Things Students May Not Be Informed Of When Applying For A Job
Over the course of 2017-2018, I've been applying and experiencing various types of works in different realms. Now that I have officially set my foot onto the second year, I'd like to share with you some of the lessons I learned the hard way and valuable tips I accumulated as a freshman.
I. Don't expect to earn much!
Money should be a priority during this phase, unless you are looking forward to gain more precious experiences and to achieve an impressive addition to your resume, which will score you big time in the long run. This is a fair exchange if you commit to think through carefully, due to the fact that the majority of large co-operations and companies rarely recruit inexperienced and undergraduate students. However, it's important to know your worth and make sure it's something that makes sense for your future business.
Plus, being straight-forward and blunt with you, I have to unravel the ugly truth: There's a good chance you'll end up donating a lot of your precious time and energy only to receive very little pocket money monthly in return, if you decide to take up a paid job throughout this particular period.
Nevertheless, just in case you still consider money to be an issue, I recommend working as a tutor, because you get to be your own boss and circumvent being exploited by several shady companies. This practice can be virtually challenging, though. Since it requires you to have connections with those who need and a good command of communication, along with being knowledgeable on certain subjects or fields.
II. Be genuine and avoid listing every single activities you have done!
I'm gonna be brief on this because it's already self-evident. First and foremost, you shouldn't lie, for the application process is the first step solely. You'll soon enough be further tested. Don't waste your own time, as well as the employer's. Instead just stay true to the ability you possess, and apply for a suitable job in a suitable company.
Secondly, what if I grant you 30 seconds to impress me with your accounting skills, would you attempt to explain to me how well you treat children, or how talented you are in fixing the toilet? I frankly hope not. It's a popular misconception to believe the more experiences the better the chances. At times, it's accurate. However, most of the times, it's terribly erroneous. My best advice is to sum up who you are, what you do and why you are the perfect contestant for the job as succinct as you may. Pick out the most remarkable activities or characteristics and bring the best light out of them, instead of aimlessly listing down tons of irrelevant activities.
III. What is cover letter? Is it important? How is it distinguished from a CV?
All of you must have at least once heard of the term CV, but have you ever come across the term: "Cover letter" yet?
"A cover letter is a single-page letter written to the person or organisation offering the job you're applying for. A well-written cover letter should introduce you and encourage the person reading it to read your resume." explained by Youth Central.
A CV (curriculum vitae) is different from a cover letter in that a cover letter is more concise and a CV is fairly detailed. While a CV includes detailed information about a person's educational background and work experience, a cover letter is a more concise document expressing interest in the job being applied to. (Source)
Even though there are palpable differences between the two, they are both prominent. While CV is the indispensable factor, Cover Letter helps increase your percentage to be accepted. A high-quality cover letter should not just repeat your resume in a shorter form, but should tell the employer what it is about the job that is attractive to you and why you want to work for that employer. You can also include further about the unique skills and the qualities that you'd bring to that specific job and company.
The first cover letter I wrote was roughly 5 months ago with the assistance of my beloved professor _ Ms.Linh during the application process into the Global Education Fair established by BMI. Obviously, I got the position, but only until then did I realize how unnecessary it was to write a cover letter. Contradictory and paradoxical as I may sound, you see, more isn't always better. Endeavor to take a close notice of what the job requirements are and on what scale you can meet them, then proceed to decide on whether to spend time drafting a cover letter or spare that time for other tasks.
IV. How to email your CV in the smart way!
When you are asked to send email to apply for jobs, which is absolutely common, it's crucial that all your communications are as professional as possible. That's how your job application will entice the hiring manager to open and take your CV or cover letter seriously.
My tip is that you prepare yourself 2 self-written template. What are those two, you may ask? 1 in English and 1 in Vietnamese, of course! So that whenever they come in handy, there is one need only to alter the name of the company and some other minor elements. Additionally, you can use the main body of the email as your covering letter, rather than attach another file.
Example taken from (Source)
To:
Subject:
Attachment:
Dear Ann,
I am interested in applying for the above job as I believe my substantial experience in project management combined with my knowledge of the telecommunications sector will be of particular benefit to your organisation.
ABC has an excellent reputation for innovation and having worked on a number of ground-breaking technological projects from the planning to the implementation stage, I believe that I can make a significant contribution to your organisation.
In particular, I have:
10 years’ experience in managing teams of between 5 and 15 people on a variety of complex telecommunications projects
An engineering background which gives me the ability to quickly grasp new technical detail and assess implications for operational planning
Experience and qualifications in PRINCE2 project management software
Superb relationship-building skills enabling project team members to focus on tasks even during challenging times
My CV is attached, providing further information on how my career background meets your requirements. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you in person to discuss this further.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Mike Wood
Another thing worth-mentioning is the type of file you should send your CV in. It is none other than PDF, simply because it's more convenient from the employer's perspective.
Below is mine updated 2 months ago for your reference. Organization and company's name and address are not shown.
