Job Application

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Table of Contents

First Writing Assignment – Job Application Cover Letter and Resume

  • Your cover letter along with your resume will help me in assigning company responsibilities. Other direct input for assigning work is welcome.
  • One page limit.
  • How to write your Cover Letter and Resume
    • Resume Format – Write your cover letter in paragraph form as shown in the second figure here. Please do not provide a “functional” cover letter (first example shown).
    • Your Cover Letter should tell a story!
    • Here are some tips on what Beckman Coulter (Biomedical Engineering) and Google are looking for in your Cover Letter and Resume.
    • Finally, some sample EE400D Cover Letter.
  • How to Send Me Your Cover Letter and Resume:
    • Your cover letter and resume should be in a single PDF document. The name of the document should be your name Joe Smith.pdf.
    • Place your Cover Letter with Resume in Beachboard Dropbox.

Job Application Cover Letter

In your job application cover letter please answer the following questions.

  1. Before you begin be sure you have read our company Job Descriptions. Read our company’s Blog Posts to learn more about each project.
  2. What Position(s) are you applying for? Start your cover letter with a short sentence that allows our recruiting department to send your cover letter and resume to the correct engineering department(s) for review and consideration.
  3. Introductory Paragraph(s):
  • Next, introduce yourself by starting with the reason (e.g. motivation, goals) you chose electrical engineering.[1]
  • Describe some significant engineering experience[2] and any access[3] you may have to resources which match the background requirements on the job posting.
  • When describing your engineering experience, include any projects you have built.

4. EE400D Unique Career Path

  • How many units are you taking this semester, including 400D? Do you have a job/internship and if yes, how many hours per week do you work?
  • What career track would you like to be placed on? – Line (People) Management, Project Management, Technical Excellence
  • If you had a choice, what project would you like to be assigned?
  • Although the following material is optional, you may want to include it in order to help us place you within the company.
    1. What technical/project skills would you like to learn?
    2. What fellow students would you like to work with? Optional

[1] If you are not sure where to start see Appendix A     Why Do Students Choose Engineering?

[2] If you do not have any work experience you may include relevant classes.

[3] For example, talent or machines you have access to on campus (e.g., mechanical engineering machine shop, on campus projects, organization like the IEEE, SWE, etc.), at work or home.

Cover Letter Rubric

  • Did you follow instructions? For example, did you format and name the document correctly. Is there only one document.
  • Strength of the cover letter.
    1. Glowing platitudes without backup are worse than nothing.
    2. Your resume is useless if I never read it.
    3. Grading is harder than normal to better reflect the real world.
    4. Rule of Thumb… D to C = skip cover letter, B = read resume,
      A = job offer w/o even reading resume
  • Did you address points in assignment? In are a few questions to ask yourself before you turn in your assignment.
    1. Did you indicate your career path and project(s) you are interested in working on.
    2. Did apply for a division with a project option. Did you get the Name of divisions correct?
    3. Did you define your school and outside workload?
  • English Proficiency

Resume

  1. Create a resume that specifically applies your coursework and/or experience toward the position you are applying for at our company.
  2. Personalize your resume to the company with a few introductory sentences. Think of your cover letter crystallized into two or three sentences. The company should come away with the idea that this is your dream job and they would be crazy not to hire you.
  3. One page limit.
  4. Please see Chapter 3 of Finkelstein on ‘Technical Definitions’ and Chapter 18
  5. For help, try Resume Builder templates

Appendix A: Why Do Students Choose Engineering?

  1. Source: Stiquito An Inexpensive Robot by James M. Conrad, North Carolina State University
    • Career counselor suggested, based on correct (or incorrect) perceptions of the field.
    • A teacher suggested, because the student was good at math and science. (Note: teachers also discourage based on this and perception).
    • Second hand knowledge, like from a neighbor, relative, friend, books, newspapers, magazines.
    • Direct exposure with the field through work, workshops, class assignments.

    Students rarely have direct exposure to engineering.

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