Series: Email from Career Coach
By: Career Coach Christina Panhoff
To: Career starters after completing their studies
Subject: Authentic instead of perfect!
Dear Students,
I often hear from my younger customers: “I have the perfect job here and now I need a perfect application.” Personally, I have deleted the word “perfect” from my usage. It creates pressure to perform because it is clear that every applicant has their strong and weaker sides. That's why we're looking for the most suitable candidate; this includes professional expertise as well as personality. And anyone who comes to an agency with their cheeky attitude may not be welcome in a management consultancy. In an NGO, you might score points with volunteer work and volunteer experience and not with A grades. It always depends on the employer's expectations as to how weighting is given and what is essential or negligible. HR managers also know this, which is why it is important to highlight your advantages.
Before I start writing the cover letter, I want to know two things from my customers.
What makes the position suitable?
This includes the industry, work content, further training opportunities, a good reputation, appropriate pay, family friendliness, flat hierarchies and even free snacks and smoothies. For job analysis, I have my customers mark:
Blue: everything that is technical and factual, tasks and profile
Green: Soft skills such as the ability to work in a team, structured work, initiative
Red: a heart for everything that stands out particularly positively in the job description
Sound silly? Is not it. If you get 75 percent of the “blue” rating, you have a real chance. Soft skills say what type of person you want. Does that suit me? And red hearts - without that feeling and a spark of enthusiasm it is very difficult to create a really good, convincing application (by the way, red crosses do that too ;)).
Why am I exactly the right person for the job?
What is required are the studies including specific content, grades, existing experience, internships, proven soft skills and interest in certain topics. What can I offer that is interesting for the employer? Where have I already had contact with the area of responsibility? Can I provide work samples and certificates? Do I deal with certain topics outside of university? Do I volunteer?
Now you have a good picture of the place and yourself. Do you feel good and still want the position? Then sit down to write your cover letter. For example, the start could look like this:
»Your company impresses me with its sustainability, which consistently runs through the entire production process. This also corresponds to my idea of fair trade.«
Dare and formulate it individually! This creates a personal impression, and being authentic is really important today.
Yours, Christina Panhoff
Christina Panhoff coaches on applications, interviews and career planning. Wall in front of her head, complete blockage: She still remembers the feeling of writing a real application for the first time from when she started her career after completing her studies.
