In order to pave the way for UM students to enter the job market, the Co-curricular Activities Committee (ECAC-ELC) held an event “CV & COVER LETTER CLINIC” in E3—G033 on 21 April 2022.

In the workshop, ELC Teaching Fellow Ms. Cindy Lei asked the students in groups to discuss and note down the differences between a CV and a cover letter in a Venn diagram.  After the brainstorming, students were shown the differences between these two in detail, including their length, contents, purpose, and so on.  Students were then shown how to put together a highly valued CV using the correct format.  For example, where to place the objective statement, the relevant experience, and the proper format in general.  Ms. Lei further introduced the necessary components of a CV and explained the significance of each part, as well as the dos and don’ts in the reference list.

In the second part of the workshop, students worked together again in groups to examine a cover letter sample.  They had to work as a team to identify errors and agree on ways to improve them.  Ms. Lei discussed the errors together with the students after which she showed the correct sample of the cover letter.  She thoroughly explained the importance of the structure, contents, and effective expressions used in each paragraph.

After the workshop, Ms. Lei offered consultations to participants who brought along their CVs and gave them suggestions on how to improve their CVs to grab the reader’s attention.

The students learned a lot from this workshop.  One of the participants commented, “I didn’t know the difference between the two at all before.  But through this workshop, I now know how to layout the contents of my resume, and distinguish the difference between a CV and a cover letter.  I have learned a lot and have more confidence in writing my resume in the future!”.  There is no doubt that a resume and cover letter can be the door knocker for a good job. A good and logical resume can help candidates to build on their strengths and avoid their weaknesses, and be one step ahead of others to find a good job.

Written by Hind, Manna, & Claudia, ECAC Student Ambassadors