What To Write In A Motivation Letter When Applying For A Job?

By and large, a motivation letter is the same as a cover letter. That is, a document that you send along with a resume and write in free form what the rigid resume format does not allow you to write in principle. (Please do not confuse motivation letters, which are submitted along with other documents when applying to foreign educational institutions).

Most often, motivation letters are required from young professionals, graduates or students. This is understandable: after all, young people with little experience or no experience at all cannot “boast” of their professional skills and work experience. Accordingly, the main criterion by which an employer can judge such candidates is their motivation. That is why in the case of young professionals we are talking about motivational letters. To see a lot of jobs to give your motivation letter and resume, go now.

The purpose of the motivation letter

What is the most important thing in an effective motivation letter – that is, a letter that will help, if not get a job, then at least get an invitation to an interview?

First of all, a motivation letter should demonstrate to the employer … that’s right, your motivation! That is the reason WHY you want to get a job in this particular company.

Thus, a motivation letter is a kind of cover letter, in which the emphasis is not so much on experience and skills (of which the applicant still has little), but on motivation.

What could be the reasons why you are looking for a job in this particular company?

Well it depends on you.

For example, you are a novice journalist, and have long dreamed of getting a job in such and such a TV channel. So write. Or, for example, representatives of some P&G or Deloitte have repeatedly held master classes at your university, and you, having heard about these companies, really want to get a job with them.

But, a very important point.

Your desire must be motivated by something. It can’t just be the fact that these companies pay well. The employer wants to see employees who are motivated not so much by money as by the opportunity to prove themselves, the complexity and interest of tasks, the scale of activities, the opportunity to join a multinational culture, etc.

That is, your motives should be such that they talk about you as a person with certain aspirations and life goals. With a well-defined motivation that is understandable to the employer.

And it must be true. After all, you can’t fool yourself anyway. Otherwise, even if you are hired, you will soon be disappointed and lose interest in it.

How to write it?

A motivation letter is an attachment to a traditional resume, where you describe in a free form what would be inappropriate to indicate in a “hard” resume format.

The advantage of a motivation letter is that it can characterize the applicant better than all other documents provided by him. Therefore, when formulating a letter, take the information you provide very responsibly.

Professional consultants recommend following a number of rules that will allow you to prepare a document properly.

1. What should be included in a well-written motivation letter? First of all, a motivation letter should be nominal, that is, addressed to a specific person (HR manager, department head, etc.). At the beginning of the letter, you need to say hello and write why you are contacting this company. For example, refer to a vacancy posted on such and such a site, or indicate that you have heard about the program for the admission of young professionals to this firm.
2. The motivation letter should not exceed one sheet of A4 size. It is very important to correctly indicate the name of the company, position in the “addressee” column, since the applicant’s carelessness or inattention can turn against him. You should also avoid mistakes or typos: recruiters are extremely picky about such shortcomings.
3. Be sure to indicate the position you are applying for at the top of the letter. Provide information about education, professional experience. And most importantly, you need to justify why you think that this place is right for you. For example: “The existing experience in conducting product presentations, collecting information about the client and communication skills with managers of all levels, allowed me to achieve high results. Having carefully studied the scope of duties and requirements for the position, I assume that my experience and acquired skills will allow your company to achieve high results, and I will continue to grow professionally and financially.”
4. Demonstrate to the employer that you are familiar with the specifics of the company’s activities and what benefits you will bring. A motivation letter always makes a good impression, in which a recruiter can immediately find all the information he is interested in, which will allow him to save time turning over your documents in search of an indication of a specialty, an average score in a certificate and other information.
5. Avoid stereotyped characteristics when describing yourself (purposeful, stress-resistant, responsible). For the employer, this is evidence that you have not bothered to highlight your truly unique qualities. In addition, instead of “evaluating” yourself, it is better to describe specific successes and achievements that you achieved in your previous job. In the absence of work experience, the emphasis should be on the knowledge and skills that you received during the internship: what tasks did you face, how did you cope with them, what did you learn. Thus, in a motivation letter, the emphasis is not so much on experience and skills (of which the applicant still has little), but on motivation.It is extremely important to competently discuss the issue of wages, of course, the employer would like to hear from you a specific amount, which means that you are well versed in the issue and know your value in the labor market.

So, the main requirements for a resume and motivation letter are brevity, clarity and logical presentation. All information about you will be checked many more times – at an interview, in the process of work, etc. Therefore, it is important not only to be able to write a resume and motivation letter, but also to work productively.

How to start a motivation letter

It is best to start a motivation letter of any type with a brief presentation: provide information about your previous education and areas of interest, draw up a brief summary of your achievements (publications, participation in conferences, methodological work).

Further, in both types of motivation letters (in a structured essay, this item is spelled out, in a free essay, its mandatory presence is implied) it is necessary to reflect the main idea of such a letter – why you want to enter a particular educational institution for a particular program.

The main idea of a motivational letter for study should become a certain “knot” that will connect the personality of the applicant and the direction of study he has chosen. The key feature of this node is that it should not be banal, i.e. should not only talk about your “hobby” or the financial side of the future specialty that you will receive after graduation.

As for the motivation letter for hiring, its key “node” should be your connection as a specialist with the chosen organization. The letter should reflect your previous professional experience, current knowledge and skills that make you a suitable candidate for the relevant vacancy (that is, how you will be useful to the company).

As in the case of a university, be sure to indicate why you chose this particular organization, what attracts you to it: an interesting area of employment, the possibility of professional growth and self-development, solving important production problems, etc. (you should not indicate only the salary level or conditions of work). In addition, such a letter should indicate your career prospects in the company: what growth points do you see in this job.