AKIKO TANAKA 52 Orchard Street, London W2 3BT Telephone: 020-7654 3210; Mobile: 07960 999999; E-mail: akiko9999@hotmail.

com Employment 1999-2001 Natural Group, Tokyo, Japan A manufacturer and retailer of natural foods and supplements in Japan Sales Assistant Advised the main shop's customers about organic and health foods Developed new business in smaller satellite stores, explaining the benefits of supplements and organic food to potential new customers Increased sales at both the main and the satellite shops. The extra profits were used to expand the business by establishing a new shop 1997-1999 Sony Corporation, Tokyo, Japan A Japanese conglomerate which develops and manufactures consumer and industrial electronic equipment world-wide Administration Assistant, General Affairs Department Examined incoming mail and redirected this to the appropriate division Translated foreign letters (written in English) into Japanese Customs Clearance Officer, Import Division, Sony Air Cargo Completed reports (e.g. bills of entry) to facilitate the import of goods from abroad Dealt with customs enquiries and procedures Education Sep 2001 1993-1997 Other Skills Computer literate: good knowledge of Word and Excel, as well as e-mail and the internet Fluent in Japanese; practical knowledge of English and Korean Personal Details Date of Birth Nationality Gender Work status Interests 6 January 1975 Japanese Female Student visa Studying English, visiting museums, playing golf Britannia School of English, London English language school; passed Cambridge First Certificate exam in June 2002 Meikai University, Chiba, Japan Degree in International Relations

COVERING LETTER
If you are sending an application directly to a potential employer, you should write a one-page letter to accompany your CV (a "covering letter"). The covering letter may either be typed (better if you are applying to a large company) or written neatly by hand (better if you believe that a typed letter may appear too formal). There is an example covering letter shown below. If you know the name of the person who is dealing with the job applications, you can start the letter with "Dear Mr Smith" or "Dear Ms Smith" (you can use "Dear Mrs Smith" if you know she is married; if the person has a title you should use it, for example "Dear Professor Smith"), and in this case you should end the letter with "Yours sincerely". If you do not know the name of the person, you should start the letter with "Dear Sir" or "Dear Sir/Madam", and end the letter with "Yours faithfully". If you are applying for a particular job vacancy, write which job you are applying for (including a reference number if there is one) and where you saw the advertisement. Briefly describe why you think you are suitable for the job; mention any relevant work experience or qualifications which you have. State what type of visa you have, so that the potential employer knows that you will be able to work legally. You may want to mention the level of your English ability. Explain in your letter how you can be contacted. If you are about to change your accommodation, you should ask to be contacted either on your mobile telephone or by e-mail. If you give the telephone number of your host family, you should ask them for their permission first, and you should check if they have an answering machine.

SENDING YOUR APPLICATION

Check your CV and covering letter carefully before you send them. Use the spell-checker on the computer (set the language to British English rather than American English). Ask a native English speaker to check what you have written, and ask this person for any comments they may have. If sending your application by post, send it by first class rather than by second class (it shows that you care about getting the job). If you send an application by e-mail, telephone to make sure that it has arrived, or send an application in the post as well. Alternatively, you may wish to hand in your application personally; if so, use this opportunity to find out more about the company and ask when you can expect to hear from them. If you have not heard from the company two weeks after you sent your application (or before the closing date for applications, if there is one), telephone the company to check that your job application has been received and that there haven't been any problems contacting you. It is often the case that people are invited for an interview for only a small number of the jobs to which they apply. Try not to feel depressed if it takes a long time to get a job. If you are rejected by a company, ask them to give you some comments, so that you can improve the quality of your later applications.

Akiko Tanaka 52 Orchard Street London W2 3BT Mobile: 07960 999999 E-mail: akiko9999@hotmail.com Fortnum & Mason's 181 Piccadilly London W1A 1ER 3 August 2002

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: Job as a part-time sales assistant (reference: JBW5014) I would like to apply for the job of a part-time sales assistant in the food section of Fortnum & Mason's in Piccadilly, as advertised in Loot Recruit on 2 August. Please find attached a copy of my CV. My previous jobs include two years as a sales assistant in an organic food shop in Japan. This has given me experience of dealing with customers, as well as cashier skills and a basic knowledge of food retailing. I have been living in London since last September, and am currently studying English at a language school. I have good English communication skills (recently I passed the Cambridge First Certificate in English exam). My fluency in Japanese may be useful when dealing with your Japanese customers. I am an enthusiastic worker, and enjoy working in a team. My student visa entitles me to work up to 20 hours per week (or longer during my school holidays), and I could start work immediately. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss the job vacancy with you on the telephone or at an interview. I can be contacted most easily on my mobile telephone or by e-mail (see details at the top of this letter).

Yours faithfully,

Akiko Tanaka