business
KevinLiang
Assignment3.docxAssignment 3: The Job Application: Cover Letter
This assignment will help students prepare a written job application letter, as well as develop proper formats for any business letter. If students want to get a head start, there are many resources available online.
The task here is to identify any job that you can find either at the Gates Foundation, (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Jobs/Job-Search (Links to an external site.) ), or any company in which you are interested in working. You will then develop a cover letter as part of an application for that job. While the letter should be addressed to a key hiring person (*) at The Gates Foundation (or any company), it will be submitted to the instructor via Canvas
Please be sure to use the class writing guidelines relating to fonts. spacing, layout and the like.
You do not have to use source citations for this assignment
(*) If you cannot find the name of the hiring manager, please assume it is Mary Smith, Vice President Human Resources, The Gates Foundation, and address the letter to her.
Please be sure that you identify the specific job in your cover letter for which you are hypothetically applying, as well as match your skills to those that are required. In many cases, you might not have the specific qualifications for the job you seek, in which case you will need to sell your great attitude, ability, willingness to learn and the like.
Alternately, if you come across an actual job posting in some other organization for which you would like to develop a written application, that is fine as long as it is an actual job opening. In this case, please address it to the relevant person at that organization and refer to the URL of the job posting in your cover letter so the instructor can see it.
Assignment Submission
The cover letter should be submitted as a single .pdf file of no more than one page in length.
As these tools are for the benefit of your own career, they will be "self-correcting"; in other words, submitting a resume and cover letter that is thorough, impactful, correct, and professional will earn credit. Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, inconsistent layouts, and incomplete information would mean that you would not get the interview or job. Likewise, it will mean that you will not earn full credit here. So, make them perfect and impactful.
The instructor will optionally provide face-to-face feedback (rather than written feedback) on the overall professionalism and impact of the documents during office hours. In the case, please make an appointment, and please print and bring a copy of them.
In terms of format, it is up to each student to develop their own resume and written job application in a manner and style that suit their strengths and the job/industry to which they are applying. Still, there will be some standard portions that each document should contain and highlight:
Cover Letter Format (these components must include)
The name and address of the company
Your name and contact details
Date
Subject
Salutation
Reference to the position to which you are applying
Some background about the company or job that you found through research
Your own qualifications in a bullet-point format
A paragraph that "matches" your skills with the company.
A final paragraph that asks for an interview etc
Polite close
Your name
Resume Formats
(Note: You are not submitting one for this class assignment, but here are some guidelines)
Your name at the top
Career Objective
Education: Include any special projects or most impactful classes
Work Experience: You must somehow quantify your job
Skills or Awards
Contact Information
There are many resources available online and at the Career Services Center
Students usually find this to be one of the most valuable exercises of the class. As always, the benefits of this will exercise will depend on your own efforts.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/cover-letters-4161919
