The importance of a Cover Letter

The cover letter is the first interface with your potential employer. You can image that even DCO students will send at least two hundred copies of cover letters to the same position. How can you impress your boss to shortlist for an interview? The following are some of the points you should know:

·        You should write a different cover letter for each application. There are certain variations in each application. Show the sincere of your applications.  You should follow the job requirements to focus on your ability to show your suitability.

·        The employers might be interested why you apply for the job. Why not apply for others. This will lead you to say thing that is different from others and is also different from each application. 

·        Browse the duties, requirements and qualifications of the job you are applying to tailor your cover letter so that it can match it perfectly. That is to say, always target to the requirements that you are proficient and skim those that you know a little bit. For example, if the job requires a programmer in C++, highlight that you learnt C++ from data structures and system level programming in what level, and the benefits of using them.

·        For job listings that are brief such as a programmer, get reference from a similar position and state your skills and abilities that are closely associated. For example, you find that another company is looking a programmer to develop application using Java, JavaScript, ASP, etc. You could also state that you are also proficient in other languages.

·        Analyse your relevance related to job duties and qualifications. There might be areas that you have performed similarly before. In this case, you should write more on this. For example, the recruiter is looking for a network support engineer and your speciality is in Internet Computing. This seems to be not closely related. However, you and your team members have done a network-based application that involves the installation and trouble shooting of small scale LAN. You can state that you have at least nine months hands-on experience in network support that is developed through team project.

·        The project that you and your teammates developed has spawned a lot of hands-on skills that you really don’t know. Here, I just quoted a few of them so that you can reuse in your interview and CV. In the process of your project, you have developed project management skills, human relationship, meeting deadline, documentation writing skills, assessment skills, planning skills, programming skills, debugging skills, network support, e-commerce skills, risk management skills, security skills and problem solving skills. I don’t expect you to quote\ all of them in your CV or letter of application. Quote those that are relevant to your applications. Remember that all skills you learnt are hands-on experience, which means that they are developed through practice.

 The content of a Cover Letter

There should be three main sections of the cover letter. The first paragraph should focus on what job you are looking for and from where so that the recruiter can associate with which job you are referring. If there is a reference in the newspaper, remember to quote it as well.

The second paragraph is the body of letter and should focus on the employer's needs and highlight your skills and how they relate to the desired employment position. Here, you should think about why the recruiter picks you up to shortlist for an interview, why not your classmates. Remember there are around 100 classmates completed the CISCO training or 60 classmates in Internet Computing. You should supplement your skills that others classmates do not have. For example, you are the class representatives for two years and have developed skills in coordination and in managing large scale of people. This is quite unique in DCO. There are not many computer programmes in Hong Kong that have 200 students. Try to use the words/phrases that are different from your classmates. Don’t make copy from any well known cover letter as it shows that you are lacking in creativity.

The last paragraph is a close up hopefully there will be an interview to say more about yourself.

Points to note

·        Use a single page for your cover letter, don’t use more than one.

·        Try to create examples, skills and experience that you have to differentiate from your classmates. (Recall that you might be a member of ABC club at CityU and you have acquired some skills that you can reuse in your job. You can quote mentor as an example and understand the difficulty of caching people and the importance of communication skills. Your recruiters will try to match your intelligence, talent and experience with the job. Don’t just mention you have been a member, but state what transferable skills you have acquired as a member. )

·        State the reference number in your cover letter such as (ABC.1234)

·        Don’t simple make copy from a published cover letter – Modify it to suit yourself. There are many things you have learnt in each stream in final year. Recall that the purpose of taking CTE course is to produce a quality software engineer, Internet computing is for a developer or Internet support specialist and Network and system support is for system and network support specialist.

·        Use the same font of your CV. Usually, the font should be 12 TimesRoman.

Your Address 

District

Date

 Person's Name (aligned at left margin)

 Title

 Organization

 Address

Dear {Name} or {Sir}:

                                    Application for a Programmer (Re.1234)

Indicate specifically what you are applying for and how you found out about the position from where.

Write down specific qualifications and experience that you have to explain why you are a suitable candidate for this opportunity. This may be your project work experience, non-technical skills that you have developed, or other characteristics that are relevant to meeting the needs that recruiters are looking for. Stress your talent and skills and how they can be reused in the job. Refer the recruiter to your enclosed resume. You should emphasise on how you can meet the employer's needs, not the job meets you. 

 Request a personal appointment to further discuss with you. Indicate when you will be available. Thank the recruiter for their time and consideration regarding your application.

 Yours Sincerely,

 (Your Signature)

 Chan Tai Man

CHECKLIST

·        Did you put your address properly?

·        Did you state the date?

·        Is your letter addressed to a specific person? Personnel Manager, IT manager etc.

·        In response to an advertisement, did you put down the job title and reference number?

·        Did you use specific examples and experience you gained to sell yourself?

·        Did you refer to your CV for reference to show that you are a strong candidate?

·        Look at the layout of your letter; are your top and bottom margins relatively equal?

·        Did you remember to say thank you to the recruiter?

·        Look at the letter from a standpoint of a recruiter. If you were the recruiter, will you offer you a chance for an interview?

·        Have you used spelling check to make sure the letter is error-free?

·        How many I’s are used in your letter. You should reduce the number of Is to a minimal number.

·        The last check is your signature.

Job Interview

This section lists out the steps for an interview. Some organisation might require you to sit for a written test on technical skills such as programming (ASP, Java, JavaScript, C++), network support (Windows XP), operating systems (Linux, 2000) etc. Some might give you analytical or mathematical quizzes to test your aptitude. Your employers will use this test to scan out those applicants that are less appropriate so they can work with a smaller number of candidates in the interview.

Interview

A job interview usually lasts for 30 minutes; some might last longer, depending on the practice of the company or interest of the interviewer. There might be two rounds. The first round is by a panel consisting of technical people, while the second one might consist of personnel or people from human relationship. In computer field, unlike government jobs, it is rare to have a group discussion.

An interview consists of four stages, namely, 1) warm-up questions, 2) questions to gather your information, 3) information about the post and company, and 4) close-up. Well prepared interviewers will write down the questions from your CV and cover letter to clarify the points or to test your suitability. So please, bring along the letter that you have sent to that company.

Suggestion: make a copy of each letter you sent to companies and bring it to the interview to show your sincerity.

Warming Up Questions

The purpose of warming up questions is to ease your tension. There might be one or two questions and last about 2 to 3 minutes. There are no technical, supervisory, common sense questions. The interviewers might ask you general comments. Some might ask you your hobbies, interest or current affairs. For example, he/she might ask you whether it is difficult to find this company. How long do you take to travel from your place to here? How is the climate outside? Have you brought your umbrella? The purpose is to warm up both parties. Answer their questions with smile, as most of the questions are quite straightforward. However, you need to prepare the answers as well. Some common questions are:

·        Have you been to this district? (Kwun Tong, Wan Chai, Quarry Bay)

·        Did you have any difficulty to find us?

·        How long did you take to find us?

·        You are the first candidate in the morning, when did you get up this morning?

·        You like stamp collection, how many stamps you have?

·        Is it raining outside, do you have an umbrella?

·        Is the weather cold here? Do I like to adjust the temperature?

·        How long have you been waiting?

·        You love reading; did you go to the book exhibition last week?

·        You like hiking, how often do you hike every month?

·        You like swimming; usually where do you go?

·        How do you spend your leisure time, reading, swimming, and playing mahjong?

·        You are a graduate of CityU; do you any plan to further your studies?

·        How you feel about the current situation between India and Pakistan?

·        How do you feel about China for the next five years?

·        The employment rate is over 7%. Do you have idea to ease this adverse situation?

·        Do you think Cyberport can help boots Hong Kong economy?

There are not specific answers to the above questions, but are relatively easy to answer. This is also a good chance to socialize with the interviewer to demonstrate your interpersonal skills. 

Action: Be prepared to answer the above questions. Don’t simply answer “Yes” or “No”.

Gathering Information about you

After a few warm up questions, the interviewer starts to collect information about you to assess whether you are suitable for the job. This might involve IT questions, non-IT skills covering knowledge, motivation, team work, independence, initiative, ability to work under pressure and language proficiency. There are many questions that interviewers might raise. Your answers to these questions are very important, as he/she will decide whether you will be given a second interview, or be offered a job. This lasts 15 - 20 minutes.

Some common questions related to Information Technology are listed below.

IT Skills and Experience

• Can you use two minutes to introduce yourself in English? (test your language proficiency)
• Can you introduce yourself in Putonghua?
• What development languages you used in your final year project? Why? (test your ability to choose tool)
• What skills you have learnt in your final year project? (mention more about team work, project management, documentation, meeting deadline, job coordination as they are transferable, also mention the difficulty you had and how you solve it – problem solving)
• Briefly explain why Linux is insecure? (test your common sense and general awareness only, about two minutes is reasonable)
• Given you a project to use Cisco router to support thirty workstations? Which model would you prefer to use? Why? (name the router taking into account the cost and performance, don’t use the most powerful one, use the one that suits the requirement with future expansion. This tests your ability to control cost and forward planning.)
• Do you know Windows 2000 and why it is less common in Web server than Linux? (This is a common sense question testing your general awareness on web server only, there is no intention to test your overall knowledge on Windows 2000)
• Do you have any experience in using Linux as a firewall? (No one will have unless you have installed it. It takes you about one week to learn the rule to configure the Linux. The company is considering using low-cost machine to protect its network.) 
• Can you show me your experience in coding mode than 1000 lines? (Use your project, your assignment in Java, Basic, C++ as an example and shows him how long it takes and how well you have done, remember to include comments)
• How can you ensure that the module you finished is error free? (This is to test your understanding on software quality. You can so long as you applied all the tests. Remember the most important part in project development is testing making sure that the product is error free.)
• Have you used any development tools? What is the disadvantage and advantage of using development tool against development language? (This question tests your understanding on development tool compared to programming language. It takes time to learn the tool but produce better quality and less turn around time)
• You are quite active in your study, can you tell me what skills you have learnt? (If you are a mentor, class rep. members of abc club, you have learnt a lot of non-technical skills. They are very important to the success of IT people.)
• Why you choose Japanese as your electives? (This tests whether you just want to fulfil the academic requirement to graduate or want to learn more.)
• Do you know the trend for computer? (This tests whether you care about computer, care your career.)
• Internet is dipping, how do you feel about the future of Internet? (This tests your opinion about business models that relies on the Internet. A common sense questions but involves with business knowledge.)
• Can you tell me more about your final year project? (mention both technical and non-technical including problem solving, project management and risk management)

Knowledge

• Any difference between Java and C++?
• What differences can you find between Cisco product and others?
• Do you know your major duty of your job?
• Assume that you are given a new mission to promote the printer, what is your plan?
• How do you see the logistics in the next five years? (It depends on the company. This question is more on the business nature.)
• Do you know the problems that IT is facing?
• Do you know the problems of this business? What do you think about the role of IT to ease the problems?
• How do you feel about CEPA?

Personal  

• What is your greatest achievement for the past three years? (You must at least pick up one with reasons why it is your achievement, do say “No.”)
• What gives you the most satisfaction in life? (Hiking, complete your project on time etc.)
• Are you willing to travel frequently to China? (some jobs demand travelling.)
• Are you willing to relocate to Japan, Shanghai, Singapore? (There is a need to work with local people on short-term basis.)
• What is your expected salary? 7000, 8000 or 10000 (Say a solid figure, such as 7000, don’t say 7000 to 8000)
• Can you work with others? Can you give me examples? (Quote the assignment that demands team work and how you do it. The question is “yes” or “No”, but to test how you do it.)
• Assume that you are assigned a job and the deadline is only a week, are you wiling to work until mid-night to finish this project? (test whether you can work under pressure. Don’t simply say “Yes” or “No.” Give him/her answer about your condition such as a short period is “okay”.)
• Can you tell me your strengths and weakness? (Sometimes, your weakness might be strength from interviewer’s viewpoint. Well prepare this question.)
• What is your option? To work as a team member of alone. (There is no specific answer, it depends on the job nature whether it needs team work or independent work.)
• What do you feel about the salary and job nature? Which one is more important to you? (For the first job, salary is less important but should be reasonable – market price)
• What qualities should a successful programmer (support specialist, network administer etc.) possess? Do you consider yourself successful? (There is no single answer. You must understand the duty.)
• What make you feel that we should hire you? (mention your strengths that match with the company’s culture and future development)
• How can you persuade us to hire you?
• What specifically skills you have acquired to contribute to our department (company)?

Motivation

• What are your short- and long-term career goals in IT? (You need to prepare this answer. It is very common in IT.)
• How are you going to achieve your goals? (study, work hard, learn new skills, learn human relationship, accounting, business knowledge and skills etc.)
• Where do you see yourself in five-years time frame as an analyst programmer, support manager, IT manager and what evidence? (You need to well prepare the answer.)
• Why are you interested in this job? (our company?) (Shows your strengths that match the career.)

Suggestion: Well prepared for the answers

  The above questions are very common in an interview. You should prepare answers to all of them before the interview taking your strengths and weakness. Also based on the above questions, you know which skills you need to improve or catch up. When answering such questions, you need to give the interviews the most truthful answers. Don’t exaggerate. If you don’t know the answers, simply say, “I don’t know”. However, you can also logically deduce the answers, as some of them are related to what you have done in your final year project (team work, project management skill, documentation skill etc.) and your study.  You also need to highlight your strengths and be positive about your weaknesses by turning them into potential strengths. For example, you don’t know PowerBuilder. However, you are sure that you can master this skill within two weeks. You can quote this as an example to show that you are a quick leaner.

Information about the Post and Company

After collecting enough information from you, recruiters will provide information about the post or company to you. As you are aware that interview is both ways. You should also know whether the job suits you. You should also know the perspective of the post and the future development of company. Some students do not raise any questions hopefully finish the interview as soon as possible. This is not a good attitude, as interviewers might also ask you a few more questions that are less important but have impact on you such as when you will be available

Some common questions are listed below.

• If you are offered a job, when will you be available?
• If we cannot offer you the salary as expected, are you willing to take it?
• Do you have any questions you would like to raise?

Although this is almost the last stage, you should also prepare questions to show that you care the jobs. The common questions are:

• If I want to study computer in the evening, would you encourage me?
• Can I pick up the post two months later after returning from my holiday? Are you willing to accept it?
• Can you tell me more about the future development of your department?
• Would you elaborate why you prefer to use Java in your development, not ASP or PHP?
• Would you enlighten me why your development chooses PowerBuilder as your development package?
• May I ask why your organisation will relocate IT department to China?

Suggestion: prepare one or two questions

Questions about job duties or questions to show your knowledge of the company would be good ones to ask.

Closing the Interview

Before the end of the interview, interviewers will let you know how you will be informed your result. If there is a need to have second round, he/she might inform you the rough schedule. If your performance is outstanding and your skills suit their requirements, the interviewer(s) might offer you the job immediately. The common question is: 

·        We will inform you the result in two weeks. 

When you reach this stage of the interview, you should have an idea about your performance. You can guess whether you will be selected for the job. Don’t be discouraged, as you should accumulate your experience.

Suggestion: Say thank you for the interviewers for this interview

Review after interview

At this stage, you should review your performance by recalling what you have presented today. Put a cross for those that you think you should review. Try to write down a better answer and practise it. You should supplement more information such as the background of industry, technical skills etc.

• Put a tick for those that you are happy and will use the same answers next time. Whether you will be selected for the job, remember to send a “thank you” letter to the recruiters to show that you care the job.  

Suggestion: Review your interview and try to improve your weakness. Send a letter of compliment to thank you for offering an interview.