garret tutorial4 cover_letters_updated
TRANSCRIPT
COMM 202!Tutorial 4 – Cover Letters
Wednesday, February 25thNo cell phones, no laptops, Namecards OUT!!!!!!!!
AGENDA
1. Start. Stop. Continue.
2. Cover Letter e-Module Recap
3. Job Posting Research Assignment
4. COVER LETTERS!
5. To Do List
AGENDA
Start.Stop.
Continue.
e-Module
What did you learn?
ResearchAssignment
COVER LETTERS!
COVER LETTERS!
WHY?
WHY?Show your Intentions
WHY?Show your Intentions
Written Skills
WHY?Show your Intentions
Written SkillsElaborate on Skills Matrix
CAN
WANT
FIT
CAN
WANT
FIT
You do the job?
CAN
WANT
FIT
You do the job? Do you
The job?
CAN
WANT
FIT
You do the job? Do you
The job?Are you the right
?
Difference from resumes?
RESUME IS ABOUT…
COVER LETTER IS ABOUT…
YOU
THEM
5 ELEMENTS:
Opening
Skill-matching
Closing
Bra
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Inte
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ion
Opening
Dear ,
My name is , and I applying to .
Dear ,
My name is , and I applying to .
WHAT YOU NEED…
IS A HOOK!!!
Who knows what this is?
Growing up in Calgary, I remember seeing donkey pumps across the province’s gorgeous foothills and became immediately fascinated by Oil & Gas. As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned more about the industry through family members and personal research and felt a desire to be part of the exploration, development, and improvement of the Alberta oil sands. This desire ultimately attracted me to Suncor, which is dedicated to being a leader on climate change, and reducing its environmental impact. Speaking with Kyle Anderson about Suncor’s Co-op mentorship program has solidified my belief that Suncor is the greatest company to expand upon my knowledge of Alberta oil operations, as I believe mentorship is key to building a strong team culture. My experience as an insurance underwriter has made me most interested in the areas of performance analysis and credit risk.
Exactly!
Your Opening Should… Be unique Be employer centric Prove genuine interest Leave the reader curious Tell them something they
don’t know Show relevant research
How fast can you change four tires? One hour? Ten minutes? A few years ago I witnessed a Formula One team do it in 2.7 seconds. They said a perfect run would be just one second. In everything that I do I strive to reach that one second – that perfect test score, that perfect presentation, that perfect career. After speaking with Jake Woodson, a recent hire, Dion Chen, and other industry professionals, I know that my personality and passion lies in sales and trading. Through my unique athletic background and passion, I will provide competitiveness and drive that will set a benchmark for future interns. I cannot wait to sit on a trading floor, execute trades, and engage in research while receiving mentorship from the most world-renowned investment bank. A career with Goldman Sachs is my one second and this is how I will help Goldman reach its own one second ideal:
HOOK!
The most important lesson I’ve learned from years of marathon training is that results are directly linked to effort put in. This is an attitude that has led me to Boston-qualifying marathon times, achievement on the UBC rowing crew, winning finishes at triathlons, and placement on the Dean’s Honour Roll. Accounting works much the same; the only path to excellence is through hard work and persistence. This attitude of persistence and teamwork has carried me through my previous challenging work experiences and is one that I have found aligns with PwC’s core values of excellence, teamwork, and leadership. Some of my applicable skills gained from those previous positions include:
HOOK!
What else works?• Ask a question• Align your values to theirs• Appeal to emotions• Name Dropping (if applicable)
Working for CMHC is about more than just honing my skills and expertise, it is about being a part of a company that is dedicated to providing every person’s greatest need; housing. The striking feature of CMHC is their pursuit of offering sustainable and affordable housing in a market. As a highly motivated finance student with experience in real estate, I can leverage my skills and experiences to assist your company sustain a vibrant housing market in Canada. Through my various responsibilities as a student and employee I have developed a number of skills necessary to succeed with CMHC, as outlined below:
HOOK!
NOW ITS YOUR TURN!
Show me your hook!
Skill-matching
What skills we talkin’ bout?
What skills we talkin’ bout?
SKILLS
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
MATCHING QUALIFICATIONS
From job description & skills matrix
(2-3) examples
How you’ll leverage your BCom
Any other qualifications
Skill-matching
I chose to pursue a business degree upon beginning my university career as I truly believe that it lies in the hands of businesses to effectuate the changes necessary to achieve a desirable, sustainable planet for future generations. Over a meticulous three-month process as VP Engagement of CUS (Commerce Undergraduate Society) Sustainability, I independently organized a case competition promoting ethics and sustainability in the business realm. Through my involvement with the Sauder Philanthropy Program, I have actively engaged in the promotion of sustainability-focused research through pitches to donors, succeeding in educating myself and fellow students on the under-investigated topics of sustainability and philanthropy. Reeve Consulting specializes in offering customized, reputable and sustainable solutions for businesses, and as such, there would be no better place to further my knowledge of sustainability issues that are thriving within the business world.
Communication is undeniably an important aspect of any job, although especially in a consulting position, where constant and effective interaction with clients is essential. I have accumulated over ten years of both amateur and pre-professional theatre experience, which have shaped me into an outgoing and enthusiastic person who is eager to communicate with the public. This interest became so great that in my senior years of high school I won first place in the province for my speech on the environmental impacts of the Alberta Oil Sands. Reeve Consulting offers services from engaging, reputable professionals and strives to engage in effective, comprehensible communication; a value that I too possess and have had experience in applying.
EXAMPLE 1
EXAMPLE 2• Financial Analysis – As a Financial Analyst for RSA Insurance Group, I was tasked with assessing credit
default risk and analyzing financial reports for various contractors. I successfully assessed these companies through financial ratio and break-even in excel, in addition to due diligence work. With a focus on accuracy, I helped produce over $1 million in insurance premium by presenting my findings succinctly, and identifying to management companies suitable for support. With this experience I believe I can quickly contribute, and excel in the performance analysis or credit risk divisions.
• Teamwork – Being a member of the Capilano Men’s Volleyball team, I had the privilege to be a part of a hard-working team. Following key injuries in the season, I undertook the responsibility of moving to a new position in order for us to compete. This required adapting to a far different role in order to contribute to the team. By attending additional practices, asking questions of my coaches and teammates, and remaining open to feedback, I excelled in the new position, allowing us to overcome many obstacles on route to winning the PACWEST provincial championships. My willingness to learn, adapt, and contribute will make me an asset on Suncor’s finance team.
• Communication – Currently at Sauder, I have taken on the responsibility of mentoring students as a teaching assistant (TA) for the Career Fundamentals course. In this position I communicate with students effectively through email, as well as creating and presenting participative, informative, and engaging tutorials using PowerPoint. By creating a strong communication channel between myself and students, I have been commended from my team of TAs and professor.
EXAMPLE 2• Financial Analysis – As a Financial Analyst for RSA Insurance Group, I was tasked with assessing credit
default risk and analyzing financial reports for various contractors. I successfully assessed these companies through financial ratio and break-even in excel, in addition to due diligence work. With a focus on accuracy, I helped produce over $1 million in insurance premium by presenting my findings succinctly, and identifying to management companies suitable for support. With this experience I believe I can quickly contribute, and excel in the performance analysis or credit risk divisions.
• Teamwork – Being a member of the Capilano Men’s Volleyball team, I had the privilege to be a part of a hard-working team. Following key injuries in the season, I undertook the responsibility of moving to a new position in order for us to compete. This required adapting to a far different role in order to contribute to the team. By attending additional practices, asking questions of my coaches and teammates, and remaining open to feedback, I excelled in the new position, allowing us to overcome many obstacles on route to winning the PACWEST provincial championships. My willingness to learn, adapt, and contribute will make me an asset on Suncor’s finance team.
• Communication – Currently at Sauder, I have taken on the responsibility of mentoring students as a teaching assistant (TA) for the Career Fundamentals course. In this position I communicate with students effectively through email, as well as creating and presenting participative, informative, and engaging tutorials using PowerPoint. By creating a strong communication channel between myself and students, I have been commended from my team of TAs and professor.
Skill-matching
Takeaways?
Skill-matching
Takeaways? Use STARL to your advantage – Action and Link!
Each line proves you have the necessary skills &
Aptitudes to perform on the job
Always link to the company/position if not obvious
Use skills listed in the job description
Closing
Closing
“Thank you for looking at my application. I hope that I have shown you that my interpersonal skills, my leadership skills, and my ability to perform on a team make me a perfect fit for ABC position. Thank you very much and I hope to hear from you soon.”
Closing
“Thank you for looking at my application. I hope that I have shown you that my interpersonal skills, my leadership skills, and my ability to perform on a team make me a perfect fit for ABC position. Thank you very much and I hope to hear from you soon.”
Closing Make a good final impression Show your passion Restate skills with a different
wording Give genuine thanks Leave a call to action Tie to previous examples/stories
Closing
Not only do I believe these skills make me a strong candidate for the position, I believe they make me an excellent fit for the Suncor team. My ability to breakdown numbers, collaborate, and connect with others will add value to your team of committed professionals. I greatly appreciate your consideration and look forward to speaking to you further about the position.
Sincerely,
Garret LaValleyBCom Finance Co-op Candidate, 2016Sauder School of Business
Attached: Resume, Transcript, Proof of Enrolment
Olympic Analogy
Closing
Address the elephant in the room
• BAD GRADES• RELOCATION
Closing
While I understand that my academic record may not be as competitive as other applicants, I firmly believe that the time I dedicated to varsity athletics developed my skills as a dynamic team player beyond that of my peers. As a firm that values inspiring and leading others as the defining characteristics of leadership in business, I sincerely hope that you will view my unique experience and skillset as a valuable asset to your firm. Thank you for your time and consideration of me as a prospective summer associate for PwC Calgary in 2014. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Thomas MoultBachelor of Commerce Candidate, Class of 2015Sauder School of Business
Attached: Resume
Address the elephant in the room
Inte
grat
ion
Bra
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g
and
Bra
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g Consistent throughout the CL Fits with both company’s values
and yours! Leave an overall good impression!
Bra
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What are the main products or services the company offers? Why is this interesting to you? In what locations do they operate/how many employees/annual revenues?
How would you describe the organizational culture? What do you think the working environment will be like?
What are the values and/or mission statement? How do these align with your values system?
What are the names of the top local executives/recruiters? Who will you address your cover letter to? Do you know anyone within the organization? What is the nature of that relationship?
Who are the primary competitors? What do they do better and where can they improve? (A brief SWOT analysis of the industry)
What is the topic of a recent media article about this company? Please summarize the main points.
Does the company have a Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn/Glassdoor presence?
Have you connected with them via social media? What did you learn?
What are your most marketable skills for this position?
What are your strongest most relevant stories from your Skills Matrix assignment
Use research
assignment as a resource!
Inte
grat
ion
Cover letter and resume use
the same formatting STAND OUT!!! Tailor your
formatting to the job Cover letter reflects and
expands on the resume Be mindful of spacing
Inte
grat
ion
Cover Letter FormattingDate
Contact Name (if known)Their TitleCompany NameAddress 1Address 2 (if extra space needed)City, Province, Postal Code
Re: Position Title and Reference Number (if applicable)
Dear Mr. or Mrs. or Ms. (last name only) or Hiring Manager (choose one),
[Opening Paragraph]
Cover Letter Formatting
[Closing Paragraph]
Sincerely or Regards or Kind Regards,
Full NameBCom Candidate, (year of completion)Sauder School of Business
Attached: Resume (in an actual application you may also be including transcripts, etc.)
TAKEAWAYS?
5 ELEMENTS:
Opening
Skill-matching
Closing
Bra
ndin
g
Inte
grat
ion
Weekly Homework:• Skills Matrix due Friday, Feb 27th
• Submit to Turnitin.com before 2:00pm• Technical problems email me by 1:55pm
(including document)• Resume e-Module & Quiz before
next tutorial• Sign up for Office Hours!!
TUTORIAL NEXT WEEK!
Have a great weekend!