproduced programmedpromotedprepared protectedpublishedpurchased cont’d

26. questionedraised ran read realizedrecommendedrecordedrecruitedreduced referredrehabilitatedreinforced re-organizedrepairedrepeated reportedrepresentedresearched scheduledsecuredselected cont’d

27. servedset settled simplified sketchedsoldsolvedspokestreamlined structuredstudiedsummarized supervisedsuppliedsystematized taughtterminatedtested tradedtrainedtranslated triggeredwon wrote

28. Resume and Covering Letter • Why you need a resume and a covering letter - letter : product benefits - resume : product features • Choice of resume format - fresh grad : combination - same field : chronological - different field : skills-based • NO STRICT RULES

29. Cover Letter In about 4 paragraphs, explain • why you are writing • what sort of job /why • why this company/industry • what skills/experience you have (with examples)

30. CV • What is your target area of work - career objective • what experiences should be emphasised • what should your CV look like

31. Resume and Covering Letter • clear, informative yet concise • be easy to read • stress your achievements • relate to the employer’s needs • give examples to demonstrate your skills • size, colour, grammar, style……. • Make your own MARKETING DOCUMENT (selling yourself!!)

32. Identifying your Unique Selling Point • What are your achievements ? • academic performance, work experience, student society activities, community service, travelling experience, exchange programme, sports, hobbies, personal life experience RELATE to EMPLOYERS’ NEEDS

33. Where to get more information • next session on English Cover Letter & Résumé Format will be held on 14/4/00, 1-2 p.m. at T7, Meng Wah Complex • books and videos can be borrowed from Careers Library, 3/F, Meng Wah Complex

34. Other Resources on Website • CEPC Homepage <http://www.hku.hk/cepc> - Application Writing/Interview Techniques/ Assessment Centre  - Application Writing  Websites : Student Centre http://www.aboutwork.com/rescov/cover/ Proven Resume http://www.provenresumes.com/ Resume Writing Guide by Job Web http://www.jobweb.org/catapult/guenov/restips.html College Grad - how to post your resume on the Internet http://collegegrad.com/resumes/reslinks.shtml

35. Questions & Answers