It is almost that time of the year when students leave their colleges with a diploma at hand. This is the moment they have been waiting for throughout their study years, but what lies ahead?
The majority of students need to hunt for a job to earn a living and to get one, there are a lot of documents they need to prepare. What are some of those documents? Here is a list of 7 letters you will need to write to land your first job.
Here are the 7 Letters You Will Need to Write to Land Your First Job:
Cover Letter
A cover letter is one of the most essential documents that will help you find a job after college and thus, great care must be taken when drafting this document. The letter serves as a motivation for why your prospective employees should hire you. When drafting the cover letter, pay great attention to detail, especially relating to why the company should hire you.
It is one of the first documents that the human resources department will go through and if it’s not satisfactory, decision-makers might not even go through the resume. The cover letter is where you must sell yourself by mentioning achievements and any relative experience.
Rely on the guidelines provided by the company by including the reference number or subject line detailed on the vacancy advert. If there are no details included, write your name and the position you are applying for at the subject line.
For example, John Doe applying for Civil Engineer at Construction Experts Inc, this rule is to be broken if other details are included in the job vacancy advert.
Resume
The resume is an integral part of your job application and in this case, you must also use the information provided on the vacancy advert. Some companies detail all the information they need to process the job application and the number of pages it should be. It serves as a summary of all achievements and educational background you have.
Include all the related qualifications you have acquired over the years. Use a modernistic template that is simple and easy to read for priority consideration. Most modern resume templates include a photograph of the applicant but do not use any image of yourself. Rather, get a professional headshot with a solid background for the resume.
Try by all means to summarize the information in bullet lists but do not leave any crucial information. For example, applying for a job as a doctor includes the abbreviation of the qualifications you have like a Doctorate in Medicine (MD). Do not overcomplicate the resume but also ensure that all the relevant and required information is included.
Letters of Recommendation
In your pursuit of finding a job, try to gather letters of recommendation from the dean of the faculty you were in.
Ask the lecturers to also write letters of recommendation for you to get preference consideration when applying for a job. If you have done any in-service training, ask the person who was overseeing the program to write a letter of recommendation detailing the skill level manifested.
These letters are extremely crucial to get considered for a job application and they will differentiate you from other applicants. Do not ask parents, friends, or family to write you a letter of recommendation because this will portray an unprofessional image.
Try to get these letters from multiple individuals that have had close professional relations with you during the academic years.
The question that worries most students is how many letters they should get. The answer is that you should try to get a minimum of 3 letters of recommendation. Five of these letters is definitely too much, so try to get any amount between 3-5 from different professionals.
Work Samples
If you are applying for a job in some careers, the employees might detail the work samples they require. One of the fields that require this is the writing and online teaching industry, they might request any historic work you have done. In the event of not having any work prepared, try to understand the company and create a sample conforming to its standards.
Most companies expect to see quality work in these samples instead of large quantities. Employees might ask you to create work samples exclusively for that job application. When they have requested this, they will provide guidelines that should be followed.
Refer to the guidelines that they have sent and ask any questions if the opportunity for this has been provided.
Ensure that you read the parts about the number of samples they require instead of assuming that only one is required. It is suggested that you get help from a professional agency to get this done. EssayOnTime, a reputed paper writing service for college students, is a trusted name in this regard. It will ensure that you are on top of your game while submitting samples.
Also, follow the guidelines about the delivery method; for example, online teachers might be required to upload a sample video on YouTube and include the link on the resume. You can also reach some CustomEssayMeister writing service to get help in writing samples or essays.
Portfolio
As you look for your first job out of college, there might not be much work experience to include in the portfolio. Some job applications insist on submitting one and not obliging to this requirement can have catastrophic results. Try to think of any experience you have in the field you’re applying for.
Regardless of how small the experience you have is, try to highlight the achievements gained from it. Essentially, a portfolio is a document that highlights the ability to perform well in the job you are applying for.
Professions like architects, designers, and a couple of others demand this and depending on the job being applied for, you can even include sample work you’ve done.
If you have undergone an on the job training, this is the perfect place for the details of this. When a portfolio has been requested, in most cases, the details of what needs to be included are detailed. Adhere to these guidelines carefully and make the portfolio as professional as possible.
Reference List
Above the letters of recommendation, you might need to draft a list of references that the potential employees will contact. Ensure that you do not include anyone on the list without discussing it with them to avoid any nasty surprises.
Let them know about the details of the job you are applying for to prepare them for any questions they might need to answer about your skills, abilities, and educational background. After receiving their consent, ask them their latest contact details, including their phone number and email address.
These details are essential in the reference list document and must be included for prospective employees to reach out to them. Include a minimum of 3 references because that is the amount most employees prefer.
Academic Results
The academic results you mention in your portfolio, cover letter, and resume must be available on-hand for whenever they request them. If the job vacancy ad details that they should be included with all the other supporting documents, attach them to the email or delivery system of the employee’s choice.
When academic results have been requested, do not include the graduation certificate, rather the transcript. Include any relevant academic results you have acquired on the application and ensure that everything corresponds with the other supporting documents.
A minor discrepancy in the level of your education can discredit the entire application form. Whenever you make a claim of reaching a certain academic level, ensure that there are supporting documents to justify it. Look out for any other academic-related supporting documents required and submit it accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Applying for a job right after college can be a challenging experience but preparing all these documents beforehand will simplify it exponentially. Adhere to all the guidelines provided by the company and be as honest as you can. Do not make claims that you can’t support with real evidence such as academic transcripts from your college. Ensure that you get credible references that the company will contact.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ:
Create a Job Search Plan to Land a Perfect Job
How To Answer “Why Should We Hire You?”
| About the Author – Sandra Larson works for a writing agency where she develops academic, research and white papers for both academic institutes and corporates. She also helps students in writing their thesis and dissertations. In her free time, she loves listening to classical music, takes yoga classes and going for long walks in the park. |