1. Workshop for threshold level
students
FOCUSSING ON
Cover letters
Résumé
Facing Job Interviews
Conducted
By:
Dr. Chanchal
Narang
University Institute of Legal
Studies
Panjab

2. PART-1
Cover Letters – Career
Marketing Letters
The Purpose & Objective of Cover
Letter
• Introducing Yourself & clearly defining “who” you
are.
• Highlighting your most notable qualifications,
experiences, credentials, skills & achievements.
• Identifying the value you can bring to the
organization.
• Capturing your reader’s interest in you, your
résumé and your availability.
• Motivating the reader to call & offer you the
Opportunity for an interview.
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3. Strategies for Writing Winning
Cover Letters
• Make it easy for someone to understand “who” you are.
• Use a unique and professional format when writing and
typing your cover letters.
• Highlight your most relevant qualifications.
• Shine a spotlight on your most relevant achievements.
• Include information that you know about the company or
the position for which you are applying.
• Explain why you want to work for this company in
particular.
• Be sure that your cover letters are neat, clean and well
presented.
• Double-check, triple-check, and then have someone else
check your letter to be sure that it is error free.
• Keep your cover letters short.
• Always remind yourself why you are writing each cover
letter and be sure to ask for an interview.
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4. Preparing to write
Six steps to write Better cover letters:
1. Identify your key selling points.
- Know your objective.
- Summarize your experience – think of an
appropriate summary sentence.
- Identify your achievements.
2. Pre-plan.
- Why am I writing this letter?
- Have I researched the company and the position?
- Do I have a contact name?
3. Write the Opening paragraph.
- Who are you?
- why are you writing?
- What message are you communicating?
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5. Preparing to write (contd.)
4. Write the body.
Highlight your features & benefits
- what will catch my attention?
- What’s interesting about this candidate?
- What’s innovative or unique about this candidate?
- why is this candidate different from or better than other
candidates?
- Do I understand the value I will get from this candidate?
- Do I need this candidate?
- Do I want this candidate?
5. Write the closing.
- Passive style.
- Assertive style.
- Decide about quoting the salary.
6. Polish, proofread and finalize.
- Check spelling.
- Check grammar & punctuation.
- Write interesting language.
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6. Format of cover letter
• Paragraph style
• Comparison-list style (directly
comparing your qualifications to the
position requirements)
• Bullet style (with introductory and
closing paragraphs surrounding
bullet-point statements)
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7. Chandra Shekhar
2357, Carpenters Lane
Bangalore, 245242
chandrashekhar@yahoo.co.in
513-555001
November 12, 2008
Mr. Saral Banerjee
Vice President of Administration
Frontline Corporation
725, Walnut Street
Bangalore, 245242
Re: Purchasing Manager Position in Delhi Branch.
Dear Mr. Banerjee:
-------------------------------------------
BODY------------------------------------------------
Yours’ Sincerely
Chandra Shekhar (Mr.)
Enclosures: As above.
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8. PART-2
C.V.
Steps for writing A CV:
• Type your name, address, home phone number
and e-mail address. Include your work phone, cell
phone and fax numbers if appropriate.
• Write your objective and a list of all the skills you
possess that support that objective.
• List your job titles, employers, locations, and
dates for each position you’ve held with basic
information about that job, your responsibilities,
the company, and your achievements.
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9. CV (contd.)
• Type a list of all your academic experience: college
degrees, college attendance, professional certificates and
licenses, and continuing education.
• List any of the following information that is applicable to
you and you career:
- Professional membership - Volunteer Experience
- Civic membership - Public speaking experience
- Computer & technology skills - Media recognition
- Honours & awards - Foreign-language skills
- Publications - International experience
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10. Details of information
Objectives vs. career summaries
• Objective clearly states • Career summary clearly
what type of position an states what type of
individual is seeking and in position you have held and
what industry. in what industry.
• It also communicates to • Career summary reflect
the reader that he/she has your offer and your value.
experience that is directly • It is much more powerful
relevant. introduction that
• You are telling your reader immediately entices
what you want from them. someone to read on.
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11. Inclusion of Details
• Education: • Employment experience
1. Major courses of study 1. Highlight the key responsibilities
2. Names of schools, colleges, & accomplishments of each of
universities your positions using powerful
words
3. Academic honours 2. Include precise information
4. Demonstrations of about your job functions and
leadership skills achievements not generalized
5. Certificates statements of overall
6. Licenses responsibilities.
7. Seminars 3. Include specific figures,
8. Workshops percentages and results
9. Other continuing education
• Sports
• Extra-curricular
1. Distinctions at various levels
activities
2. Participation at different levels
1. Debates/declamations
2. N.S.S./N.C.C.
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12. Writing CV
• Spelling, punctuation, grammar & syntax
1. Check all typographical errors
2. Check your choice of words
3. Check your sentences
4. Check your punctuation
5. Proofread it twice or thrice & take help from your friends in
proofreading
6. Use appropriate management & leadership terminology.
7. Write your document in active voice, never in passive person
8. Write your present activities & responsibilities in the present tense
& all your past positions & accomplishments in the past tense.
9. Do not stretch your Résumé beyond the page length of two pages.
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13. Some Do’s for CV presentation
• Set your headings & margins
• Adjust spacing for readability impact
• Insert horizontal rules or other graphic elements to improve
organization & appearance
• Select which type enhancements (bold, italics or
underlining) you want to use and where
• Edit the text to comfortably fit on each page
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14. Some Don'ts for CV
presentation
• Don’t expect the readers to struggle through paragraphs
that are 10 to 15 lines long.
• Don’t overdo your use of bold, italics or underlining.
Excessive use defeats the purpose of the enhancements. If
half of the type on the page is bold, nothing will stand out.
• Use nothing smaller than 10-point type. If you want
employers to review your résumé make sure they don’t
need a magnifying glass.
• Don’t clutter your résumé. It should be easily readable and
have adequate breathing space.
• Use an excellent printer, preferably a laser printer.
Smudged, faint, heavy or otherwise poor-quality print will
discourage the readers.
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15. PART-3
Facing interviews
Interview is a test of
• Disposition
• Career objective
• Subject knowledge
• General knowledge
• Communication skills
• Mental alertness
• Consistency of approach
• Coherence of thought
• Self confidence
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16. Appearing for interviews
• Sense of time
• Appearance
• Body language
• Communication skills
• Enthusiasm
• Brevity
• Listen carefully
• Be honest
• Sell yourself
• Maintain a balance
• Show leadership qualities
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17. Types of questions expected
1. Leading question
2. open-ended question
3. Probing question
4. Close-ended-question
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18. Initiation if the interview
INTRODUCTIONS
• FAMILY
Brothers and Sisters, Parents, Childhood – happy? Home where
does he or she live?
• EDUCATION
Different schools, colleges or Universities. Favourite subjects and
why? Future plans.
• FRIENDS
Many or just a few? What do they talk about and do together? Is
it easy to make new friends?
• FREE TIME
Hobbies, Sports, T.V., Radio, Cinema. What does he or she do at
the weekends and in the evenings? What does he or she like
reading?
• TRAVEL
Countries, Cities visited. Parts of own country he or she knows.
Languages. Favourite holiday spots. Future plans.
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19. Broad Guidelines for facing the
interviews
1. Open the door of the interview in a quiet and unobtrusive
manner.
2. Try to sit comfortably & reasonably upright. Sit in a relaxed
manner, yet do not create an image of being lazy or casual. Put
your arms in a comfortable position, but do not keep on shifting
them.
3. Keep an eye-contact with the interviewers. However do not
stare at them.
4. Do not chew gum or betel leave or anything else.
5. Listen to the questions asked attentively & give yourself a few
minutes to frame the answer.
6. If you have not understood the question, do not hesitate to
enquire.
7. Do not interrupt the interviewer. However if he misunderstood
what you said, intervene politely & correct him.
8. Be very alert on controversial issues.
9. Be very through with your résumé because most of the
questions are direct off-shoots from the same.
10. Grab the opportunity to speak, show your interest & aptitude
whenever possible.
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20. Some Don'ts for facing the
interviews
• Don’t bluff.
• Don’t flatter.
• Don’t speak very fast.
• Don’t be rude.
• Don’t feel nervous.
• Don’t dress foppishly.
• Don’t talk too much.
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21. All the best!
Thank you!