Many students will find a point in time when they are asked to submit any permutation of the following:
- Curriculum Vitae
- Cover Letter
- Letters of Recommendation/Testimonials
- Resumes (If applying for a job)
This means that it is to your benefit to begin preparing these materials as early as possible, even if you don't foresee yourself using them in the immediate future. I shan't talk about Letters of Recommendation or Testimonials, since they've already been covered extensively.
Curriculum Vitae and Resumes
For the Y1/2s I recommend starting your CV as a simple document listing all your achievements. Do not be over-reliant on the eSpace student-development transcript to log all your activities and achievements, for it is not infallible and can occasionally omit or misprint certain information. Doing so also gets you into the habit of recording what events have transgressed (As a Y6 I have to think really hard to remember some things that happened in Y1/2) and remove the need for a last-minute rush in future. For Y3/4s, this is the time when you will begin applying for some scholarships and awards, e.g. the YDSP Scholarship. While such organizations, aware that you are only in Sec 3/4 or equivalent, will not demand a CV, I find that attaching a CV as supporting material for your application can demonstrate your maturity and highlight what you want the interviewers to see. For Y5/6s, you will need your CV either as a supporting document or as a reference when filling up the multitude of university and scholarship applications.
It is important to note that a CV and Resume are often used interchangeably for students, but there can be differences in the working world. As it's name suggests a CV includes some or part of one's educational background, and in the United States or Canada a CV in academic circles tends to be very comprehensive, with long lists of journals published, papers delivered and conferences attended. A Resume on the other hand is normally a one to two page document that succintly states your experience vis a vis whatever you are applying for. However, as students we needn't worry that much - a good, well-formatted document highlighting key achievements and your grades can put you in good stead. I'll henceforth refer to both as a CV because it's shorter to type.
People have differing opinions on what exactly should go inside a CV and how it should look like. Some people like to design theirs to look unique and present their information in a radically different manner; others prefer formal text, formal wording and a formal look. I say, decide on what kind of image you want to portray. If you are submitting your CV to a creative design firm or to an advertisement and branding company, let the creative juices flow. If you are submitting your CV to PSC or to A*STAR, play it safe and stick with the formal mumbo jumbo. Nevertheless, a good CV should include the following:
The cover letter is not a handwritten drawl to your old Uncle Jim, nor is it an outright, desperate imploration for the organization to accept you. It's a form of introduction and a chance for the interviewers to see a couple of written sentences from you. Think of it as the equivalent of walking into a recruitment office and telling the receptionist "I'm here to apply for XYZ job. I saw your advert in the papers, and I think I'm the guy you need. It would be great if you could schedule an interview for me". Since cover letters accompany mailed applications, it serves exactly this purpose.
NUSHS students will most probably encounter the need to submit a cover letter if they are applying for the IBN YRP Programme or related A*STAR programmes. I'm not sure if subsequent arrangements will eliminate the need for the submission of a cover letter, but knowing how to write one is good general knowledge. Here's a sample of what I submitted when applying for the IBN YRP:
Curriculum Vitae and Resumes
For the Y1/2s I recommend starting your CV as a simple document listing all your achievements. Do not be over-reliant on the eSpace student-development transcript to log all your activities and achievements, for it is not infallible and can occasionally omit or misprint certain information. Doing so also gets you into the habit of recording what events have transgressed (As a Y6 I have to think really hard to remember some things that happened in Y1/2) and remove the need for a last-minute rush in future. For Y3/4s, this is the time when you will begin applying for some scholarships and awards, e.g. the YDSP Scholarship. While such organizations, aware that you are only in Sec 3/4 or equivalent, will not demand a CV, I find that attaching a CV as supporting material for your application can demonstrate your maturity and highlight what you want the interviewers to see. For Y5/6s, you will need your CV either as a supporting document or as a reference when filling up the multitude of university and scholarship applications.
It is important to note that a CV and Resume are often used interchangeably for students, but there can be differences in the working world. As it's name suggests a CV includes some or part of one's educational background, and in the United States or Canada a CV in academic circles tends to be very comprehensive, with long lists of journals published, papers delivered and conferences attended. A Resume on the other hand is normally a one to two page document that succintly states your experience vis a vis whatever you are applying for. However, as students we needn't worry that much - a good, well-formatted document highlighting key achievements and your grades can put you in good stead. I'll henceforth refer to both as a CV because it's shorter to type.
People have differing opinions on what exactly should go inside a CV and how it should look like. Some people like to design theirs to look unique and present their information in a radically different manner; others prefer formal text, formal wording and a formal look. I say, decide on what kind of image you want to portray. If you are submitting your CV to a creative design firm or to an advertisement and branding company, let the creative juices flow. If you are submitting your CV to PSC or to A*STAR, play it safe and stick with the formal mumbo jumbo. Nevertheless, a good CV should include the following:
- Your particulars and contact details. Attaching a picture is de-rigeur and often requested as part of the application
- Your educational background. From what year to what year did you attend XYZ school? With what honours did you graduate? This is a good place to subtly hint at how you compare with the rest of the cohort if you did well
- Your awards and achievements. Self explanatory. Olympiads, gold medals and things like that are the order of the day. Leave Certificates of Participation out unless they are to recognize participating in prestigious events for which there is no competitive element.
- Your external/work experiences. If you've organized a key CIP event which you feel is important, it goes here. If you've interned at an organization over your holidays, it also goes here. If you've worked for a company or been recognized by a company, it goes here.
- Your research work or key area. This is where you "tailor" your CV to match whatever you are applying to. Since research is a key element of NUSHS education it becomes one of our strong advertising points. Throw publications, reviews, organizations with which you have conducted research and the likes in here.
- Referees. I keep this as an optional section. Occasionally (job) nterviewers or admission panels will appreciate a list of people whom they can contact should they require verbal testimonial or purely wish to know more about you. I state the name, affiliation and designation of the person and where their contact details are supposed to appear I will write "Available on Request". This lets people know that I have referees and I am willing to provide them should he who wants them want them. Sometimes this area can be used to drop names, and in fact the mention of a reputable name or two can work wonders for you if you have them
The cover letter is not a handwritten drawl to your old Uncle Jim, nor is it an outright, desperate imploration for the organization to accept you. It's a form of introduction and a chance for the interviewers to see a couple of written sentences from you. Think of it as the equivalent of walking into a recruitment office and telling the receptionist "I'm here to apply for XYZ job. I saw your advert in the papers, and I think I'm the guy you need. It would be great if you could schedule an interview for me". Since cover letters accompany mailed applications, it serves exactly this purpose.
NUSHS students will most probably encounter the need to submit a cover letter if they are applying for the IBN YRP Programme or related A*STAR programmes. I'm not sure if subsequent arrangements will eliminate the need for the submission of a cover letter, but knowing how to write one is good general knowledge. Here's a sample of what I submitted when applying for the IBN YRP:
It's not the most impressive cover letter that can be written, but this will give you an idea.
Lim Mingjie Kenneth
NUS High School of Math and Science
Year 4
January 1, 2008
YRP Coordinator
Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
31 Biopolis Way
The Nanos #04-01
Singapore 138669
Dear Sir/Mdm:
I would like to apply for your Youth Research Programme from 21 May 2008 to 21 June 2008. The information and samples provided on your YRP Internet Portal caught my eye, and have been most helpful in allowing me to gain a better understanding of the programme. My school (NUS High School of Math and Science) has also recommended your programme as an immersive research opportunity. Please accept this letter and my enclosed curriculum vitae as my application for the Youth Research Programme.
I am a Year 4 (Secondary 4/IP2 equivalent) student studying at the NUS High School of Math and Science and have participated in research projects of various disciplines for the past three years. In my application form I indicated that I would be most interested in the Biological and Biomedical Imaging sector of IBN research. My enclosed curriculum vitae contains evidence of my work. In addition, I am able to observe and analyze things from different perspectives and my previous mentors have described me as being systematic in my problem solving approaches.
The prospect of undertaking the YRP is both challenging and stimulating for me. I am available for an interview at your convenience to review my interests and discuss research opportunities under your programme. You may contact me at or email me at .
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours Sincerely,
Lim Mingjie Kenneth
No comments:
Post a Comment