Dear colleagues:

I write this on a very sad note to all applicants, intending applicants as well as applicants awaiting to be called for interviews.

This is a personal experience and i thought i should share it with members of this forum. Please pass it on as you never can tell who will benefit from this piece.

My Organization placed as advert on Tuesday's edition of the Guardian Newspaper (19/2/08) inviting applications from suitable candidate for 4 positions - Assistant Project Manager, Staff Attorney, Program Officer - Health and Program Officer - Housing.

I am responsible for receiving the applications and you can imagine how sad i was to see several applicants not following simple instructions.

The instruction on the advert was very simple - "Applicants should forward their Applications and CVs as Microsoft word Attachments" . Of all the applications i have received from Tuesday to this morning, I can count the number of applicants that followed that very simple instructions.

I was generous enough to help some who scribble somethings as their cover letter on the body of their mail but that is not just enough because it not only make my work difficult and longer the content might not be strong enough for those shortlisting to work with while selecting those to be called for interview.

For those that i cannot help at all, i have responded to their applications so i advice those who might be in this category to check their in-box and bulkmail for response.

Nairalanders, please let us adhere strictly to instructions on job applications as that is the beginning of the every selection process.

Thank you.

Thanks bros for your assistance. But please could you send me an example of an ideal sample of a cover letter that could be accepted from your company for my future use. Collinc
Pls ffw it to my box colliano4000@yahoo.com

collinsaka:

Thanks bros for your assistance. But please could you send me an example of an ideal sample of a cover letter that could be accepted from your company for my future use. Collinc
Please ffw it to my box colliano4000@yahoo.com

Collinsaka:

Bearing in mind what is required in the application mentioned, a cover letter is actually your application for the position you are applying. Applicants should note that applications sent via mail should carry the position name e.g Re: Project Officer or Project Officer as subject of the mail not samples like - My CV, My Application, My Resume etc.

I hope i have answered your question.

Thanks

Thanks a lot. Ur advice is very timelyand all important. please, i would also not mind getting a sample cover letter too that would be acceptable to your organisation. My addy is princejeg4real@yahoo.com. Thanks abunch

Thanks Lapaz for the advice.Can you pls forward to mail box a format of wat ur company requires, can i still apply? oyinda5@yahoo.com, i hope to hear from you soon

Thanks Lapaz for the info. I cannot count how many times I have sent cover letters as emails, and it just occurred to me that I should have been attaching it since the above instructions seems so common!

Dear Colliano,
Thanks bros for your assistance. But please could you send me an example of an ideal sample of a cover letter that could be accepted from your company for my future use. Collinc
Please ffw it to my box colliano4000@yahoo.com

Kindly visit nottingham.ac.uk their career counselling web page their is a detail publcation on cover letters in there. I cannot seem to find the link now but I stumbled on it on nairaland along while ago and it ha been beneficial. Cheers

collinsaka ,
Why re u so selfish. Will it be wrong if it is placed on this site for everyone to benefit from. Fellow Nairalanders, let us try to be our brothers keeper. We re not only the ones looking for job. The problem we ve regarding getting a good job is not a peculiar to us alone but general. Pls let us learn not to be selfish. Share whatever info u ve. I shall try and place some samples next week. Have a blessed weekend all.

Thanx Lapaz 4 d wondaful tip. Can som1 help giv an example of attaching CV using (.txt-.doc-.pdf) format. This d format requested by Arik Airline. Thanx

klem:

Thanx Lapaz 4 d wondaful tip. Can som1 help giv an example of attaching CV using (.txt-.doc-.pdf) format. This d format requested by Arik Airline. Thanx

Klem, Arik Airline have been very specific in their request and as i can see from your post, they have given you options so its either you send your CV as Ms Word documents, PDF file or Rich text (which is work pad).

Hope i have been able to help you.

Best of luck!

oyin sho:

Thanks Lapaz for the advice.Can you please forward to mail box a format of what your company requires, can i still apply? oyinda5@yahoo.com, i hope to hear from you soon

The positions are still opened till the next one week and we are still receiving applications. Please take note that following instructions on the advert is very important.

The advertisement is pasted below.

Best of luck!

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

The Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC) invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the following positions:

1. Assistant Project Manager, Social Housing
2. Program Officer - Health
3. Program Officer - Housing
4. Staff Attorney
5. Researcher

General Qualifications/Skills

I. A minimum of five years working experience
II. Excellent analytical skills, oral and written communication and inter-personal skills
III. Outstanding report writing and proof-reading skills
IV. A team player with ability to work under pressure
V. Ability to work intuitively and with little supervision
VI. Ability to travel at short notice
VII. Proficiency with Microsoft Office packages (Particularly Ms Word, Excel and Power point)

Specific Qualifications:


Assistant Project Manager, Social Housing

The successful candidate must:

• Have a minimum of seven years of housing sector-related working experience in initiating and/or evaluating modern low-cost and non-profit housing developments and best practices (including the underlying critical components of site analysis, land acquisition, and multiple family housing construction and project management supervision);
• Evidence keen familiarity with federal, Lagos State, and local government zoning and planning laws and regulations, and permit approval processes;
• Be able to draft and comprehend complex business plans, budgets, contracts, proposals and financial reports and including reviewing housing proformas;
• Have the capacity to develop and maintain viable relationships with lending institutions, general contractors, independent consultants (e.g., architects and town planners), relevant parastatals, the media, and other key stakeholders associated with social housing delivery in Nigeria;
• Be able to write narrative project reports with clarity and accuracy.
• Possess University degree or HND in Urban and Regional Management, Architecture, Estate Management or Quantity Survey, Civil or Building Engineering, or Town/Urban Planning. An MBA will be an added advantage.


Program Officer – Health

The successful candidate must possess:

• Knowledge and familiarity with health policies in Nigeria as well as international human rights instruments on the right to health
• Firm understanding of health service delivery in Nigeria and in the health sector
• Very good research capabilities
• First degree in Public Health, Medicine, Microbiology, Pharmacy, Nursing or related discipline. A Masters in Public Health will be an added advantage

Program Officer – Housing

The successful candidate will have the capacity to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of relevant national, regional and international legislation; policy frameworks and public sector structures in relation to the right to adequate housing in Nigeria
• Understand current economic and social situations and range of issues impacting on the right to adequate housing in Nigeria, and identify emerging opportunities for engagement on other housing-related concerns
• Write, review and research detailed factual reports with accuracy and good presentation
• University degree/ HND in Urban and Regional Management, Estate Management, Quantity Survey or Town/Urban Planning. A Post-graduate degree will be an added advantage

Staff Attorney

The successful candidate will have:

• A minimum of ten years post call experience
• Ability to prepare sound legal arguments and vet legal documents both in high and appellate courts
• Experience in litigation
• Human rights litigation experience will be an added advantage
• LL.B (Hons), B.L, LLM

Researcher

The successful candidate will have:

• Proven knowledge of research principles and methodology
• Experience in research, software application development and knowledge of at least one data analysis software
• Be creative, innovative, persistent and resourceful in researching and seeking out additional sources of appropriate information around land, housing/environment, health, electricity and women issues with the ability to build the best possible development database.
• Degree/HND in Sociology, Psychology, Mathematics/Statistics and or any other degree from the Social Sciences

Interested candidates should forward applications and Curriculum Vitae as Microsoft Word attachments not later than two weeks from the date of this publication to:


Social and Economic Rights Action Center (SERAC)
info@serac.org

Hello, are u saying we should always send cover letters as attachments also, just like we do to our CVs ?

Or should we write cover letters in the email body and then send CVs as attachments?

Pls repond. thank you

ceceters:

Hello, are u saying we should always send cover letters as attachments also, just like we do to our CVs ?

Or should we write cover letters in the email body and then send CVs as attachments?

Please repond. thank you

Ceceters,

Please don't get me wrong, all am saying is that you should at every instance make sure you comply with the instructions given on advert placements otherwise use the method that best suits you but i will recommend you have your cover letter attached to your application.

E.g say you have a two paged CV u can copy your cover letter on the third page such that when the CV is printed out, the employer also gets to see your cover letter.

Hope i have answered your question.

Best of luck!

Hi lapaz,
thanx 4ur advice. I ave really benefitted frm it. plz can u also send a copy of a cover letter acceptable by your coy 2my email addy for future ref, so i culd apply dt format whn needed. tnx.
d addy is- layoh90@yahoo.com
hoping 2hear frm u.

good morning thanks for this please i would like it if u can please send the format to my box also sadem4u@yahoo.com though i cant apply in ur office but for future purpose. thanks

[quote author=lapaz post=1980979]

Collinsaka:

Bearing in mind what is required in the application mentioned, a cover letter is actually your application for the position you are applying. Applicants should note that applications sent via mail should carry the position name e.g Re: Project Officer or Project Officer as subject of the mail not samples like - My CV, My Application, My Resume etc.

I hope i have answered your question.

Can you first write a cover letter then attach the cv on it,is that ok? Thanks pls need your reply

apprecie:
good morning thanks for this please i would like it if u can please send the format to my box also sadem4u@yahoo.com though i cant apply in ur office but for future purpose. thanks

apprecie:
good morning thanks for this please i would like it if u can please send the format to my box also sadem4u@yahoo.com though i cant apply in ur office but for future purpose. thanks

apprecie:
good morning thanks for this please i would like it if u can please send the format to my box also sadem4u@yahoo.com though i cant apply in ur office but for future purpose. thanks

apprecie:
good morning thanks for this please i would like it if u can please send the format to my box also sadem4u@yahoo.com though i cant apply in ur office but for future purpose. thanks

apprecie:
good morning thanks for this please i would like it if u can please send the format to my box also sadem4u@yahoo.com though i cant apply in ur office but for future purpose. thanks

apprecie:
good morning thanks for this please i would like it if u can please send the format to my box also sadem4u@yahoo.com though i cant apply in ur office but for future purpose. thanks

apprecie:
good morning thanks for this please i would like it if u can please send the format topost=66773861]

Can you first write a cover letter then attach the cv on it,is that ok? Thanks pls need your reply