Methodical recommendations for writing a motivation letter
A motivation letter is:
– a document prepared and submitted by an applicant to a higher education institution, which explains the reasons why the applicant considers himself or herself the best candidate for admission to the relevant specialty of the university. Preparation of such a letter requires a detailed study by the applicant of the general academic environment of the higher education institution and various educational programs;
– an essay on why a particular person is the best candidate for a particular opportunity (chosen specialty). The goal is to tell about yourself, your strengths, and give a better idea of your own personality. It is often used to select candidates, so a well-written motivation letter is a significant advantage.
To write a cover letter, you need to answer a lot of questions.
– How and why did you become interested in the chosen specialty (educational institution)?
– How can you demonstrate your interest?
– Why did you choose this particular educational institution?
– What career prospects are you considering?
– Have you had to overcome difficult situations and obstacles (financial, social, physical) to achieve your goals?
– What skills and personal qualities do you have?
– What are your achievements and experience?
– How do you manifest the strengths of your personality in life?
How and what to say about yourself in a motivation letter stumps many applicants. However, this task can be made easier if you take the following steps:
- Identify what special qualities and knowledge are needed to succeed in your chosen major and in your future profession, and which of these qualities you have. Describe these qualities, giving examples from your studies and life.
- Identify the universal qualities you have that will help you succeed on your chosen path. Describe them with examples from your life.
- If you have interesting hobbies or interests that can be useful in your studies or help you become an interesting participant in university life, please describe them briefly.
- Let us know what qualities and knowledge you would like to develop while studying in your specialty to ensure successful career progress.
- Describe yourself as objectively as possible, using facts and, if necessary, relying on the opinions of others. If you find it difficult to describe yourself, you can start by listing your strongest human qualities, knowledge, skills, hobbies, and achievements, write them out in a separate list, analyze this list, and leave 3-6 points that best confirm your suitability for the chosen specialty. These are the qualities
will need to highlight in your motivation letter. - Put the parts together, following the essay structure, write the first version of your essay and finalize it, making sure that all parts of the paper are logically connected to each other.
- Check and edit your cover letter.
In a cover letter, your thoughts should be presented in a clear and understandable way. This can be easily
achieved by limiting the length of the sentence to 12-20 words. Avoid both an overly
familiar and overly formal tone. Write in a way that is easy to understand.
Make sure that each sentence contains important information and is not a repetition of what has already been
or a waste of words. It is worth remembering the “golden rule” of business
documentation: politeness, correctness, tact, and reasoning.
What should and should not be written?
Some motivational emails start with famous quotes, while others contain jokes
or have a non-standard structure. Sometimes this works, but it can also have the opposite
effect. Be careful about trying to make your essay too unusual.
What should you check before sending (handing in) a cover letter?
Check grammar, spelling, and punctuation. An error-riddled letter gives a negative impression of the skills and effort involved in writing it.
You cannot rely entirely on your computer’s spell check function.
Print out the letter and read it carefully several times, trying to identify any
errors or typos that have crept in.
Let people whose opinions you trust read your letter. Make sure the text of the email is clear to the readers.
And most importantly, the letter should be 100% yours, not copied from the Internet (quotes are allowed).
Recommendations for design.
On the cover page, you should include your name, surname, patronymic, school number and name, city, your phone number, and email address. Paragraphs are required (structure the letter).
IMPORTANT:
- A cover letter is an opportunity to present yourself as motivated,
- a bright and very capable person who is ready to enter a higher education institution;
- make your letter a vivid personal description of your unique self in order to
- show who you are and why you want to be accepted.