So you have or are about to finish your university degree? Congratulations, you have completed a major milestone. Make sure to celebrate it appropriately. However, whilst you have accomplished one major achievement, you also face an immediate new challenge: How to find your first job. Competition for entry level jobs is fierce and you need to write a very strong job application to get an invitation for an interview. One of the most overlooked aspects of an application is the motivational letter or sometimes also called a cover letter. As this is the first thing a recruiter will see, you need to make sure that you make an excellent first impression. Here is how to do it:
- Put your most convincing evidence first. You need to make an impact in the first few sentences. Talk about your current or most relevant job first
- Focus on achievements in your current and previous roles rather than merely your responsibilities. Quantify these wherever possible
- Illustrate your achievements with brief but specific examples, explaining why these are relevant to this role. You can refer the employer to the CV for more detail
- Concentrate on the areas which differentiate you from the competition rather than the basic job criteria
- Demonstrate how well you have researched the role and the job context when explaining your career motivation
- Explain your rationale if you are seeking a career change or sideways move
- Be succinct. Ask a friend to go through it with you and edit out any wordy sentences and redundant words
- End on a note of enthusiasm and anticipation.
Example 1: Motivation letter for a job as a Business Analyst
Dear Sir/Madam,
In May 2019 I will graduate from [university name] with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Minor in Finance. I read your posting for the Business Analyst role with great interest and I’m convinced that I would be a great addition to your team.
My strong work ethic is evident from the fact I have served as President of the [student activity] concurrent with my academic studies, as well as paid summer internships in [name of the internship] at [name of the company] as well as [name of the internship] at [name of the company]. These experiences have enabled me to gain a realistic view of the demands and challenges of the Business Analyst position.
As Summer Associate at [name of the internship company], I was responsible for monitoring fundamental economic, industrial, and corporate developments through the analysis of information obtained from financial publications and services, investment banking firms, government agencies, trade publications, company sources, and personal interviews.
As an {internship name] at [name of the internship company], I worked on a number financial reports, including cash flow reporting, profit and loss account, and balance sheet analysis. My work has been used for companywide presentations.
In addition to my practical experience I’ve also always stayed focused on academics and I’m expected to graduate with a 3.9/4.0 GPA.
With the combination of these professional and academic experiences, I am looking forward to discussing the opportunity to join your organisation. Please find my CV attached.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Betty Schulz
Example 2: Motivation letter for a job as an IT Consultant
Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to apply for the position of IT Consultant recently advertised on the [source] vacancy board. I expect to graduate from my master’s course in [subject] at the [Department] at the [university name].
As you can see from my enclosed CV, I worked during my undergraduate degree at the [university name] gaining valuable experience as an IT business analyst with [company name] and as a volunteer with [company name].
At [company name], one of my key achievements was to design and implement a company-specific information system which has resulted in a 25% reduction in administration time for the company.
Also, as part of the internship at [company name], I completed a 60 page report on how a good information system strategy could be developed and implemented by senior managers. Working as a volunteer with at [company name] further developed my cultural awareness and relationship management skills, qualities also relevant to the work of an IT consultant.
As well as these qualities, my graduate studies have also developed my skills in researching a topic, making presentations, writing reports and analysing data.
One of the main reasons for choosing IT consultancy as a career is that I have for a long time been interested in business but also fascinated by how technology and information systems can improve organisational effectiveness. The variety of working on different projects across different sectors of work also appeals to me.
My reasons for applying to [company name] are as follows: First, the range of clients [company name] works with is considerably broader than many of the other major IT consultancy firms that I have been researching. I recently read an article on [source] about the innovative work you have done both in the public and private sectors relating to IT systems mergers and information security, an area I’m very interested in. Secondly, having attended your recent presentation at [university name or name of the graduate fair] and having spoken with [name of the recruiter], I was impressed by the enthusiasm with which he talked about his work and the many opportunities at [company name] for ambitious graduates.
I am very excited about this opportunity and look forward to discussing my application with you in greater detail. Should you require any further information please get in touch.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Smith
Looking for even more templates? Check out our guides and templates formotivational letters for graduate schooland cover letter for internships.
