机械设计基础158

Lecture Seven Practical English Writing–Cover Letter, Resume and Personal StatementTeaching objectivesStudents will learn the basic information on:1.the component of cover letter;2.the style and structure of resume;3.the content of personal statement.Teaching Contents1. Cover LetterA cover letter is a letter that you send to accompany your CV when you apply for job, whether advertised or when you are sending an unsolicited application. Do not over look this tool as it can be a great asset in your job hunt.• A cover letter is sent with your CV. It can make the difference between being successful in your job search or not. Cover letters are generally not read during the first candidate selection, but usually they will be read when the candidates have been short listed. Do not waste such an opportunity.•Your cover letter should not be a copy of your CV. Specify some of your cover letter achievements and be sure you know how to handle Cover Letter weakness. (Uncertain as to what you're trying to say here).• A cover letter is a way of showing your writing and reporting skills. Your cover letter should be customized per employer. However, if you are sending a lot of CVs, this task could prove impossible. Try instead to have a cover letter per industry or per area.•Do not mention salary in your cover letter. If the job ad requests your expected salary then mention a range rather than a specific amount.Writing effective cover lettersAn effective cover letter should convey clarity of thought and highlight your writing skills. Never use any slang or humor in a cover letter. The average cover letter should not exceed one page and should be in the following format:•State the purpose of the letter in the first paragraph. Be precise and professional, stating how you heard of the position, mentioning the name of the employee if you were referred internally.•Highlight your experience, especially international experience, in the second and third paragraphs. This is your opportunity to sell yourself by drawing attention to your skills and experiences. A good strategy is to describe your previous experiences from an employer's perspective instead of your own.•Suggest for follow-up action such as in interview and add a short affirmative sentence about yourself in the last paragraph.Samples以下这封求职信的作者是Atty Chan, 应聘以下职位。

Dear SirI should like to apply for the position of Senior Secretary at your company that was advertised in the Classified Section of the Business Post on 7 December.Having worked as a Personal Assistant in a busy import-export company for the past three years and as a secretary in a retail trade for two years before that, I believe that I may have developed skills which would be useful to your company.My experience has given me a basic understanding of import-export trading practices, and, having taken a Higher Certificate in Secretarial Studies with Languages, I am fairly fluent in Mandarin and English, and have a fair understanding of Japanese. In the last five years, I have also learnt the importance of being efficient and methodical in my work. I am confident that these skills are required by senior secretarial staff at the Far East Finance Centre.I enclose my resume and look forward to having the opportunity to answer any questions you may have regarding my application. I am free for interview at any time, providing you can give me at least two day’s notice.Yours faithfullyChan Fung-ling, Atty2. Resume履历亦称简历，在英语中有两种表达方式：resume和curriculum vitae。

Curriculum vitae比较正式，主要用于学术界，如申请研究机构和大学研究生计划项目，以及教师和医生等专业人员的职位。

美国英语中多用resume，英国英语中多用curriculum vitae.简历不是对自己经历经验的单纯列举，而是列出主要且密切相关的材料，如：经验、业绩、能力、性格等。

一份成功的简历要遵循下列准则：（1）展现自己的优势和特长；（2）提供能吸引雇主的信息；（3）曾经取得过的成绩；（4）附上具有说服力的证明材料、证明人和推荐信；（5）语言简洁，长度适中，重点突出。

履历的基本结构(Basic Structure)较为典型的求职履历由以下基本要素构成：（1）个人资料(Personal Data)主要包括申请人姓名(name of applicant)、地址(address)、联系电话(phone number)以及电子信箱地址(e-mail address)，有时需列出性别(sex/gender)和出生日期(birth date)。

（2）事业目标(Career Objective)在履历中应简明扼要写出自己确定的工作目标(job objective)、职业申请(profession applied for)和期望职位(position wanted)等。

申请职位包括现在和未来预期的目标。

如：Objective: To obtain an entry-level secreatrial position, which offers development opportunity for a career as adminstrative secretary.Position wanted: A position in the Foreign Trade Department, with opportunities for advancement to management position in the department.Career objective: To seek an entry-level position as a computer programmer with a financial institution and advance to a management position in research and development or in sales and service.（3）教育背景(Education)教育背景就是本人接受教育的经历。