The letter of application
The letter of application can be as important as the CV in that it often provides the first direct contact between a candidate and an employer. If this letter is not well written and presented, it will make a poor impression. The letter of application normally contains four paragraphs in which you should:
confirm that you wish to apply and say where you learned about the job
say why you are interested in the position and relate your interests to those of the company
show that you can contribute to the job by highlighting your most relevant skills and experience
indicate your willingness to attend an interview (and possibly say when you would be free to attend)
Below you will find details from Fiona Scott’s letter of application. Look at the outline of the letter on the left and indicate where the information below should go.
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Fiona Scott
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Making a presentation
Notes Making a presentation in a foreign language is a complex task and represents a challenge that can be a stressful experience, especially if you have never given a presentation before. These guidelines contain invaluable advice about all aspects of presenting, and include appropriate language to use in order to signpost your talk clearly so that your audience can follow the transitions between the different sections. Voice The audience must be able to hear and understand what you are saying. Speakers tend to speak too softly, too fast and without pausing or varying the tone of voice. You can practise by speaking about something you know or have an opinion about. Pay careful attention to when you include pauses, volume changes and variations in tone of voice. Body Language Adopting the right body position and using appropriate gestures to show interest, highlight points, and keep your audience’s attention are important factors. Address your audience as ‘you’ as this helps to make both sides feel closer and makes you more relaxed. Remember:
Useful words and expressions Using appropriate words and phrases at key moments of a talk makes it easier for your audience to follow what you are saying and to anticipate what you will be saying next. This list will help you to highlight the key stages and to indicate the transitions between the different sections of your talk. |
Introducing the talk: This morning I’m going to be talking about … In my talk today I will be looking at … I’d like to start by giving you ... Indicating the structure and sequences of your talk: I have divided my presentation into X sections … In the first section I will / am going to describe … Then I will / am going to go on to … After that I will / am going to look at … Finally I will / am going to ... Moving from one section of your talk to another: I would now like to go on to the next point which is … I f I can now move on to the next section ... To continue ... Summarising and condensing what you have said: To recap ... The main thing/s to remember is / are … The point that I am making here is that ... Highlighting: This is particularly important because … I can’t stress enough that … It should be pointed out that … I would like to draw your attention to … Giving examples: For instance ... For example … such as … like ... A case in point is ... i.e. (pronounced ‘eye’ and ‘ee’ as in ‘see’) Inviting questions and feedback from the audience: Are there any questions so far? Feel free to ask i f you have any questions. I welcome questions if at any point you don’t understand something. I f you have any questions about this, please/do ask. Asking rhetorical questions (questions that the audience are not expected to answer): Some of you may be wondering how can this be done? Am I right in thinking that …? So, just how can this be achieved? You may be wondering how long will this take? Referring to information on an overhead: If you have a look at this figure here … As you can see from the table … This particular slide shows ... Drawing conclusions: This means that … Consequently … As a result … Therefore ... Closing your talk: I would just like to finish by saying ... To finish I would just like to remind you … In conclusion, thank you … Do you have any questions? |