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21.10.2019

In the process of actively searching for a job, almost any job seeker, whether a doctor, pharmacist or nurse, is faced with such a concept as " motivation letter”, as in a number of vacancy announcements, the submission of this document is one of the conditions for consideration of the candidacy. We will try to talk about what a motivation letter is, its purpose and the rules for compiling it in this article.

What is a motivation letter?

Based on the very name of the motivation letter, it can be understood that its text should contain information about the motives for which the applicant is applying for a particular position in a particular company. Since a motivation letter is not sent on its own, but only paired with a resume, it is also called a “cover letter”.

When starting to create a motivation letter, you need to remember: its purpose is to present you in a favorable light for the employer, to present your the best sides, as well as motivate the employer to give preference to you.

Therefore, in the cover letter to the resume, it is important to make it clear that your interests coincide with the interests of the employer, and you are familiar with the specifics of the company in which you are striving to work.

Motivational letter - to write or not to write?

If the employer requested a motivation letter in the job posting, this requirement should not be ignored. Indeed, in such a situation, a cover letter to a resume (or its absence) can be a “litmus test” for the applicant’s attentiveness and the severity of his desire to work in a particular company.

In the event that there is no direct requirement to provide a motivation letter, it is still worth writing one, since a successful cover letter will help you stand out from other applicants. A motivation letter will be especially useful if you want to change your position, or you do not have enough work experience. After all, if you take the preparation of the cover letter seriously, you can get an advantage over other candidates!

For example, the editorial board of a specialized medical journal announces a competition to fill an editor's vacancy. Among the main requirements for the candidate is the Higher medical education and experience as an editor. Well, you are a practicing doctor and you are very interested in such a vacancy. There is a coincidence of your interests with the interests of the employer! However, from your correct resume, it is not clear to the employer why you should be hired for this position.

In such a situation, you can use a cover letter to your resume and motivate your compliance with the recruiter's requirements by the fact that you were part-time editor of a section of a medical Internet portal, and also have publications in various specialized publications.

Recruitment specialists note that such sample motivation letters are sometimes the decisive factor before inviting a candidate for an interview.

Rules for writing a motivation letter

When starting to create a cover letter, remember that this is an official document, so when preparing it, you need to follow a few simple rules:

A motivation letter is drawn up on an A4 page, be sure to indicate to whom it is addressed and what position the applicant is applying for;
The cover letter should not duplicate information from the resume;
The text of the motivation letter should be objective, not too wordy, but not too concise. Usually its length is from half to one A4 page;
In the text of the cover letter to the resume, you should not abuse capital letters, artistic fonts, as well as Bold and underline, as this makes the text more difficult to understand;
The final version of the motivation letter must be checked “for literacy”: spelling and punctuation errors in it are unacceptable;
If you are sending your cover letter via e-mail, be sure to save it in the correct format (either dok or pdf).

Building a motivation letter

It is desirable to divide the text of a motivation letter into three logical parts: introduction, main and final parts.

In introductory part cover letter to the resume indicate the reason for sending it (namely: whether you are responding to a job advertisement, or just want to work in a particular company or clinic), as well as the position for which you are applying. The introductory part of the motivation letter is extremely important, because the lack of specificity will minimize your chances of getting an interview.

V main part motivation letter can give information about the current " employment status» (for example, indicate whether you are looking for a main job or thinking about part-time employment), list skills and abilities (especially those that are in the interests of the employer, are listed in his requirements and directly relate to work for vacant position), highlight your strengths give examples of achievements.

If you do not yet have work experience, you should not write that the purpose of obtaining a position is to acquire it. It is better to indicate where and what practices you did during your studies (for example, applying for a job in a children's hospital, you will definitely add points to yourself if you helped look after children in the Department of Nursing Premature Babies in the Kiev Children's Hospital of the NSSB "OKHMATDET").

It is also useful to focus on those of your interests that coincide with the interests of the employer, to demonstrate that you are familiar with the specifics of the company to which you are sending your sample motivation letter.

Remember that it is desirable to write the truth. If you still decide to embellish a cover letter with your resume, be prepared for the fact that at the interview you will be asked specific questions that you will need to answer in a qualified manner.

V final part The cover letter should thank the person to whom you are addressing for attention, and also tell you how best to contact you.

Sample motivation letter

Since the advent of portals to help job seekers, there are many examples of motivation letters “for every taste”, in particular for medical professionals or pharmacists.

Sometimes this makes life easier for applicants, as a well-written example of a motivation letter can save time. But in this case, recruiters warn against the abuse of copying cover letter templates and emphasize that each motivation letter must be individual.

Therefore, remember that you can only build on a sample motivation letter.

After all, you create a cover letter for your resume in order to stand out from a dozen other candidates and convince the employer that it is you that he needs in a vacant position!

Who reads motivational letters and how?

Many job seekers ask themselves a simple question: do recruiters read motivational letters?

Recruiters answer this question in different ways. Most of them are inclined to believe that a cover letter for a resume can tell a lot about the applicant for a vacancy (and this satisfies the interests of the employer) and, if well-written, almost always plays into the hands of the applicant.

However, they immediately admit that they do not read too long cover letters that duplicate information from the resume, as well as motivation letters in which the position is incorrectly indicated (or not indicated at all), by mistake (or due to inattention) the name of the company is incorrectly indicated (or the name of a competing firm appears).

So take writing a cover letter for your resume seriously - and then your motivation letter will become a valuable investment in career development.

To study at a foreign university, there are some requirements for a package of documents. It should include a resume, recommendation and motivation letter of the applicant. If for a Russian person the first two documents are familiar, then what is the third accompanying notice? It turns out that the selection committee attaches great importance to his role. And it depends on how competently it is written, whether its author will be chosen as a candidate worthy of studying at a particular university.

What does it carry?

Motivation to action is nothing but motivation. An increase in wages is an incentive for the employee to perform their job duties better. Upon admission to foreign university the applicant submits documents for consideration without being present there. Therefore, a motivation letter, an example of which will be given below, should produce an incentive effect on the commission in order to accept educational institution its author.

In this letter, the compiler describes his education, professional skills, his position in social activities. A well-written letter can cover failures in academic life and create a positive portrait of a student applicant.

Where to begin?

This question arises for everyone who needs to write something about themselves. It would seem, what could be easier? Who, if not the author, knows his strengths and weaknesses. But practice shows the opposite: nine people out of 10, when they are going to write a self-presentation, are faced with a problem: what to state and where to start?

Specialists who help children write a motivation letter for master's programs offer several tricks that help start the process:

Ask questions: "Why do I need to study abroad in a master's program?"; “Why do I want to become a student of a particular university?”; “Why do I need the chosen specialty?” and “What will graduating from a master's program give me?”.
These questions should be spoken aloud and answered in oral, while trying to record the entire speech on the recorder. For best result it is desirable to imagine that communication takes place with the best friend, who is told all the delights of studying abroad.
After listening to the recording, it will become clear which theses will form the basis of the essay.

Correct text structure

A motivation letter, like all statements, should consist of three blocks: an introductory, main and final description. The first part of the essay contains specific information about the academic life of the author. It indicates the place of study, practice, name master's program, the purpose of training in this specialty and why the specified profile is attractive to you.

The main block is motivational. Description of the university program that can provide the necessary skills in a particular field of activity, thanks to which the applicant will be able to achieve the goals described in the introductory part. The conclusion is the planned place of work and the country in which the author of the presentation wants to apply the acquired skills.

So, a motivation letter, a sample structure: what to study, why the specialty is relevant for the author and what results to expect.

Presentation language

If the program for which applications are being applied for is in English, then the completion of the documents must be in English. In the case of writing a self-presentation to German universities, the national language of the indicated country is used.

Experts recommend writing the text immediately in English, otherwise it’s hard to avoid translation later. If the vocabulary is not enough to prepare documents for foreign language, then you will have to carefully consider the translation. It is necessary not only to translate words with a dictionary, but to convey the meaning of the message.

A motivation letter in Russian is appropriate for Russian organizations. It can become an accompanying document for a resume. And the employer, who did not make a requirement for his presence, is most likely to single out an employee from total number applicants.

Universal motivation letter. Exists or not?

Each educational institution and the programs it puts forward are unique. When submitting documents to several master's programs at once, you should know that you should not use the same cover letter. The constant in it can be the personal information of the author: place of work and practice. The specifics of the university program dictates the rules for designing a presentation.

Therefore, a motivation letter, a sample of which is not a problem to find, is not a skeleton for writing your own essay. It can help the author to visualize the structure of the text to create his own unique document.

Editing

A motivation letter for admission to a foreign university must be completed correctly. Each error in the text is perceived by the commission as an unfair attitude of the applicant. Therefore, it is advisable to take several days to check the text, proofreading it and correcting errors. Basic editing steps:

Document integrity. There should be a logical connection between the blocks of presentation.
Minimization of emotional adjectives.
Text length. It is desirable to fit the letter on two pages of A4 format.
Tracing one style throughout the presentation. It is desirable that it be official.
Appeal to a professional (an English teacher will do).

After such editing, a motivational letter to the magistracy is able to form a positive portrait of the author.

Mistakes

The cover letter should not contain the information provided in the applicant's application form. The catchy beginning is the probability that the members of the commission will reach the main part of the text, and not immediately write a refusal to accept.

Outwardly, the document should look beautiful: no blots, a clear structure, signatures, high-quality printing, error-free filling of the address of the recipient and sender.

A motivation letter should describe the personal and unique qualities of a person. It cannot be universal for everyone. After reading the presentation, you need to make sure that the text fully reveals the personality of the author. There should not be any humor, sayings in it.

Motivational letter: an example of an introductory part

An example is an excerpt from an essay by a student who wants to enter a university:

“The saying of the Greek mathematician Archimedes is: “Give me a support and a lever, and I will move the Earth.” The basic principle of a lever is that as its length increases, the effort needed to complete a task decreases. This fundamental law is also applicable in life, in which experience and opportunities act as levers. The totality of these vital components is the motivation of the individual to achieve the goal.

However, leverage alone is not enough; properly spaced and stable supports are also required. Their role in life is given to the desire to learn. The lack of a dream to achieve something in life leads to the fading of the desire for experience and opportunities. The craving for knowledge, the desire for success, the acquisition of experience must always be in balance. And I am one of those who have been looking for these opportunities all my life in order to build a successful leverage that can help me achieve my goal in the life sciences.

Participation in volunteer projects, study or practice abroad, receiving a grant for scientific research - wherever you send your application, as a supplement you will need to write a motivation letter, or Personal Statement. But do not take this mandatory item as another test.

A well-written motivation letter plays a key role in the selection of candidates. This is your chance to add information on the most important positions in : about your education, experience, intentions and goals.

Lifehacker shares secrets that will help you tell about yourself on one A4 page in such a way that your candidacy stands out from hundreds or even thousands of applicants.

1. The motivation letter must be yours

The letter that accompanies your application should be special, so do not try to use other people's thoughts and adjust them for yourself. It is worth reading the examples, but no more. When compiling, adhere to the standard structure: introduction, main body, conclusion.

Introduce yourself, tell in two sentences about yourself, but do not rewrite the resume, especially if it is included in the package of documents. Ideally, when the first paragraphs immediately hold attention. In the main part, focus on the chosen program and your motivation.

Write about your goals and how participation will help you achieve them.

Put your goals in a global context, point out how your participation in the program can be useful for your country, university or company. And then talk about your abilities to prove that you not only want, but you can achieve what you want.

In conclusion, it is worth mentioning how you can be useful to the fund or program organizers or why you share their values and want to be on their team. This will help you understand why you need to invest in your candidacy. Finish the letter with a short story about your plans after training or practice: how will you implement .

Write only the truth about yourself. Check that you fully meet the specified selection criteria and be sure that you really need to participate.

2. The letter must match the program you are applying for

Read the requirements carefully curriculum or internships. Make sure the letter reflects your genuine interest.

Imagine that you have already been chosen: what courses will you take? How will the program help you unlock your potential?

If you apply to study at different universities, then the motivation letter must be new every time. Even if the specialty is the same, the structure of the courses or the field scientific research may differ significantly.

The commission needs to understand why you are interested in participating, how this program will help you become better and why your choice is not accidental. It is possible that your plans will change when you receive a grant. But detailed description proves that you are making a conscious choice, and not just wanting to take advantage of the member's benefits.

3. The letter should stand out

Now your task is to prove that you are the right candidate. You can have infinitely long lists of achievements and have serious experience, but there are hundreds of applications before the commission and very little time. In order for her to want to study your application in detail, you need to convince her of this.

Just listing skills and intentions is not enough: demonstrate your great desire to participate, your passion for your chosen field. Tell us that you are under 25, and you have already received a second education, participated in international projects.

Let your weaknesses become strengths.

For example, if you have not had an internship abroad, this can also be used to your advantage: when you return after participating in the program, you will be a different person, more open and flexible.

Reinforce your strengths concrete examples. If you write that you are ready to work hard, mention your most successful project. The main thing is that your arguments consistently convince the commission: all the accumulated experience will be very useful in this particular program. Write concisely and logically, avoid templates: let the text be yours, this will make it lively and memorable.

4. Motivation letter must be diplomatic

Many foundations and grant-giving organizations are owned by a political party or promote certain values. Each person has his own opinion, and the organizers will certainly appreciate it.

However, in a motivation letter, you should not express your views sharply or take extreme positions on sensitive issues.

You will be able to discuss with the organizers and other participants when you become a participant in the program. Who knows, maybe your views will still change? But familiarity with the specifics of the organization, its mission and projects, can help you understand what kind of person is required for this program, and become one.

5. Writing a successful letter takes time.

And one more important secret: do not leave writing a letter to last days before the deadline, otherwise the fear of not being on time will prevent you from focusing on the content and concentrating on the work. Be sure: in one evening, you most likely will not write anything good. You may need additional time to edit the letter or completely rewrite it. Inspiration will definitely visit you, it's worth it.

Is the letter written? Put it aside for a while, and then test yourself by answering a few questions.

Have I stated briefly and clearly where exactly I am applying, what place I want to get?
Was I able to clearly explain my motivation? Why do I want to participate, how will the chosen program expand my personal and professional perspectives?
Is it possible to understand from my letter what distinguishes me from other candidates?
Are the examples that I use to support my merits specific and brief enough?
What impression will my letter leave about me?
Are there grammatical, syntactical, factual and other errors in the letter? Are there any discrepancies with the summary?

If you're worried that you're not being objective enough with yourself, ask a friend of yours to take a look. Maybe you will find contacts of people who have already participated in this program. Try asking them about special job requirements and other pitfalls.

Share your experience and secrets of writing motivational letters in the comments. What role did the motivation letter play in your life?

Entering a university abroad or trying to find a job involves writing a motivation letter. In most cases, a well-formed motivation letter is 50% of admission to your dream university. That is why you should not take it lightly when writing it.

A motivation letter is a 1-2 page essay in which the candidate describes their interests (academic), experience, goals, life position and achievements. A motivation letter can tell a lot about the author:

firstly, the selection committee will be able to get an idea about the personality of the candidate, his ability to think critically, analyze the situation
secondly, about the candidate's ability to logically, coherently and grammatically correctly express their thoughts in writing

Agree, on the basis of the letter, certain conclusions can be drawn about a candidate who dreams of a world-famous university diploma - that's why you need to write a motivation letter. Ride or receive higher education abroad is a great start for your future career. Of course, before entering the university, you still have to pass.

Purpose of writing a letter

The main purpose of the letter is to convince members admission committee that you are the most suitable candidate to be preferred. With the help of a letter, you establish communication with members of the selection committee, and in order for this communication to be successful for you, you should:

know exactly what your target audience expects from you
know exactly what you want to get from the process of studying at a university
be able to correctly talk about those unique qualities that make you special

A document such as a motivation letter on English language, helps to find employment and obtain prestigious education. That is why, when writing a letter, remember the main rules:

Commissions of different faculties evaluate letters according to different criteria
Mention of short and long term learning objectives is welcome
Description personal experience and achievements are a must.
a brief description of learning and achievements in this area - it is necessary

What does the admissions committee like?

What is worth mentioning when you write a motivation letter for employment in a foreign company or for admission to a university? The one who will read your letter, for sure, expects that he will receive answers about you to his questions from what is written. So don't disappoint him.

The motivation letter should include:

analysis of personal qualities (this will be used to judge exactly how you evaluate yourself, and therefore those around you)
sincerity (falseness is felt immediately, keep in mind)
description of training and motivation (work experience, achievements, skills, a specific indication of why you chose this specialty, how you plan to develop and improve in this area)
the existence of goals and the validity of the chosen program (it is important to indicate what exactly you want to achieve by studying in this specialty and how the learning process will help you achieve your goals)
text construction logic. The ability to write well, to formulate thoughts correctly is also important for entering a university.

What does the admissions committee not like?

We will tell you in more detail what is better not to write in a motivation letter. First, try to avoid clichés and general, non-informative phrases. Secondly, the motivation letter should in no case turn into a retelling of the resume, it should complement the presentation of the members of the selection committee about you, and not tell them the same information that they can read in the resume. - we have already said earlier.

In addition, avoid dangerous, ambiguous topics, refrain from expressing thoughts on the topic of politics or religion, especially if your point of view is too different from the generally accepted one. Use simple words and expressions, do not complicate the reader's perception of the text. And most importantly - do not write too much, no one will read a novel about you in three volumes. It's just general rules good manners in motivation letter.

Making a motivation letter

Of course, you can download motivation letter templates in English and write your letter in their image and likeness. And yet, it will be better if you try, guided by general recommendations write your own essay letter.

Essay formats:

not structured. You will be able to freely state your goals, objectives and describe your experience, personal qualities and achievements
essay in the form of answers to questions. Such an essay is usually written by candidates who enter MBA programs. In this case, the motivation letter will consist of short essay-answers to individual questions.

Text organization approaches:

Thematic approach. You focus on 2-4 topics and talk about them. The good thing about this approach is that you get the opportunity to draw a parallel between two unrelated events that you want to compare.
chronological approach. It's simple: describe events in chronological order

How to organize text correctly?

Most Interesting Facts demonstrate at the beginning of the letter. Who can guarantee that the letter will be read to the end?
Try to logically arrange the facts in such a way that the reader can see your development both in the personal and professional spheres.
Divide text into paragraphs. Use linking words to move from one paragraph to the next. Make sure that each paragraph of your letter is a mini-story with an opening, a climax, and a logical conclusion.
The introduction is exactly the part of the letter that should make the reader read your letter. Make it interesting: use quotes, a description of a life event, an unusual fact.
The conclusion is an equally important part of the letter. The conclusion should leave a positive impression of the read. In conclusion, it is not necessary to summarize each paragraph, but it is possible to present the problems proposed in the letter from a different angle, to connect them with more global issues or more fully describe your goals and motivations.
Edit the letter in several steps. First, just write the text, after a day or two you should read it, later - subtract in detail for grammatical and spelling errors.

Phrases that can be used in the text of the letter:

I am particularly interested in this job, as…
I would like to work for you, in order to… - I would like to work in your company
My strengths are… - My strengths
I would say that my only weaknesses / weaknesses are… . But I am looking to improve in this / these area/s. - I can say that my only weakness is ... But I'm working on it
I would be well suited to the position because…
My area of expertise is… – I specialize in
Even under pressure I can maintain high standards. – Even under pressure, I can comply high standards
I have a lively interest in … and would appreciate the opportunity / chance to broaden my knowledge by working with you. – I am very interested in... and appreciate the chance to apply my knowledge in this work.
I am highly motivated and look forward to the varied work which a position in your company would offer me. – I really want to get experience in your company in a position that you can offer

A motivation letter can be written immediately in English or first compiled in Russian, and then translated. Here are just a number of inaccuracies and errors in the translation. The most common mistakes when translating a motivational letter into English are the timing in complex sentences, incorrect word order (translation requires restructuring of the sentence), incorrect use of the singular and plural when translating.

This is not a complete list of possible mistakes when translating a motivation letter into English. Therefore, it is better to write a motivation letter in English.

A sample motivation letter in English can help you write your own letter. You can find examples of motivation letters in English on the portal en.scribd.com.

A motivation letter for a job allows the applicant to convey basic information about himself to a potential employer. In the process of looking for a job, it will be a great success to receive an invitation for an interview. To do this, you need to attract the attention of a personnel worker who views the resume. And the only chance to declare your qualities at this stage of communication with the employer is a cover letter.

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How to write a motivation letter

In order for the letter to exactly meet the expectations of the company that posted the resume, the applicant must:

study in detail the preferences of the employer for the vacant position;
note which requirements are important and which are secondary;
determine the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed work;
to study the level of "seriousness" of the enterprise;
track employer layoff statistics.

Based on this information, a candidate for a position can systematize his data and present them in exactly the order that will be beneficial for a particular vacancy.

After adjusting the resume for the corresponding announcement, you can start writing the text proposing the candidate.

In order for the letter accompanying the questionnaire to attract the attention of a potential employer, it is advisable to include in it:

To whom is the accompanying document sent?

The cover letter, along with the applicant's resume, is sent to e-mail to the address of the company that posted the vacancy or a contact person. Also, these documents can be brought to the office of an enterprise that needs a new employee. For reliability, it is recommended to draw up a motivation letter in 2 copies: hand one to the official, ask the other to put a mark on receipt. You can also send your resume by mail.

Important! In the case of drawing up a letter on paper, it must be signed by the applicant.

It is best to send a resume after calling the employer. Sometimes vacancies close within a few hours. In this case, the time for adjusting the resume and writing the letter will be wasted.

Compilation errors

According to statistics, only 10% of employers thoroughly study a motivation letter. Therefore, often applicants do not pay enough attention to it or completely neglect the opportunity to contact the personnel specialists of a potential employer directly. However, all large companies prefer questionnaires with accompanying texts. After all, from these you can find out:

about the employee's motives;
about his ability to express his thoughts;
about the level of written language proficiency;
about the possible contribution of the person to the common cause of the enterprise.

Therefore, it is better to fill out a letter in a leisurely atmosphere, and think over the text in advance.

A typical mistake is to send the accompanying document to the wrong person who is indicated in the appeal. This can happen if one specialist is listed in the contact details, and another employee is considering the resume.

Therefore, if there is no exact certainty about who will read the motivation letter, it is better to use an impersonal address (“Good afternoon!”, “Dear gentlemen!”, etc.).

Excessive use in the text will not benefit the applicant:

"watery" or "general" formulations;
doubtful conclusions;
non-specific phrases.

The applicant should not, for example, speak out about the fact that he did not decide on the choice of a company, he had an unsuccessful experience in finding a job, and also about doubts about whether he is worthy of this position. The letter must be based on strong speech turns, which will show the candidate’s confidence in himself and his experience (“I can”, “I’m sure”, “I will do better”, “I will increase sales”, etc.).

Motivation letter retention periods

According to the Order of the Ministry of Culture of Russia No. 558 of August 25, 2010, all correspondence on the reception and registration of employees of the enterprise must be kept by the employer for 5 years. Moreover, it is necessary to ensure the safety not only of correspondence with the candidates hired, but also with persons who are not included in the staff of the enterprise.

Due to the special importance of personnel records, in the event of liquidation or reorganization of the employer's company, documents are transferred to the state archives.