Motivational essay for admission to the Lyceum example. Learning to write a motivation letter. What does it carry in itself

In the fight for a good internship, the brave wins - the one who addresses the company and says: “Here I am, a promising specialist who can do this, and this, and this. I want to work for you, I can do this and that. For me it is a valuable experience, for you - a fresh look at things, ideas, knowledge and a responsible, inquisitive employee for the agreed period. "

To contact the employer, you need motivation letter.

An example of a motivation letter for an intern

Specialty - translator. Desired internship - at a translation agency. The letter is addressed to the director.

“Good afternoon, dear Elena Vasilievna!

My name is Stas Narizhny, I am a student of Tverskoy state university, specialty "Philology", 5th year (full-time department).

I would like to offer myself as an intern. Languages: English, German.

Translation is my calling. I have studied with enthusiasm for 4.5 years, and I am going to graduate with honors. I always dreamed of becoming a good translator to help representatives different countries and cultures to communicate qualitatively, exchange experiences, find compromises in solving important issues.

One of my strengths is simultaneous translation. Five months ago, as an intern, I worked as an interpreter at the international conference “Financial aspects business activities". I consider this experience successful: I translated the speeches of two speakers and took part in the work round table (12 participants). I am enclosing the opinion of the conference organizer about my work (attachment).

I am aiming at an internship at the translation agency "From A to Z" for 2 reasons:

1. In the professional community of translators, your agency is considered the best - in terms of staffing, quality of work.
2. It will be a great plus and honor for me to work side by side with experts - to learn from practical experience, to see the difficulties and solutions.

In exchange for experience, I offer:

• Your knowledge of two languages,
• Knowledge of translation theory,
• The experience gained at the university, during practice, and outside the universities is minimal, but allows you to successfully complete typical tasks: promptly, competently, responsibly,
• Personal qualities that I use in my work: the ability to easily find a common language with colleagues, build team relationships with mutual responsibility and mutual assistance, respect for the client as a person, the ability to communicate constructively with management in terms of "you need a result - this is the result."

I am ready to work remotely for a month (from 02/01/18 to 04/01/18), devoting at least 4 hours a day to work. If necessary, I will be happy to come to the office once a week, at a time convenient for the internship manager. I promise the level of responsibility is the same as if I were a full-time employee.

I will be glad to receive a reward for the work done, if you deem it necessary to entrust me real tasks... On the other hand, I am ready to work in exchange for experience and your recommendations based on the results of my work.

I would be glad if you find an opportunity to answer me by e-mail [email protected] or by phone. [telephone].

Given the importance this issue, I will take the liberty and call your secretary on Monday, 3.03. 18, after 14.00, to learn about the results of my proposal.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Respectfully yours, Stanislav Narizhny. "

Motivation letter structure

1. Who am I. What is my name, where do I study: university, specialty, form of study, course.
2. "I want to get an internship."
3. Why I want to get a job here.
4. What can I give to the company / project (what I can do, what tasks I can solve, what benefit I can bring).
5. When I plan an internship, how long would it be. As I imagine it organizationally (relevant for a full-time student who cannot sit in the office for a day in a row, because someday you need to study).
6. Recommendations, if any.
7. Expression of gratitude for your attention.
8. Please answer by mail or call (contact phone number attached).
9. Remark: “I'll call you Monday afternoon if you don't mind. If you are busy on Monday afternoon, please let me know when I can find out about the results of my question. "
10. A polite goodbye.
11. Signature (surname, name).

The process of finding an internship in stages

1) Making a list of companies

First, we think about where it would be nice to work as an intern. Someone needs a prestigious company so that a line with its mention on a resume shines like a star in the night and attracts the attention of employers. For some, a narrow specialization is more useful (for example, accounting in the business of selling spare parts and tires).

Determining what skills are needed and compiling a list of companies. It is better to immediately draw up the data in the form of a table: company name, website, general e-mail (which is indicated on the website in the "Contacts" section, e-mail of the personnel department, e-mail of the head of the department of interest). And a few more columns to mark where and when emails were sent - to track the result.

By the way, you can search for coordinates not only of the company as a whole or of a separate subdivision. What if you get creative and look for the head of your business unit on LinkedIn? The manager will be impressed when he receives, "in person", a message from a competent young specialistwho knows how to search for information, is able to communicate constructively to achieve the set goals.

2) Writing a motivation letter template

This will be an approximate text. It will contain a common part - which can be copied from the template to the letters, changing only slightly or not at all. And there will be a variable part - which needs to be written taking into account the specifics of the company and its goals.

3) Create a quality resume

High-quality means that it fully corresponds to the status of a professional. No experience? This does not mean that the text should be uninformative, careless, formulaic. You will have to do the work manually and carefully write in your resume:

• skills,
• any practical experience: professional, volunteer, public,
• achievements - everything that is, obtained in the professional and public field (Olympiads, grants, certificates, diplomas, etc.),
• personal qualities that may interest the employer.

4) We send employers a resume and a motivation letter

The text of the letter can be written in the "body" of the e-mail, and the resume can be attached.

5) Mark the sent letters in the table

This is useful in order not to contact the same company twice (three times), in the same section. Persistence is a useful quality until it becomes obsessive.

6) We are interested in whether the letter has been received

If you have a contact phone number, we use this: do not hesitate, call and politely clarify whether the addressee received the letter. You only need to do this once.

A separate question - is it worth looking for an unpaid internship or expect to get paid? Of course, if there is an opportunity to receive a reward for the work done, you should not refuse it. On the other hand, it is easier to get an unpaid internship. Consider that your investment of time and effort is an investment in the future. professional Development, career. If you are offered to work for a job in a large, prestigious company without payment, it makes sense to agree, because one mention of this company in your resume can significantly increase the number of offers from employers when you enter the labor market for real.

Image copyright Dmitry Romanovsky Image caption Scholarship sponsors most often want to see more than just materialistic interests

About this blog:

Dmitry Romanovsky is a master's student at the University of Glasgow.

A former reporter for the BBC Russian Service in Moldova and Transnistria.

His blog is about student life and opportunities for free study in Europe.

“I want to study at your university, because it is the most advanced in Germany. Without the knowledge that I will get at your university, I will never become an outstanding professional in my field and work internationally, as I have always dreamed of. Moldova is stuck deep in the past and I will not be able to get the necessary training here ... "

"I, I, I", "me", "for me", "please, please take me", "everything is so bad in Moldova." My first motivation letter was written in approximately this tone. Rereading it today, I am not surprised that I did not receive a study grant then. Why, now I would not choose myself.

But they learn from mistakes. And I gladly talk about mine. In the last post, I shared my experience of writing a resume when preparing an application for student grants to study abroad (in my case, a master's degree). Today the post will be about a motivation letter - the most, in my opinion, the controversial part of the application.

Cherished dream

So what were the main drawbacks of my first motivation letter? First, the motivation itself. Undoubtedly, this is a story about me, my ambitions and plans. But scholarship sponsors most often want to see something more than just materialistic interests (which, by the way, are practically the same for everyone).

The other side of the coin may be excessive modesty, which, in my opinion, is characteristic of our post-Soviet mentality.

In addition, most foundations have their own agenda, which they explicitly state. For example, the Fund " Open society"provides scholarships" to individuals who are eager to improve their knowledge and abilities to promote positive social change at home ".

Therefore, later, when writing motivation letters, I was guided by a quote from an old Soviet film about brave pioneers: "Every person, Vasek, should have a dream. A cherished dream." It was based on her that I built my letter, revealed the vision and enumerated the experience.

A truly big dream / goal, it seems to me, cannot be individual. It should be socially significant and aimed at improving the well-being of society. In Moldova, and throughout the post-Soviet space, the list of such tasks is quite long. There are plenty to choose from.

For example, in the field of humanities, the following areas can be distinguished: human rights and various minorities, information transparency and "health improvement" government controlled, freedom of the media, anti-pollution environment etc.

About negativity and shyness

Image copyright Dmitry Romanovsky Image caption Sometimes it is worth checking how your interpretation matches the opinion of others.

Another serious mistake of my first motivation letter (and several subsequent ones), I would call excessive negativism and the formation of the image of the victim. One of the members of the selection committee drew my attention to this shortcoming after an interview in the framework of the competition for a scholarship.

I remember then I was asked to assess the local media based on my own work experience. And I "burst". There was a sincere personal resentment, and disappointment, and anger, and contempt - everything is as frank as possible. But such frankness played against me.

“By reproaching other people or circumstances, you will not evoke empathy or respect. It will rather speak of your immaturity, inability to accept responsibility and conflict,” said the elderly professor.

The other side of the coin may be excessive modesty, which, in my opinion, is characteristic of our post-Soviet mentality. I was very surprised while reading the motivation letter of a friend from Ukraine. There was a feeling that it was not a talented and purposeful girl who was writing it (which she objectively is), but some kind of "gray mouse".

At first I thought that she simply did not realize her merits. But, as it turned out, it was just a habit of being shy, which no one would have appreciated reading her letter.

“Well, it’s somehow inconvenient to praise yourself so directly. They will also think that I’m bragging,” she said.

Any experience can be helpful

Image copyright Dmitry Romanovsky Image caption Personal experience or hobbies can help unleash motivation.

"I don't know what to write about", "I have nothing to tell about", "everything I did is inappropriate for this program", "there is nothing special about me :(". I have heard similar phrases more than once from my friends, I used to say them myself.Yes, starting a motivation letter, you often feel lost and unsure of yourself.

But, first of all, you already have a resume ready, and all past experience is orderly lined up in front of your eyes. This should help in structuring the letter. Second, any experience can be relevant if presented correctly. For example, my friend Vera has been doing ballet all her life. It would seem, what does this have to do with a study scholarship?

"The most direct! Achievements in any kind of sport (in this case, at the intersection of sports and art) can say a lot about personal qualities. Purposefulness, experience of overcoming difficulties, will to win, constancy and perseverance in achieving goals - all these are qualities of a leader that develops sports. And it is the future leaders that donors want to support, "Vera told me.

One of the main requirements was to orientate the motivation letter to the future. The answer to the question, what am I striving for and how do I see myself in 10 years? This problem statement helped me a lot in forming my global goal and vision.

Information about serious hobbies, life abroad, social activity (even one that you did not attach much importance to), overcoming personal difficulties (for example, related to health or social status) can also be useful.

In addition, personal experiences or hobbies can help you unleash motivation more fully. For example, one of my acquaintances in a motivation letter for the master's program "History of Russia and Eastern Europe" wrote that his interest in this topic began with collecting Soviet badges (he had, it should be noted, not a small collection).

I, in turn, for a long time was interested in migration processes and applied for relevant master's programs. When I was 16, my parents emigrated to Portugal (like many Moldovans at the time) in search of work. Therefore, the desire to study this problem was very personal, and rooted in my youth.

A look into the future

A very helpful approach, which I still use today, was discovered by me in the Westminster Motivation Letter Writing Guide, which by the way provides its own scholarships every year.

One of the main requirements was to orientate the motivation letter to the future. The answer to the question, what am I striving for and how do I see myself in 10 years? This problem statement helped me a lot in shaping my global goal and vision.

With regard to past experience, the University of Westminster leadership recommended mentioning only concrete achievements, that is, completed processes that can be evaluated, and only in the context of how they will help in achieving a future goal.

In the case of the scholarship I received, this approach reflected the expectations of the admissions committee. According to the head of my Glasgow program, for the motivation letters of candidates for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, the main criteria are "compactness [capacity] and availability concrete examplesconfirming the assessments and judgments [about yourself] ".

To apply for admission to any Russian university, it is enough to graduate from high school, submit required package documents and pass entrance exams. It is according to their results that the admission commission assesses the degree of the applicant's preparation and determines the level of his social skills. The situation is much more complicated.

In addition to providing a certificate and confirmation of the level of language proficiency (certificate,), the prospective student must provide a letter of motivation in English.

The letter of motivation for studying abroad is mandatory document, according to which the entrance commission of a foreign university evaluates personal and professional quality of the applicant, as well as the level of his theoretical training in 2019. In addition, it explains to the greatest extent the choice of a specific specialty and the desire to study it.

For applicants who have successfully passed the test and scored the maximum score on it, writing such a sheet is a formality, since they are already very likely to enter the university.

An example of writing a motivational essay

However, for people who are missing a few points, it can be a real salvation and guarantee getting into the university. In the case when a student wants to change his specialty, or for admission to a master's program, it also plays an important role, since it explains the reason for such a decision.

The motivation sheet for admission to the university is written in any form in the first person or in the form of a short interview. The dialogue format involves the preparation of 10-15 questions and consecutive answers to them. Despite the arbitrary nature of the writing, the letter is an official document to which certain requirements are put forward.

As a rule, they do not relate to the design of the letter, but relate to its content. The motivation letter for must contain the following information about the applicant:

• some facts from the biography;
• explanation of interest in the chosen specialty;
• explanation of interest in a specific university;
• a description of plans for the future;
• direct appeal to representatives of the educational institution.

A ready-made letter must meet all these criteria. There is no need to provide dry or unnecessarily detailed data about yourself. All information should be exclusively on the essence of the issue and touch on only one single topic - a reasonable desire to enter a specific university. At the same time, its content should attract attention and arouse the desire to read the entire letter to the very end.

The average length of a finished essay or dialogue is 500-800 words, but can be exceeded up to 1200-1300 words.

Drawing up a motivational sheet: introductory remarks and biographical information

Drawing up a motivation sheet itself is a fairly simple task. Anyone can write it, and the process itself will not be difficult. However, not all of these creations are read by teachers to at least half. The letter should not only motivate the members of the commission to read it, but also meet specific requirements.

It is very important that it is not offensive or familiar and easy to understand.

The first part of a letter to study at a foreign university should not only contain most of the important information, but also be interesting to read. The story should start with biographical notes. At the same time, it is necessary to provide them in such a way that they fully reflect and explain the desire to study in a specific specialty. In addition, the beginning of the letter for admission to the magistracy must be written sincerely and from the heart, based on personal experience of a person and his worldview.

Personal story is not an obligatory part of the narration, since sometimes basic biographical data such as name, place of birth and basic education are enough. If there was training in language courses, then this fact should also be indicated, as well as the result obtained at the end of them.

However, having a life story that changed your life dramatically increases the chances of a letter being read in full. It fuels general interest in the story and encourages further exploration. A good example there will be a description of family traditions, like the following:

My name is Petr Yakimov, I am a native of the city of Tula. This is not to say that since childhood I dreamed of building residential buildings, and I did not like playing with cubes. However, when, at the age of 13, my father and I began to build a garage, I could not imagine what it would develop into. I was so carried away by the decorative finishing of all walls and ceilings that once and for all I decided to become an architect.

This introduction is a good example the beginning of the letter, since it contains all the necessary information about the applicant and pushes to further acquaintance with him.

How to write a motivation letter, see the video.

The structure and content of the main part of the motivation sheet

The emergence of interest in a particular specialization is good, but it is necessary to explain why the choice fell on this institution. For example, a similar opus might look like this:

My grandfather fought with Germany in World War II, and my father served in the GDR. On this basis, various strife arose in the family more than once. Therefore, as a child, I decided for myself that I would never go to this country. However, having reached the age of 15, I realized that today's Germany is significantly different from the previous one and is an advanced state in the field of education. Only here I will be able to fully realize myself and learn all the subtleties of architectural and engineering art.

After explaining the interest in the university, it is necessary to describe your further plans in order to emphasize the appropriateness. A sample of this part of the essay might look like this:

Study plays an important role in my life. However, self-realization and application of the information received is a much more significant aspect for me. I understand very well that theoretical knowledge is nothing without practical experience. Therefore, in the future I plan to continue working on self-improvement of construction skills and want to get a job in one of the leading German design agencies.

The final part of the motivating letter is an appeal to the selection committee and the institute as a whole. In this part of the letter, it is best to do without loud words and flattery, but simply express in a few words the truth about the attitude towards a particular university and citizens of a foreign state in general. In most cases, 1-3 sentences are completely enough for the successful completion of a motivation letter for admission to study or getting into a magistracy.

Motivation letter (Statement of Purpose, Personal Statement) is a 1-1.5 page essay. In it, you need to explain the choice of a university and an academic program, talk about your academic interests, experience, achievements and goals.

There are two types of motivation letter formats:

• Unstructured essay. The candidate is given the opportunity to present himself in a free form. Usually they use a standard structure: introduction, conclusion, and the main part is devoted to the reasoning for the choice of the program and the description of relevant skills and career goals.
• Essay as an answer to a question. The candidate is required to write several short essays, each of which is an answer to a question. Most often, this version of the essay is required for admission to mBA programs or undergraduate in the USA.

2. Why is a cover letter important

Without a motivation letter for the admissions committee, you simply submit numbers and facts: GPA, language test result, study dates, citizenship, etc. Since most foreign universities accept no exams, a motivation letter is an opportunity to find out about your goals, why you chose this particular university or program.

The purpose of any motivation letter is to convince members of the admissions committee of a foreign university that you are exactly the candidate who should be preferred. Therefore, it is important to show the following:

• You know why the chosen university and program is right for you.
• You have a genuine interest in your intended field of study.
• You know why you need it, i.e. you have a career goal.
• If there are controversial points in your biography, then there is a reasonable explanation for this.

3. Where to start

Here's the order in which to start.

• Study information about the university and the program. Much can be found on the university website, as well as from other sources on the Internet - the university pages in social networks, Wikipedia, ratings, etc.
• Find out the requirements for a cover letter. This information can be found only on the university website. You should know the maximum allowable volume, whether certain questions need to be answered, etc.
• Sketch out the structure. You must provide information blocks of which it will consist.
• Brainstorm. It is always difficult to write about yourself. The question clusters in the next section should help generate enough material for the first draft.

3. What to write

Short and long term goals

• What attracts you to the chosen training program?
• Are there any faculty members at the chosen faculty whose interests interest you?
• What exactly do you expect to get from the uch e would on the chosen training program?
• What are your career plans and how will the chosen training program enable you to achieve them?
• How do you envision your dream job? What would you like to do ideally in 10 years?

Skills and personal qualities

• What skills do you have (eg analytical, managerial, communicative)?
• What could be of interest to the faculty: for teachers and other students?
• Why do you think you will be one of the best students on the selected program?
• Why You Think You Will Have a Successful Career in the selected area?

Personal achievements and experience

• What is different about your life? Here you can talk about events, impressions from your own life or your family members, victories valuable to you, personalities who contributed to the formation of your goals.
• Have you ever had to overcome unusual everyday obstacles (economic, political, family, physical) and how did you overcome them? Try not to make it look like you're trying to justify your failure with the difficulties.
• If you had to work hard while receiving higher educationwhat have you learned (for example, leadership or management skills) and how has your student experience influenced your development?

Study and academic achievement

• When did you first become interested in your chosen area of \u200b\u200bexpertise?
• What have you learned since then about this area of \u200b\u200bexpertise and about yourself that has piqued your interest?
• How did you become interested in your chosen area of \u200b\u200bexpertise? - classes at school or university, reading books, conferences, communicating with people working in this field?
• Are there any gaps or inconsistencies in your account? e be needing clarification?
• Can you recall an event that reinforced your confidence in the correct career path.

After such a brainstorming session, a few basic topics should be formed that can be used in a motivation letter. It is recommended to choose from 1 to 2 main topics. You should choose topics that: directly integrate with the area of \u200b\u200binterest you are interested in; characterize your personality in the best way; help to create the most complete picture of you; are original or related to your experience, inferences; able to keep the reader's interest; contain facts.

4. How to write

Presentation methods

There are two general approaches to writing:

• Chronological approach. Sequential presentation of events from the past to the present. At the same time, there is a possibility that the cover letter will turn into a monotonous autobiography “I was born, studied, got married”.
• Thematic approach. Concentration on 1-2 key topics, which can be presented either sequentially or not sequentially. The advantage of the thematic approach is that it allows you to combine two time-separated events that are related in meaning.

Motivation letter structure

We give an example of a possible structure.

Introduction

Its purpose is to grab the attention and interest of the reader. The introduction can also indicate the direction of further narration.

There are several ways to start a cover letter:

• Interesting quote. At the same time, many candidates resort to this technique, so you run the risk of not being original.
• Description of interesting impression out of your life. The context of this impression becomes clear to the reader from the subsequent narration.
• Notable fact from your biography. It is important that this fact fits organically into the general context of the narration.
• Statement of the problem. The problem can be personal or social. In the further narration, it is necessary to show the process of internal or external overcoming of this problem, or how you came to its deeper awareness and understanding.

Main part

Here you describe what your brainstorming session is like. The order doesn't matter. The main thing is that one should flow logically from the other.

• Your career goal.
• Why did you choose this program / university.
• How did your education / experience prepare you for this program?

Conclusion

Its purpose is to leave a lasting impression on what you read. There are several guidelines for writing the final part:

• Topics should be synthesized, not facts and experiences summarized. There is no need to summarize paragraph by paragraph or remind the reader of what was discussed earlier. Instead, it is better to revisit key topics, not just retell them in other words, but present them from a different angle.
• Can be "tied" your narration to a wider context . It could be your life or an area of \u200b\u200binterest to you or some problem. Only it shouldn't look like you are going to change the world or deduce deep philosophical truth from your personal experience.
• Storytelling your long-term goals - Another way to effectively finish a cover letter. Your goals should flow logically from the experiences and skills outlined earlier. Then describing goals will naturally integrate topics about your past, present, and future.

To make it easier, you can study.

• FROM the most interesting Facts and experience indicate at the beginning or if appropriate, in the introduction.
• Position the facts so to make your development obvious to the reader . For example, how did your initial curiosity turn into a passion for a subject, or how the abilities discovered in early childhood in some area were brought by you to the level of mastery.
• If you use a thematic approach, you can combine two related topics, but separated by time. In this case, you do not have to "dilute" the time gap with unnecessary details.
• Use transitional phrases from one paragraph to the next. Firstly, their use allows you to inform the reader about the information that will be presented later. Secondly, transitional phrases provide a semantic relationship with the previous paragraph.
• Each paragraph is a mini story , therefore, at the end of each paragraph, a semantic denouement is needed. Try to formulate it in such a way that it logically follows from the content of the paragraph.

5. How to edit

You may need to re-edit the text at all levels, from words and sentences to whole chunks of content. This is normal.

To make the editing process less tedious and efficient, follow these guidelines:

• Write the first option without worrying too much about the beauty of the syllable and the volume. This will give more freedom to your creativity.
• H in a couple of days evaluate text fresh eyes - problem areas will become more obvious to you. Delete sentences without a semantic load, get rid of platitudes and common phrases, rewrite boring paragraphs.
• Check for typos and grammatical errors. If you do not fit into the volume, see what can be shortened without losing meaning, replace the lengths of the structure with shorter ones.

6. What should be a cover letter?

Ideal is a motivation letter that allows admissions officers to best assess the applicant. It usually has the following characteristics:

• AND analysis of personal qualities. Usually, personal qualities are given more importance in a motivation letter for an undergraduate or scholarship. This is why it is often called Personal Statement.
• Sincerity. Should not be excessively ( keyword “Overly”) focus on what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Instead, try to open up and tell your own story. No one is interested in reading fake motivation letters.
• Preparation and motivation. First, it should be obvious from the narrative that you have a realistic view of the field of interest. Second, you should explain why you are interested in it. Secondly, it should be explained how your previous education and experience prepared you for the chosen program.
• Presence of intact and . It is important to skillfully justify the choice, namely: how studying on the chosen program can help in achieving your professional goals. If there is no clear goal, then at least indicate the area in which you would like to develop.
• Justification of the choice of the program / universities . Support your statements with facts about the program. For example, you can point out specific aspects of the curriculum, the scientific interests of the faculty members that especially appeal to you.
• Ability to express thoughts. For admission to any program, it is important to show a competent command of written speech. This applies not only to the ability to grammatically correct sentences, but also to logically structure the text.

7. What should not be a cover letter

The points listed below should be avoided when writing any motivation letter, namely:

• Negligence. Typos, grammatical errors, frequent repetitions, etc. in the motivation letter give reason to think that the candidate is not organized or is not serious about admission.
• Clichés and common phrases. You should avoid using clichés and general phrases that don't add anything interesting to your portrait. This makes your cover letter predictable and therefore boring.
• Retelling the summary / application form . There is no need to retell what you can already learn from your questionnaire. It is better to synthesize information from it in a motivation letter, supplement and explain the most important events or achievements.
• Controversial topics. It's okay to express your point of view and values \u200b\u200bin a motivation letter. However, addressing issues on which there are conflicting opinions in society, such as politics and religion, is best avoided.
• Excessive volume. A large volume of a cover letter does not determine its quality. As a rule, excess volume occurs due to excessive detail or repetition. If the sentence does not carry a semantic load, it must be deleted. This is the rule of good writing. Those who argue with this are simply illiterate.
• Book syllable. Avoid long, complex sentences. They make it difficult to read the text. A long sentence is best broken down into two separate sentences.
• Copy-paste from the Internet. Copied completely or partially cover letters are easily detected by anti-plagiarism programs.

Check list

Training

• Study information about the university and the program.
• Find out the requirements for a cover letter.
• Throw in a preliminary structure.
• Brainstorm.

What to write about

• Short and long term goals.
• Skills and personal qualities.
• Personal achievements and experience.
• Study and academic achievement.

How to write

• The most interesting facts and experiences - first.
• Arrange facts to show your progress.
• Use transitional phrases between paragraphs.
• At the end of the paragraphs, make a semantic denouement.

How to edit

• Write your first draft.
• Rewrite in a couple.
• Check for typos and grammatical errors.

What not to do

• Copy from the Internet.
• Write in bookish language.
• Retell the questionnaire.
• Write general phrases about nothing.
• Don't check for errors.

The most optimal length is 500-700 words that fit on one page. Write more - and you will probably be remembered out loud with a not very kind word, and they will also think that you do not know how to briefly express your thoughts.

In order to submit the most detailed information about yourself, there is another document - CV. In it, you can write down all the details of your biography on 5 pages, point by point, mention any diplomas, diplomas, certificates, medals, badges and orders received. Here you have just such a task - to tell everything about yourself. Better to use CV for this purpose.

We already wrote about the purposes of the cover letter at the beginning of this article. This is not an autobiography, but an essay about why you desperately need to go to one or another German university, and also why you need it more than everyone else.

A motivation letter with maximum efficiency is a small 1-page text in which you answer these questions succinctly and at the same time succinctly and beautifully. The specifics for this document are very important.

But, unlike, for example, an expert opinion or an article from an encyclopedia of birds, here you also need to convey your mood and emotions. Most perfect optionwhen the specifics in the text are about 60%, and everything else is your emotions and beautiful words... But, nevertheless, there is no single recipe here. To determine what needs to be removed or added, you need to look at your entire text.

6. Show interest in the subject under study in practice

Everyone wants to learn. At least, they write about this avidly in motivation letters. But how do the “jury members” know that you are not doing this out of pressure or simply because you don’t know what else to do with your time in life?

First of all, the German university needs fans of the specialty for which the competition is open. After all, such people will gnaw the granite of science in the sweat of their brow. In addition, the passion for learning can be contagious, and a particularly inspired student can positively influence other colleagues as well.

It is also possible that after graduation, such an intelligent student will remain at the university to start his scientific career. And in Germany with such personnel today there is a deficit - the overwhelming majority of young people, after receiving a diploma, rush to earn money.

"IN school years I have been elected as class leader and school president many times. On the junior basketball team, I was almost always the captain. At his home university he is also the head of the faculty, the head of the scientific community and a permanent organizer of cultural events.

Apparently, only a very, very modest student can write such a thing. However, for an MBA program, this should work great.

If, for example, you are entering the music specialty, you probably wrote something in your free time, performed at a concert or in the subway passage, and, perhaps, even won some kind of competition. Be sure to write about this - engaging in the subject being studied in your free time from lessons, lectures and seminars will surely play into your hands.

However, overconfidence in a cover letter can only hurt. Two or three such sentences, in which the future student praises himself - that's all right. But if the candidate in this text explains all the way to others what kind of emperor of the Universe he is, the university will probably think that he has problems with self-esteem.

"I am the best. I am a born leader. I am the future of your university. Possessing remarkable charisma, perseverance, hard work and many talents, I will organically fit into this educational institution and become its irreplaceable part. After graduation, you will not want to let me go anywhere. "

You are unlikely to get away with such a paragraph. But don't confuse self-glorification with stating individual and tangible accomplishments. For example, by some miracle you managed to pass the knowledge test of English language IELTS and get a GPA of 9.0. This result was never dreamed of by 98% of the British. Given that your profile language is German. This can and should be written.

On the other hand, you are "free to use the Internet", "get along best with people" or "a real genius in your specialty." What is “free”? The ability to open / close the browser and google apple pie recipes? Or the skills to create an ftp server, as well as find the same recipe on the network, but using the command line? If such "airy" judgments are often found in the text of your letter, it means that it needs to be finalized.

7. Re-read and let others read

Do you want to delete or add something? Do it. Your mind will reflect the text appropriately, and your subconscious mind, after some time, will tell you what needs to be corrected.

Then give your creative to others to be torn apart. Bring it to the point where people will simply have nothing to cling to after reading. Native speakers of the language in which you write are especially valuable in this matter. If there is no literate German in your university or social circle, at worst, take a look at the forums and post your version of the motivation letter for everyone to see.

Usually, even if you think you wrote everything flawlessly, a native speaker will find a bunch of flaws in it. Domestic teachers of German, no matter how wonderful they are, are not completely suitable for such a role. If you want to write the way a German would do, give the text to him for proofreading.

And, nevertheless, this is not a prerequisite. Of course, it is very good if your text is perfect in every way. However, the admissions committee will perfectly understand that German is not your native language, and if individual phrases do not fit into the traditional sounding for this language, this will not entail any negative consequences for you. But keep in mind that this condition is valid only if the text does not contain spelling and punctuation errors.

8. Do not criticize or broadcast negative

“Studying at my home university did not give the expected effect. Unlike German universities, the quality of teaching in Russian high school leaves much to be desired. In addition, students are forced to study subjects that are absolutely not useful to them in their future professional activities.

This program I chose to get a quality European education aimed at gaining practical experience that will make me more competitive in the labor market. "

Don't try to write something like this in your motivation letter. The Germans do not like it when you criticize educational institutions in such a document, where you had to study before. Even if what is described in the example is exclusively your case and you consider it necessary to mention it in the letter, do it differently.

“Having received my basic education at a Russian higher educational institution, I intend to deepen my knowledge at a German university. I am sure that on this program I will be able to gain more practical experience that will make me competitive in the labor market.

Thus, you did not offend anyone and at the same time said whatever you wanted. In the second case, even the text turned out to be less. Also, do not criticize teachers, classmates, employers and even the government in a motivation letter. Without similar comments you can always do without - write a couple of positive sentences about yourself better. On the other hand, malevolence will always play against you.

9. Don't be fooled

“Finally, the last reason I want to go to your university is that I love German beer! And remember that you can't get bored with me, so hold on, Germany! "

This is the ending of a real motivation letter from our student, who hoped with its help to enter the scholarship program of the University of Leipzig. In addition, at the beginning of it, he inserted the following quote from Theodore Roosevelt as an epigraph:

"A completely uneducated person can only rob a freight car, and a university graduate can steal an entire railroad."

We can only imagine the tears and hysteria of the Germans while reading such a creative. By the way, he entered the legal program. Of course, our hero did not receive any scholarship.

You can joke in a motivation letter. But it is important to feel which witty expression will brighten up this text, and which will only harm the candidate. The basic rule is that anything that goes beyond the scope of English humor (with rare exceptions) is unacceptable.

And in general, what can make one person laugh and win over, often causes irritation in another. Therefore, one must be careful with jokes in such a document.

Many "serious" people working in universities even have a stereotype that they joke in a motivation letter, as well as at further stages of the interview, only students who have nothing to say specifically about themselves. They do this out of despair, since, as it is believed, they will not be able to tell "anything sensible".

In our opinion, this may turn out to be true, but only in certain cases. If you have a biography rich in events and achievements, then you will not need to dilute the letter with sharp phrases in order to somehow hook the reader.

On the contrary, if you are confident in yourself and you have nothing to hide, lightness and openness will manifest themselves in the text. And then the humor will be natural. In this case, jokes never hurt.

10. Do not write about what is not related to the studied subject

During your high school years, you successfully sold cookies by promoting family business, and now you are entering the Faculty of Chemistry? Why then would the admissions committee know about your sales talents? You can tell your children and grandchildren about them as part of educational activities, or when hiring a sales manager (in case, after graduation good work you did not find a chemist).

Of course, if you have perfected chemical formula food coloring, and this influenced sales volumes, this fact certainly deserves attention. When, in addition to cookies, you have nothing to boast about, try to somehow connect it with the educational process.

“At an early age, I was fortunate enough to acquire solid business skills. By helping my parents, I was able to increase the sales of my family store by half in just 3 months. Of course, this required a lot of self-organization, discipline, as well as work on their volitional qualities and communication skills. The experience gained taught me how to better organize the educational process, as well as systematize and streamline the knowledge gained. "

Of course, it would be more effective to write about the discovery of a couple of new elements of the periodic table, but even that is better than nothing. Always write only about what has something to do with the subject being studied. Everything else is best mentioned in the CV.

11. Exceptional literacy is essential

• "Motivationschreiben für den Masterstudiengang in General Management
• Sehr geehrte Damen und Herrn,
• ich studiere Betriebswirtschaftslehre im sechsten Semester im Bachelorstudiengang International Managment. "

By starting a letter of motivation in this way, you already provide the admissions office of a university in Germany with 3 reasons why you can easily be turned down. And here they are:

• "Motivationschreiben für den Masterstudiengang in General Management
• Sehr geehrte Damen und Herrn,
• ich studiere Betriebswirtschaftslehre im sechsten Semester im Bachelorstudiengang International Managment. "

It's a shame when a brilliantly written motivation letter is put aside due to the fact that the university administration noticed several typos or a couple of spelling mistakes in it.

To avoid this, let a spell checker help you, a few additional re-reads, as well as transfer of the creative for review to third parties. It is better to check the text printed on paper - it is always easier to see errors on it.

12. Don't lie

Many students succumb to this temptation. But if desired, most of the facts stated in the motivation letter can be easily verified. This applies to both the score of the certificate and the level german language, and participation in a variety of conferences and seminars. Most of them you confirm yourself by submitting copies of the relevant documents to the German university.

Let's say you studied so-so, and you cannot boast of a large number of authoritative recommendations. Nevertheless, in the letter of motivation, they wrote that they took a prize at the national Olympiad in some subject or that you are the author of some super-topical scientific work.

In this case, you will most likely be asked to provide documentary evidence of these achievements. It is quite possible that you would be enrolled in a university without this deceitful point. Now you will definitely not see a place at the university.

Of course, it is necessary to paint about yourself as juicy and beautiful as possible. For example, you several times participated in some scientific conference in Barnaul, which was devoted to the protection of seals from extermination. She is not particularly memorable to you.

In addition, you did not work very well on the reports and therefore each time after the presentation you received several critical remarks in your address. In addition, not a single eminent doctor of science or professor attended this event. However, the conference itself had the status of a nationwide one. As you probably already guessed, it is on the last fact that it is worth focusing attention.

“I have repeatedly taken part in a nationwide scientific and practical conference dedicated to the problems of protecting seals. Deeply imbued with the problems of environmental protection, I intend to continue to devote myself to scientific activities, studying in the postgraduate study of the Faculty of Ecology at your university. "

Note that nothing in the above has been embellished. It was just that an ordinary medium-sized event was presented with a very advantageous side.

It turns out that it is not easy business to write a motivation letter to a German university. So don't put off this work until the very last moment. Many students do just that, sitting down to compose this "work" a few hours before the deadline for submission of documents. By doing so, you greatly increase the chances of screwing up your entire introductory campaign.

Moreover, the muse may not come to you a couple of hours before the moment of truth. What will you do in this case? Write nonsense? Use templates from the Internet? Remember that this document is worth at least as important as all the others that you submit to the university. Therefore, it is better to take it as responsibly as possible.