Job Applications in the English-speaking World
 

Introduction
As a student at the Fachhochschule you are required to spend two semesters working in industry. Most students choose to do the practical semesters in Germany, but an increasing number want to spend at least one of the semesters in a foreign country. The information on this site will help you prepare an application for companies in English-speaking countries.

List of Contents

A Practical Placement Abroad   

        Why do a practical placement abroad?

        What will a foreign company expect from me?

        When should I start looking for a practical placement?

        How do I find a practical placement in a foreign company?

        Where can I find addresses of companies abroad?

        What should I consider when writing to a company?
 

The Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume

        CV/resume principles

        The content of a CV/resume

        Explanation of terms

        Example 1

        Example 2

        English terms for Departments at the Fachhochschule
 

The Job Application Letter

        Job letter principles

        Job letters

        Job letter outline

        Example 1

        Example 2

        Example 3

        Beginning and ending a letter

"Why should I do a practical semester abroad?" and "Where can I find the addresses of foreign companies?" are the questions students most commonly ask. This section answers both these questions and offers the answer to a third question that most students don’t ask themselves before they write their application letters: "What is the best way to approach a foreign company?"

Why do a practical semester abroad?
Placement in a practical semester abroad can be difficult to find, requires you to leave friends and family behind, throws you into a new cultural and working environment, and requires you to use a foreign language all the time and for everything you need. This is hard work, so why do it?

Below are three good reasons.

1. It will improve your employment prospects when you graduate from the FH. Companies believe that students who have worked abroad

• are more mature
• are self-starters and better motivated individuals
• have better social skills
• are sensitive to cross-cultural issues
• are more flexible in their thinking
• are better able to cope with change and the unexpected
• are better able to cope with periods of work abroad.

2. It will help you to develop your language skills.

Today every German has studied one, often two languages and on their CV, they all rate their comprehension as "good." Employers know that this can cover a wide range of abilities. A period of work abroad means that you have proven, both to yourself and others, that you really can work successfully in an English-speaking environment.

3. It will allow you to develop personally.

Working and living abroad can be stressful, difficult and challenging; you won’t always be happy and things won’t always go smoothly. But most students return from the experience stronger and more self-assured.

What will a foreign company expect from me?
What a foreign company expects from you can vary, but you should be aware that the expectations are very high. Foreign students cost a lot of money and are expected to work hard for the employing company. If you think that this is a cheap way to visit a foreign country, think again.

When should I start looking for a practical placement?
Finding a practical placement can take a great deal of time. Even after you have found a placement, there are various administrative details that you and the company in which you have obtained a placement must organise. The more time you have for each stage of the process, the better your chances of success. 

Start writing to companies one year before the practical semester is due to start.

How do I find a practical placement in a foreign company?

There are several different methods:

A. Contact the Coordinator at your school, usually in the Akademisches Auslandsamt. 

B. Contact your Department and professors
Do this after you contact your school coordinator.  Many Departments and professors have developed good contacts with foreign companies or with educational institutions that can pass on applications. Don't be shy! 

C.  Use friends and relatives living abroad to get addresses of firms you can write to
Known in Germany as "Vitamin B," the use of personal contacts can be a very good method of finding a practical placement. In English it's called "networking".

D. Ask students from higher semesters for their help
Students who have already been abroad can often provide useful information and the addresses of companies that may be prepared to offer a practical placement.

E. Write to large German companies which operate in foreign countries.
Often large German companies are able to provide the addresses of their factories and offices in other countries. Some companies actually provide information packs telling students what criteria they are required to meet when applying to foreign subsidiaries.

F. Find a company address, and then apply directly to the company.

Where can I find addresses of companies abroad?

A. Use the Internet to find addresses of potential employers.
(See attached Internet addresses)

B. Use databases which list the addresses of companies and Chambers of Commerce.
They are available in many public libraries. (See attached Address list for the UK)

C. Examine the trade press for possible addresses.
 Libraries in subscribe to hundreds of specialist magazines; find the ones that cover your area of study and look for company addresses.

D. Go on holiday to the country in which you want to work; pack a suit and actually visit companies that you would be interested in working for.

I have found addresses for several companies. What do I do now?
Having found addresses of potential placements, you will need to write an application letter and a CV or resume . Before you start, read what is written below.

Factors to consider when writing to a company

1. The first and most important factor to remember is that you must sell yourself in terms of how you could help the company.
The wrong approach is to talk about what a period of working abroad could do for you, how a company can help you realise your goals and what areas the company is required to employ you in.

Remember, a company is interested only in what you can do for it. For most foreign companies, employing a foreign student for a period of six months involves a great deal of work and often costs a great deal of money. If a company is going to do this for you, it needs a better reason than the fact that you would like to improve your language skills, or that a practical semester is a required part of your course and you would like to do it abroad.

You need to persuade the company that you can provide it with value for its money, that you can do high-quality, company-oriented work, that by helping you, a company will be helping itself.

2. In foreign countries, the German system either does not exist or operates in a very different form.
In Germany the system of practical semesters is understood by German companies; they know what your needs are and what you can do. When communicating with companies in foreign companies, remember that what is obvious to you and others around you is not necessarily obvious to them. Take the time to explain just what high quality skills you have and what a "practical semester" and a Fachhochschule actually are.

Assume your reader doesn't know anything about Germany and the German system!

3. Be flexible.
Of course you would like to work in a particular department and during a period that fits in with the normal timetable for a practical semester, but is this what a company wants? Do not limit your options at an early stage by insisting upon certain dates for the start and finish of the practical semester or the need to work in a particular department. This just makes it more difficult for a company to employ you. Often these things can be negotiated at a later stage.

4. Write individual applications to individual companies
Avoid using exactly the same letter for every company to which you write. This isn't as much work as it sounds, and the chances of success are much higher. Find out what the company does, refer to it when writing, or perhaps suggest potential projects in connection with known company products.

Try to find out who the Personnel (Human Resources) Manager is, or the name of a manager in the field you want to work in, and put his/her name on the letter. A letter with the name of a company employee on it has a much better chance of being answered than one with "Dear Sir or Madam." Much of this information can be obtained simply by phoning the company. The argument that this approach is too expensive or too time consuming is no argument; if this is too much work for you, then you don't have the right attitude.

Finding a company can be very difficult. It is time consuming and can often mean spending money on postage, faxes and phone calls. The information is available, but it is up to you to find and act upon it. Remember that you want a company to give you a practical placement, and give the company reasons why it should.

 

The Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume

 

CV/resume principles

 

When preparing a CV or resume follow several general principles:

1. Keep it clear, neat, and tidy.
It should be the best standard you can reach in layout and content.

 

2. Keep it short.

Try to get everything on one A4 page of if possible, no more than two.

 

3. Be factual.

 

4. Be positive.
Highlight what you can do: your achievements, strengths, and experience. Use positive language and expressions (see language of CV's).

 

5. Use conventional format.

=> Size A4 paper and envelope

=> Length One or, at most, two pages

=> Colour paper: good quality,  white paper: high quality

=> Laser or inkjet printer, not dot-matrix.

The content of a CV or resume
Content is one area in which the British CV and the American resume differ. The difference is in the area of bona fide occupational qualifications.

1.Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications (BFOQs)
A BFOQ is any reasonable requirement that a job applicant must meet to qualify for a job. It can include education, work experience, qualifications obtained and other matters related to your ability to do the job you are applying for. Participation in sports or organisational activities can be included because these show you are active socially and get along well with other people.

Resumes for the American market should focus on these elements, since US companies give extracurricular activities quite a bit of attention.

In some English-speaking countries, e.g. the US, an employer cannot legally discriminate on the basis of sex, religion, colour, age, national origin, physical features or marital status. Therefore, you aren't required to provide this information or a photograph.

If you believe that any of this information could advance your prospects of getting a practical placement, then you could include it, though direct mentions of religious affiliation or race could cause you problems in an American application. 

2. Should you include a photograph? (Please remember that this information relates to "practical placement" - an internship - and not to "real" jobs. You should NEVER include a photo for an American job application.)

There are three advantages of using a photo.

a. It is an unobtrusive way of indicating your race and sex. It can reduce possible prejudice if you have a strongly "ethnic" name but look "melting-pot American."

 

b. The company can use the photo for visa applications.

 

c. It takes up space, and thus is a way to make your CV or resume appear bigger if you don't have enough space to fill up the page.

 

Even if you want to use a photo to achieve one of these three goals, use one only if the picture makes you look intelligent as well as attractive.

 

3. For most people, the disadvantages of using a photo outweigh the advantages.

 

a. Research shows that attractive-looking women are perceived to be less qualified then plainer women or men with the same credentials.

 

b. The interviewer may be subconsciously disappointed when you don't look like your picture (few people do).

 

c. Most people seem more attractive in person then they appear in a still photograph, and unattractive people - of either sex - are likely to be judged negatively.

 

4. Though there are differences, in general the content of your CV/resume should conform to the following:

a. For all applications
=> name in full; use as your document title
=> contact details address, telephone number, etc. (first thing on document)
=> work experience last job first, emphasise achievements
=> academic record schools, higher education, other qualifications
=> languages say how good you are and don’t be too modest
=>interests: one or two lines

b. For non-US applications
=> photo optional (see above)
=> age; include your date of birth 
=> nationality (but mention it in your letter)
=> marital status

In general your aim is to produce a document which will motivate a busy reader to consider your application seriously, rather throwing it away. Do not include anything negative that may cause the reader to stop and wonder.

The most common way of describing your work experience is the reverse chronological format. This describes your work background in reverse chronological order, listing all your employers, dates of employment, key responsibilities and achievements. Here you should aim to highlight those aspects of your previous jobs most relevant to the practical placement you are seeking.

You should use "action verbs" to describe what you do / did in your work. Here is a brief list of some typical action verbs:

CV/resume writing is a long, detailed, difficult task requiring considerable time and effort. Expect to rewrite your CV/resume several times. Do not use technical jargon, abbreviations, or acronyms.

Explanation of terms

There are differences between the US and Britain in the names for certain things.

Other English-speaking countries with strong links to the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are more likely to follow the British pattern; Canada will follow the US pattern.

GPA

Remember that the grading system in the US is different: a 4.0 is the best grade, a 1.0 is the lowest passing grade. To avoid confusion, put the equivalent word following the grade, as in "GPA 1.5 (Very Good)". You should also remember that with numbers the comma and period (full stop) are reversed from what they are in Germany: German 2,0 = US 2.0.

 

Below you will find examples of a CV/resume that you could use as models.

Other information
One major difference between the English-speaking world and Germany is that you should not include copies of your certificates of experience (Arbeitszeugnisse) when you send your application to the UK, US, or other English-speaking countries. You have to integrate the information about what you did from your certificates into your CV.

In English-speaking countries you are expected to provide addresses of referees, but not necessarily in your CV. This information is often requested at the interview. If you're seriously being considered for the position, the company will probably write or phone these people and ask them for their opinion of you.

Companies in English-speaking countries do not expect people to write the truth about you when you get to see what they have written. For this reason, don’t include references with your application. Similarly, if you say you have a degree, the reader will accept that.

Remember: You should not include copies of any certificates or degrees you have.

The Job Application Letter

The job application letter, also known as the cover letter is sent with your CV/resume.

Job letter principles
All the letters you write to a potential employer should follow certain guidelines.

1. Use high-quality paper.

2. Make sure your spelling and punctuation are correct.
For spelling you can use the English dictionary supplied with MS-Word.

3. Word-process each letter individually.

4. Whenever possible, address the letter to a specific person.
You should try to find not only the name of the person, but his or her job title. Phone the company and find out who is presently in the position, either personnel manager or department head, and double check the spelling of his or her name.

5. Personally sign the letter.

Job letters (Cover letter)
A relatively short letter should accompany your CV/resume.Its purpose is to introduce you to the employer and to get them interested in you. Hopefully, your attached CV/resume will then be reviewed carefully.

If possible your cover letter should refer to an area work, or a particular job that you are interested in. Indicate in the letter that a CV/resume is attached. A well-written job letter will also achieve the following:

a. Direct your CV/resume to a specific position in the company

b. Highlight skills that are going to benefit the company

c. Say why you think that this job would interest you

d. Link your skills and experience to that company’s likely job requirements

Job letter outline
There is more than one way to write a job application letter. The structure outlined on the following page is the one most commonly used; it is also used in the two sample letters which follow

On the following two pages are two possible versions of a job letter. The first is for US companies, the second to British firms, but of course you can modify them for either country.

The second is perhaps better if you have relevant work experience or know more about the company than its name and address.

The third page has a "fill-in-the-empty-space" letter. You can use this format to prepare your own job letter using the suggestions and alternatives as appropriate.

You should not write your own letter without having studied the following examples. Why? Writing formal English letters is much more difficult than you think. Most students who try and write their own letter tend to end up with a less impressive piece of work.

SAMPLE JOB APPLICATION FOR THE US

SAMPLE JOB APPLICATION FOR THE UK

Beginning and ending a letter

Use the following rules for beginning and ending a letter.
=> In the US: Dear Mr. Smith, Dear Ms. Smith

 Do not use the form Mrs. unless the person has indicated she prefers it.
=> Dear Dr. Smith, Dear Prof. Smith, Dear Sir or Madam, 

Do not combine Mr/Ms/Dr/Prof, as is done in Germany.

=> So not Prof. Dr. Smith
Also, do not use Dr. rer. Nat. XXX, just Dr. XXX

 

End your letter with:

=> "Sincerely yours," "Yours sincerely," or just "Sincerely,".

 

In the UK, the salutations are exactly the same as in the US, but the letter endings are different.

=> End your letter with:

"Yours sincerely" if you used Dear Mr./Ms. Smith

"Yours faithfully" if you used Dear Sir or Madam

Former URL: http://www.home.fh-karlsruhe.de/~roin0001/ifs/bewerbung/bewerb_en.htm

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