Motivational / cover letter
In the CV you are limited to the essence, but you can elucidate in the motivational or cover letter what your plans and goals are, why you are applying for the given position, and what extras you can offer the company to which you are applying. You can mention your references; on one hand, any work you are particularly proud of, or, on the other, those persons who may be able to shed some light on you.
The motivational letter does not, however, replace the CV. It is the CV which sells you. If the CV isn’t good, you aren’t going to get invited for interview. If the CV is good, they’ll invite you in any case. This is, unfortunately, the case.
When writing, it is worth writing a short, concise and interesting motivational letter. It should include something which grabs their attention. In other words, we don’t advise using a template, and we don’t consider templates found elsewhere a good idea. Otherwise, we know of HR people and career consultants who only read the letter out of interest after the interview, if they are really bored 😀 (With this, we wish to say that if a motivational letter is expressly not asked for, then save yourself the hassle, don’t put yourself through the pain of compiling one.)
Opinion is fairly split when it comes to this topic. There are HR people who insist on a motivational letter. For example, this is how they evaluate the applicant’s written communication skills. A dear acquaintance recently posted a fantastic solution on Facebook. We quote it in its entirety below, seeing as the post was public. As you can see, it isn’t impossible to write a motivational letter for a job which isn’t the most motivating, and whoever requested it received the following, and also got a deserved mock as well.
‘Motivational letter for a cleaning position
Allow me to begin with a personal story in order that you better understand why it’s so important for me that I have the exciting adventure of cleaning the office block in Buda day after day.
When my pregnant mother was close to giving birth we lived in Algeria. As you surely know, Algeria is an exotic, but exceedingly dirty place.
Her doctors were completely reconciled to the grease of a kebab eaten at midday being on their hands, as in accordance with the Koran they don’t waste their precious time by washing prior to operations or childbirths, don’t change or properly sterilise their equipment, a wipe of their hand on their clothes considered by them to be sufficient. When my mother knew that she would have to give birth to me in such circumstances she was shocked at first, and decided that I’d be born at home in Budapest.
As we know, the feelings of a pregnant mother are passed on to the foetus, as during the pregnancy it comprises one body together with the mother. As we know, the psychological effects which form in the baby and are most strongly imprinted in their memory in the early phase, influence the later personality and soul. It is thanks to this that I become ill if I see a speck of dust on any surface which should be sparkling brightly and spotless.
For me, that cleaning exists as a profession, is redemption in itself, since I know that for us humans, we have the ability to fight against grime, which again and again creeps in underhand ways back into our lives, infecting our environment and thus our souls, too. I believe in ancient philosophy, which states ‘as without, so within’, which is why I also believe that cleanliness is the key to our spiritual salvation. If I dared to dream big, I would say that “let the whole world be clean, as then our souls would be clean, and heaven on earth would result!
Cleanliness, honour, and respect,
Á.D.’