Jonathan - I need your help! Cover letter.

[Gość: monika]

I have to prepare kind of cover letter. It's a 'preferences form' where I have
to write why I suit to this job. I should enclose my technical and personal
skills which make me useful for the company.

I have to choose 3 positions which I'm interested in. These are:
Reconciliation Clerk
Audit Clerk
System Team Leader.

First two are related to accountancy.

The last one is for person who will be responsible for organising work in aa
team, preparing rota, training, completing 'performance develeopment.

Can you please pick my mistakes? It should be professional but my written
English, actually English at all, is not very professional...

Could you please help me with this?

There is a text:

I started my adventure with (...) as Reconciliation Clerk. During this time I
acquainted with most of reconciliation processes completed in accounting
operations. This position requires to have attention to details as well as to
work quickly and efficiently to meet all service levels.

My next level was connected with moving to Audit Team where I could use my
knowledge regarding reconciliation to check the accuracy of the work performed
by Reconciliation Team.

At the same time I had an opportunity to know new systems and programs. My SAP
usage became more advanced. Additionally I started using Mainframe – Triumph
and AFTS, Edostar, Secure Browser and the newest – Image Star. Microsoft
Office and Outlook are my every day tools – I use them even at home.

I am the person who is concentrated on details. I understand how important is
to work in agreement with procedures. I have the ability to prioritise the
work – I have always met all required service levels. I am the person who can
easily work as a part of the team as well as on my own. I don’t need constant
supervising – a general guidance is enough for me to understand the task. I am
a person who learns quickly and, what is more important, is willing to learn
and to gain new experience and take new challenges.

I am familiar with task performed by both teams but additionally I think I
could prove myself useful as System Team Leader.

I haven’t had yet the opportunity to show my ability and skills on similar
position but I think my interpersonal skills suit this post. I can easily deal
with people on all level, I know how important is to give the right directions
and guidance. I always try to encourage people to improve themselves - I think
the ambition and willingness to learn is a key to success.

I would like to add I’m proud I can work for (...) and to be able to continue
working for you I’m happy to consider relocating (within 30 miles) and re
levelling if it will be the only chance to stay here.

[Gość: Steve]

I would advise that you send the letter as you wrote it (after spell-checking it
- and grammar checking since you have Word). Assuming this is for a job in
Britain/the USA/etc, improvements may help get an interview, but the
interviewer may well be annoyed at finding she/he has been misled and reject you
for that rather than your abilities.

I have no expertise in your area of work, but the impression I have is that the
job related elements of your English are very good and include the usual work
jargon. However, more standard use of English is not fluent eg, what do you mean
by 'adventure'?, "I became acquainted with most of the reconciliation
processes". (Although I say it is 'not fluent', your English appears to be as
good as an average paid translator in Poland. I do not wish to insult your
capability. I have just been reading some Gdansk tourism publicity leaflets.)

I suggest instead that you recognise your limitation in the letter and explain
(assuming this is true) that you have only been learning English/been in
(Britain) for a short time and it is improving rapidly. Specify the time
choosing the shortest significant period eg time in the country, as many Britons
are self conscious about their inability to speak foreign languages. We are
incredibly impressed when someone gets to your level of our language quickly.

Good Luck.

[Gość: monika]

Hi Steve,

First of all - thank you for your reply :)

I know my limitation and I know my English isn't perfect - that's
the reason I am asking for help.

It was nice to hear my English isn't sooo bad - but I know it still
needs hours of learning! I've been living in UK for 3 years - so I
assume I should speak fluently but my language skills are quite
poor - I really have to make great effort to learn anything.

I'm not expecting somebody else to write this letter for me - i just
would like to know if I made any horrible grammar mistakes ;) I
would like to avoid it.

I have prepared second version - i hope - better :)
I have started working for (...) as Reconciliation Clerk. I am
familiar with most of the reconciliation processes completed in
accounting operations. I felt comfortable working on this position
as it requires to have attention and work quickly and efficiently to
meet all service levels.

My next, and current, position is Audit Clerk in Audit Team, where I
can use my knowledge regarding reconciliation, checking accuracy of
daily work performed by Reconciliation Team.
I have had an opportunity to acquaint with the new systems and
programs. My SAP usage became more advanced. Additionally I started
using Mainframe – Triumph and AFTS, Edostar, Secure Browser and the
newest – Image Star. I was one of the first persons who started
using Image Star and took active part in embedding it. Microsoft
Office and Outlook are my every day tools – I use them even at home.
I can also use Vision Plus as sometimes I am asked to help out
Partnerships.

I am the person who is concentrated on details. I understand how
important is to work in agreement with procedures. I have the
ability to prioritise the work – I have always met all required
service levels. I am the person who can easily work as a part of the
team or on my own. I don’t need constant supervising – a general
guidance is enough for me to understand the task. I learn quickly
and I am willing to gain new experiences and take new challenges.

I am familiar with tasks performed by both teams but I think I could
prove myself useful as System Team Leader, too.
I haven’t had yet the opportunity to show my ability and skills on
similar position but I think my interpersonal skills suit this post.
I can easily deal with people on all levels, creating and
maintaining positive relationship. I know how important is to give
the right directions and guidance. I always try to encourage people
to improve themselves.

I would like to add I am proud I can work for (...). I’m happy to
consider relocating (within 30 miles) and re levelling to be able to
continue working for the company.
Please note, English is not my first language but it’s
improving rapidly.


thank you for any comments :)

[Gość: Steve]

Monika

In England, it normally takes foreigner language speakers two generations (ie their children not them) to learn to speak fluently, not two or three years. Remember also that one of the primary complaints of UK employer organisations, such as the CBI, to government is the high level of illiteracy and innumeracy (both of which I spelt wrong) among young people. You are doing brilliantly. The new version is very much better.

Even if you were a close friend sitting with me at the computer, I would give the same advice about using your own level of English. This would also bear in mind that you are applying for the job of a manager of others (team leader), which can be very tough if you get the wrong sort of people working with you who will use your language to blame you for everything. Misleading the people who select you will make this even worse.

Despite this, some minor changes to the first paragraph might help the reader have more incentive to get to your detailed competences. I suggest: "I started working for", "in this position" and "requires close attention to detail and to work".

If this is not an internal application in the company, make it clear early on that you are already working for them in England so that the reader can accept that your English is good enough for their working practices. The person making the selection is more likely to be negative if she/he starts out trying to make her/his own judgement.

Finally, I don't know what you mean by re-levelling towards the end. This may just be my ignorance, but in case your interviewer also does not understand, make sure you can easily explain in English what you mean and then talk about it. Interviews normally start with some relaxation questions and end with general issues. This sentence gives them 'where do you live?' and (if understood) 'what do you think will be the impact of re-levelling?'. It doesn't always work, but its a clever tactic to try to help the interviewer think what to say.