Month: May 2012
Writing a Winning Scholarship Proposal – Part 1 – The Pitch
Note – although this article is primarily aimed at university students writing proposals for scholarship applications – many of these principles and techniques are applicable to other types of proposals, as well.
If you’re a graduate student, or thinking of becoming one, then you’ve probably faced this challenge at least once. Common problems include not knowing where to start or what to write about, how much detail to include and how to fit everything in to the limited space allotted (which is typically only 1 to 2 pages). Like any other technical writing challenge, it pays to have a plan and it’s important to write in coherent units (known as ‘paragraphs’). Here’s some advice to help you tackle this important challenge effectively. Read the rest of this entry »
Preparing an effective job-seeking cover letter…
(Note – you might also want to check out my related post of tips for preparing your resume.)
I often get asked to provide advice and feedback for engineering students (BSc, MSc and PhD) applying for jobs and though the application contents can vary widely, especially between industry and academia, one thing that all employers have in common is the requirement for a cover letter. It’s probably the most important part of the application package, yet it seems to be the part most people do poorly. In this post, I’ll try to help you out by presenting some of the tips I generally suggest to my own students based on: a) what I’ve learned from others, b) what has worked for me when I’ve applied for jobs, and c) what I like to see when I am looking to hire someone. Read the rest of this entry »
The Art of Scientific Communication 