ADAMA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY SCOOL OF SOCIAL

SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

ENGLISH LANGUAGE IMPROVEMENT

CENTER
( ELIC)

FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

PART ONE: APPLICATION LETTER
 Brainstorming: Work in pair and answer the
following questions.

1. What is application/cover letter?

2. What are the components that should be included in
application letter?
 1. Letters of Application
It is a kind of letter that applying for a new job. It is
very important to be able to write a good letter
when you are applying for a job. This kind of letter
is called a letter of application.
 Sometimes you will have to fill in an application
form, but at other times you will be asked to write
a letter.
 Many people send a Curriculum Vitae, or CV for
short, with a letter of application.
 Be sure to take the time to personalize your letter so
that it’s a strong endorsement of your ability to do the
job for which you’re applying.
 A CV gives all the basic details about you and means
your letter of application can be quite short.

 If you have not prepared a Curriculum Vitae/CV, you

will need to give all the important details about
yourself in your letter.
It is more than just a brief cover note in which you
merely introduce yourself, ask the employer to accept
your application, and refer to your attached documents.
Together with your resume it provides you with an
opportunity to sell yourself as a highly suitable
candidate for the job.
There are usually two types of application letters – one
is a response to an advertised position or personal
contact – the other is seeking to be considered for
possible vacancies and is often called a ‘speculative’ or
‘cold canvas’ letter.
 Effective application letters explain the reasons for
your interest in the specific organization and identify
your most relevant skills or experiences.

 While writing an application letter, you should

determine its relevance by carefully reading the
job description, evaluating the skills required and
matching them to your own skills.
These are important things which an employer
needs to know about you:

 Age.
School attended.
Educational record.
Work experience.
Any special skills.
Hobbies or interests.
Have you got references?
 Are you available for interview?
 The components that should be included in application
letter
1. Header: A cover letter should begin with both your and
the employer's contact information (name, address,
phone number, email) followed by the date.
 If this is an email rather than an actual letter, include
your contact information at the end of the letter, after
your signature.
 Your contact information should include:
First and Last Name
 
Street Address
 City
Salutation: Begin your cover letter salutation with
"Dr./Mr./Ms. Last Name."
 If you are unsure if your contact is male or female, you
can write out their full name.
 If you do not know the employer's name, simply write,
"Dear Hiring Manager."
 This is better than the generic and formal, “
To Whom It May Concern.”
Subject: Type the gist of your letter in all uppercase
characters, either flush left or centered. Be concise on
one line.
 If you write the subject in lower cases you have to
underline it.
 Introduction: Begin your introduction by stating
what job you are applying for.
 Explain where you heard about the job, particularly if
you heard about it from a contact associated with the
company.
 Briefly mention how your skills and experience match
the company and/or position; this will give the
employer a preview of the rest of your letter.
 Your goal in the introduction is to get the reader's
attention.
Body: In a paragraph or two, explain why you are
interested in the job and why you make an excellent
candidate for the position.
 Mention specific qualifications listed
in the job posting, and explain how you meet those
qualifications.
 Do not simply restate your resume, but provide
specific examples that demonstrate your abilities.
Closing: In the closing section of your cover letter,
restate how your skills make you a strong fit for the
company and/or position.
 If you have room (remember, just like your resume,
your cover letter should be no longer than one.
 You can also discuss why you would like to work at that
specific company.
State that you would like the opportunity to
interview or discuss employment opportunities.
Explain what you will do to follow-up, and when
you will do it.
Thank the employer for his/her consideration.
Signature: Use a complimentary close, and then end
your cover letter with your signature, handwritten,
followed by your typed name.

 If this is an email, simply include your typed name,

followed by your contact information, after the
complimentary close.
Your application letter is much more than a “cover
letter” – when it is well done it:
 Introduces you to the employer
 Highlights key information from your resume
 Tells the employer why they should consider employing
you
 Tells the employer why you are interested in them
Invites the employer to read further to find out more,
and
 Convinces the employer that your worth interviewing
There are four basic pieces of information you
need to include in a covering letter for a job
application.

1. Name the job you are applying for and where

you found out about it. For example, name the
newspaper where the advertisement appeared
and the date when it was printed.
2. Include some information about yourself. This
is not necessary if you are including a CV.
3. Give the name, address and phone number of two
people who will recommend you to the potential
employer. It is best if one of these is a personal
referee and one is a work referee.

4. State the times when you will be available for an

interview.
 
 

William O’Connor
3 Mount Joy Drive
Cork8908907
 
11/12/03

Handy Motors
Dublin Street
Cork
 
Dear Sirs;
 
Subject: Applying for the Vacancy Announced
 
I wish to apply for the job of mechanic as advertised in the Evening Herald of 9/12/03.
 
I am 26 years old and have just moved to the area. I am eager to start work and get settled as quickly as possible.
 
I finished my mechanics apprenticeship 3 years ago and have been working in a busy garage since then. I have an NCVA certificate in Motor mechanics.
I am reliable and I like to work hard. I think you would find me a valuable worker.
 
I enclose the following names as referees:
Mary Murray Bill Caldwell
Principal Director
Inver College CMS Motors
Dublin 7 Dublin 2
01 3453456 01 6786789
 
I am available for interview at your convenience.
 
Yours faithfully,
 
_______________
William O’Connor
 REPORTER
Vcancy Announcement
MOENCO needs to hire 30 fresh graduates posted
on the date 10/02/2020 in reporter news paper.
Applicants should submit their application letter’s
with CV’s and other necessary documents.
PART TWO: WRITING CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)
1. What is CV?
2. Have you written a CV before?
3. What to include in CV?
4. Do you want to write a killer CV?
 What is a CV?
 

A CV (curriculum vitae) allows you to summarize your

education, skills and experience, selling yourself to
employers. In the USA and Canada it's known as a résumé,
and tends to be a more concise document.
How long should a CV be?
A standard CV in the UK should be no longer than two
sides of A4.Only include the main facts; if your CV is just
one page, that's fine, as employers only want to read
relevant information. Some medical or academic CVs may
be longer depending on your experience.
 Information that can be included in cv

The following are examples of information

that can be included in your curriculum
vitae.
The elements that you include will depend
on what you are applying for, so be sure to
incorporate the most relevant information
to support your candidacy in your CV.
 Contact Information
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Cell phone:
Email:
Personal Information
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Citizenship:
Visa Status:
Gender:
Optional Personal Information
Marital Status:
Spouse’s Name:
Children:
Employment History:
Include position details and dates
Work history
Academic positions
Research and
Training all in a chronological order
Education:
Include dates, majors and details of degrees, training
and certification. We usually start from the latest.
Post-Doctoral training
Graduate school
University
High school
Other Skills:
Language skills
Computer skills
Driving skill
Interests/Hobbies:
Personal interests and hobbies
Awards:
Publications:
Books:
 What to include in a CV

Contact details - Include your full name, home

address, mobile number and email address.
You do not need to include your date of birth or a
photograph unless you're applying for acting or
modeling job.
Profile - Placed at the beginning of the CV, a
profile is a concise statement that highlights your
key attributes or reasons for deciding to work in a
particular field. You should keep it short and
snappy - 100 words is the perfect length.
Education - List and date all previous
education, including professional
qualifications, placing the most recent first.
Work experience - List your experience in
reverse chronological order, making sure
that anything you mention is relevant to the
job you're applying for.
If you have plenty of relevant work
experience, this section should come before
education.
Skills and achievements - This is where
you talk about the foreign languages you
speak and the IT packages you can
competently use.
Whatever you list should be relevant to the
job and not over-exaggerated, as you'll need
to back up your claims at interview.
If you have got lots of relevant experience
you should do a skills based CVs.
 Interests - Simply writing 'socializing, going to the
cinema and reading' isn't going to catch the attention
of the recruiter.
 References - You don't need to provide the names of
references at this stage. You also don't need to say
'references available upon request' as most employers
would assume this to be the case.
 CV format
 Avoid fonts such as Comic Sans. Instead, choose
something more professional such as size-10 Arial.
 List everything in reverse chronological order so the
recruiter sees you’re most impressive and recent
achievements first.
 Keep it concise and easy to read by using clear
spacing and bullet points. This type of CV layout
allows employers to skim your CV and quickly pick
out the important information.

 If you're posting your CV, go with white A4

paper. Only print on one side and don't fold your
CV - you don't want it to arrive creased.
 How to write a good CV
1. Use active verbs wherever possible. For
example, you could include words like 'created',
'analyzed' and 'devised' to present yourself as a
person who shows initiative.
2. There should be no spelling or grammar
mistakes in your CV. Use a spell checker and
enlist a second pair of eyes to check over it.
3. Avoid using generic phrases such as 'team
player', 'hardworking' and 'multi tasker'. Instead,
provide real-life examples that demonstrate all of
these skills.
4. Take a look at the company's website, local
press and the job advert to make sure that your CV
is targeted to the role and employer.
5. Decide whether the chronological, skills-
based or academic CV is right for you. For more
information, take a look at example CVs.
6. Don't put the term 'curriculum vitae' at the
top of the page.
7. Provide a professional-sounding email
address.
8. Never lie or exaggerate on your CV or job
application. Not only will you demonstrate your
dishonesty to a potential employer, but there can
be serious consequences too.
9. If you're posting your CV online don't include
your home address, as you could be targeted by
fraudsters.
10. You should always include a cover letter unless
the employer states otherwise. It will enable you
to personalize your application to the job.
You can draw attention to a particular part of your
CV, disclose a disability or clarify gaps in your work
history. Find out how to write a persuasive 
cover letter.
 What makes a good CV?

There is no single "correct" way to write and

present a CV but the following general rules apply:

It is targeted on the specific job or career area for

which you are applying and brings out the relevant
skills you have to offer
It is carefully and clearly laid out: logically ordered,
easy to read and not cramped
It is informative but concise
It is accurate in content, spelling and grammar.
If you mention attention to detail as a skill, make
sure your spelling and grammar is perfect!

If it's not working, ask people to look at it and

suggest changes.
 One survey of employers found the following
mistakes were most common
Spelling and grammar 56% of employers found this
Not tailored to the job 21%
Length not right & poor work history 16%
Poor format and no use of bullets 11%
No accomplishments 9%
Contact & email problems 8%
Objective/profile was too vague 5%
Lying 2%
Having a photo 1%
 How long should a CV be?

There are no absolute rules but, in general, a new

graduate's CV should cover no more than two
sides of A4 paper. 

In a survey of American employers 35% preferred a

one page CV and 19% a two page CV with the
others saying it depends upon the position.
• CVs in the US tend to be shorter than in the UK,
whereas the 2 page CV still dominates for graduates,
but I do see a trend now towards one page CVs: as
employers are getting more and more CVs, they tend
not to have the time to read long documents!

• If you can summarize your career history

comfortably on a single side, this is fine and has
advantages
Questions from the letters