Important Points to Remember

- Email is much less formal than a written letter. Emails are usually short and concise.

- If you are writing to someone you don't know, a simple "Hello" is adequate. Using a salutation such as "Dear Mr Smith," is too formal.

- When writing to someone you know well, feel free to write as if you are speaking to the person.

- Use abbreviated verb forms (He's, We're, He'd, etc.)

- Include a telephone number to the signature of the email. This will give the recipient the chance to telephone if necessary.

- It is not necessary to include your email address as the recipient can just reply to the email.

- When replying eliminate all the information that is not necessary. Only leave the sections of text that are related to your reply. This will save your reader time when reading your email

· Saudi Cover Letter Writing Guide

Working abroad sounds like an adventure to many people. However, work in Saudi Arabia needs more than just the obvious Saudi cover letter and Saudi CV writing and translation - it requires thorough preparation. You will experience problems that probably did not even cross your mind when you decided to search for Saudi jobs.

Do not take to lightly the huge influence the Saudi cover letter can have on the results of your adventure! For example, you will experience the unusual immigration rules and practices, strange job application procedures, weird selection trends and new to you management culture.

Your Saudi cover letter is the very first thing an employer will see. The cover letter is used as an introduction and should accompany your CV, whether e-mailed, posted on a job site, mailed or hand delivered to an employer. It is common to send a one page typed cover letter with your CV.

The purpose of your cover letter is to make sure your CV is read. A human or a piece of software scans job applications in seconds. In both cases, the reader is checking if your skills and experience match the criteria detailed in a job ad.

Your first step in writing a cover letter should be to go through the job ad and underline the key words used by the employer/recruiter. As long as you can back up your claims, try to use these words in your cover letter and CV.

Arabic is an official language of Saudi Arabia. English is widely understood and used in business and public places.

When applying for an employment in Saudi Arabia, you may use either English or Arabic, depending on the company and your fluency. Stick to one language once chosen. However, you need to accept that not knowing the English or Arabic will put you at real disadvantage from the local job seekers. The basic knowledge of English is considered necessary to cope with daily office life and life outside work.

If you are submitting an English version only, it is helpful to duplicate in Arabic your name, contact address and company names, unless you are certain that the recipient of your cover letter and CV is an English speaker.

The cover letter should not repeat your CV. A personalized, targeted, well-written cover letter is your chance to set yourself apart, grab the employer's interest, and draw them in for a closer look at your CV.

Take the time to research every employer's organization and customize your Saudi cover letter to fit the position. If possible, personalize each letter with a real person’s name. Place the name of recipient, their title, company name and address in the left hand corner. Such personalization would increase retention of your application.

Often the cover letter is more relevant to employers then the accompanying CV because CVs refer mainly to the past time with exception of your present job. Employers are interested mostly in the future of they companies. Therefore, your letter should refer to your present and future plans, showing your prospective employers what you want to do now and what you will do for them in the future, rather than your past achievements.

Using simple language, explain your motivation and why you are the right person for the job. Emphasize what you can do for your potential employer, not why their company would be good for your career. Exploit facts about the company collected through research of public information sources, references or insider contacts.

Begin your Saudi cover letter with your name, nationality and contact information including your address, phone/fax and e-mail. Often cover letters and CVs are kept on file for long periods, so any contact details you give have to remain accurate in the long term. A daytime phone number with international access code and e-mail address are most important.

Saudi cover letter usually contains three or four paragraphs. Write in a short and professional style using action verbs. Be concise and get to the point as quickly as possible. Break any paragraph, which is longer than seven lines, into short easily understandable one.

The opening paragraph should state the job you are applying for and that you are confident you are suited to the role. Try to grab the employer’s interest with the first sentence of this paragraph.

A second paragraph should tell the reader why he or she should be interested in you.

A third paragraph could be used to highlight one or two career achievements relevant to the job.

Close your cover letter, by expressing willingness to explain your application in more detail during a personal interview.

Send your cover letter together with your CV. Send no other attachments such as diplomas or testimonials, unless they have been requested.

Use the same font and style as your CV or resume. We recommend using a font that is easy to read such as 11 point Arial as well as A4 white paper for hard copies of your cover letter. Sign hard copies.

Some large multinational companies use their own job application forms instead of personal cover letters and CVs. So, pay attention to the open questions that try to establish your social and transferable skills. Never leave any blank spaces.

Check the spelling and grammar of your Saudi cover letter. Use the word processor's spell and grammar checker. If you are not confident of your ability to detect grammatical, punctuation and English, Arabic or other language usage errors or if you need help in organizing your cover letter, send it to a professional for assistance.

If you have a difficulty with your Saudi cover letter writing, instead of staring at a blank piece of paper, use:

· "fill in the blanks" computer software or

· human cover letter writing services.

 

· Saudi CV Writing Guide

Work in abroad sounds like an adventure to many people. However, it needs more than just the obvious Saudi cover letter and Saudi Arabia CV writing and translation – it requires methodical preparation. You will be confronted with problems that probably did not even cross your mind when you become interested in Saudi jobs.

Do not underestimate the influence they can have on your adventure! For instance, you will experience the different immigration rules and practices, job application procedures, the selection trends and the management culture.

For an employer the first impression of you is your CV. It must leave a favorable and lasting impact. A successful CV is one that will appear in the most searches and generate the most interviews.

A CV is similar to a resume in that it provides more details about one’s professional qualifications, experience and education. However, the term "Curriculum Vitae" most often called CV, typically carries a different meaning depending on whether one distribute the CV within the US, Canada or internationally (external to the US or Canada) or is seeking a faculty, academic, research, clinical or scientific position.

You can turn your resume into a CV. A CV is similar to a resume in that it outlines your professional qualifications and history, but it does so with more detail by adding to the resume the detailed descriptions of your educational and/or professional experiences and personal information that may include nationality, date of birth, marital status, etc.

In recent years it become increasingly popular to join the LinkedIn or XING social networking websites for professionals, where you may search for jobs and have your keyword-optimized, rich content profile with current CV. Hiring managers use them more frequently to consult your profile and supplement or check against the CV you send along. If you do not have an account, create one and include your social media link(s) on your CV.
However, you should manage your online presence. You should eliminate any photos that could reflect poorly on you. From an employer’s point of view, someone who emphasizes partying on a social networking site is not focused on jobs and those who post complaints about work or colleagues are less desirable candidates. Online CVs should not include sensitive information as they could show lack of respect for confidentiality and discretion.

The aim of your Saudi CV should be to persuade the employer to invite you for a job interview. Therefore, your CV is a marketing tool, which you should customize to the market in which you intend to use it. Write an introduction that contains many power keywords and action verbs. Scanners that are programmed to select specific words notice these keywords.

Arabic is an official language of Kuwait. English is spoken widely and used in public places.

When applying for a position in Saudi Arabia, you may use either English or Arabic, depending on the company and your fluency. Stick to one language once chosen. However, you need to accept that not knowing the English or Arabic will put you at real disadvantage from the local job seekers.

If you are submitting an English version only, it is helpful to duplicate in Arabic your name, contact address and company names, unless you are certain that the recipient of your cover letter and CV is an English speaker.

Prepare yourself - before writing your CV research the company you want to work for. Such information will help you to adapt your CV more effectively to each specific job and use of examples properly illustrating your achievements.

Targeting the job title of a position you applying for, write your Saudi CV in a short and professional style using action verbs. Write your CV in a reverse-chronological order - starting with what you have done most recently or functional order - information structured per item. Make no more than two to three pages depending on the length of your work experience. Emphasize experience and/or knowledge of the Middle East.

The intention of your CV should be to persuade the employer to invite you for an interview. Therefore, your CV is a marketing tool, which should be adapted to the market in which you intend to use it.

Employers in Saudi Arabia want to see in detail what you have done, who you have worked for, when you worked there and what your accomplishments were. The Saudi CV that covers a work history of 15 years or more should easily be up to four or more pages long.

Begin the Saudi CV with your “Personal Details” listing name, address, contact information including your telephone number and e-mail address. Often CVs are kept on file for lengthy periods, so any contact details you give have to remain accurate in the long term. A daytime phone number, with the international access code and e-mail are most important.

Next, write an “Objective” or “Summary” statement no longer then two sentences. Remember that this statement can limit the positions that you will be considered for. Write this statement wisely, so you may not be overlooked. Employers will look here first before proceeding onto the rest of your CV.

Follow with “Education”. List the degree obtained, study major, the school, the city and the year the degree was granted. If you have more than one degree, list the highest degree first. Describe your level of oral and written knowledge of languages.

In addition, list certifications and training received. Mention any Honors, Awards, Scholarships and Internships. Include any information that might be appropriate to your job search.

Then, under “Professional Experience” detail, the company name and the time spent at each particular position, your job titles and a thorough description of your responsibilities - emphasizing areas relevant to the position for which you are applying. If you have not had much work experience, try including temporary, holiday or voluntary jobs.

Make your Saudi CV more effective and emphasize what you have to offer to the employer. Use power words and action verbs to describe your achievements, such as contributed, organized, trained, managed, developed, coordinated, etc. Provide examples that fit the job, to illustrate your achievements. Focus on the skills and qualifications that are required for the position. Bullet point these at the start of a sentence for maximum impact.

Optionally you may ad “Memberships” section where you list any professional affiliations, associations or memberships of interest to employers.

After the above items, you can have extra headings for things such as additional coursework or seminars, publications, special licenses, software, hardware, operating systems, computer languages, personal information including nationality, marital status, date and place of birth, gender, military service, etc.

Discrimination laws are not as stringent in Saudi Arabia as they are elsewhere in the world. Subsequently, carefully consider what to leave out of your CV. If you are not married, it is not wise to mention that you “only” live together with a partner – it does not comply with the Muslim religion.

It is more common to apply for a job through the Internet. However, you should be aware that an electronic CV does not look the same as a standard one. Employers often scan CVs, so make your CV scannable by avoiding for example lines, italic fonts etc.

Computer print or typewrite your CV hard copies on white A4 format paper. Use the same font and style as your cover letter. Use a font that is easy to read such as 11 point Arial.

Always include a cover letter with your CV, but never attach any official documents, like diplomas or testimonials to your application unless you have been asked to provide them.

It is best to avoid putting references on your CV. Employers usually ask for references when they actually need them. This is strong indication that an employer is interested in you.

 

· Writing for a Chinese Business Audience

Summary:

This handout provides examples and information on writing in English for both domestic and international audiences doing business in China. It includes information on letters and memos, as well as important stylistic considerations.

Contributors: Tony Cimasko
Last Edited: 2011-10-25 12:55:28

While many of the genres and conventions of business writing in English are found everywhere, some are unique to particular contexts, and may prove challenging to those attempting to do business in those contexts. Being able to create appropriate formal and informal written business documents in these contexts not only contributes to a more efficient business enterprise, but also enables the writer to be seen as knowledgeable and culturally sensitive.

This handout is designed to provide basic information on writing effectively in English for business audiences in the People's Republic of China. While the information in the handout is designed from the perspective of familiarity with the norms of North American business writing, it will also be helpful as a guide for anyone who is unfamiliar with business writing in China, including students from China. The information included below is meant to serve as a quick and ready reference sheet on Chinese business writing. Information borrowed directly from other writers are marked with one or more asterisks (*) and are listed at the end of the page.

The topics discussed in this handout are:

· Letters and Memos

· Style considerations

Two important notes must be made:

1. This handout is designed only for business writing in mainland China, not for writing based in Hong Kong or in Taiwan (the Republic of China).

2. Since English is a foreign language in Chinese contexts, and not an adopted second language as it is in India, the standards for letters and memos below will not always apply. If you are writing from an organization in an Anglophone (English-speaking) country, the standards of business writing in Anglophone countries may be expected. Conversely, if you are writing within a Chinese context-as a member of a Chinese company, for example-the Chinese norms may apply. In either case, if you are writing to a Chinese audience, apply the information on style and social considerations below to the standard that you choose. Check with colleagues for the standard practices of your company.

· Letters and Memos

The purposes of business letters and memos in China parallel the purposes they serve in North American businesses: introducing a candidate for employment, requesting information, making complaints, disseminating information to an office, proposing projects, making sales, and so on.

Letters

1. Make sure that your letterhead includes a fax number. If it doesn't, type it directly beneath the letterhead. Faxing continues to be an important component of doing business in China.

2. If a letter is generated on organizational letterhead, enter a document number on the far right side of the page, below the letterhead. This number identifies the letter's place in the organization's history of letters, as well as other information. North American use of reference numbers is not as common as it is in Chinese companies.

3, Beneath the document number but on the left side of the page, type only the name of the addressee's organization (not the address), followed by the name and appropriate title of the individual addressee. Chinese names are traditionally written with the surname (family name) first, followed by the given name. If your addressee has already written it with the given name first, though, continue to follow that form.

4. Write a salutation ("Dear ______:") as you would in a North American letter, then body of the letter, with an introductory paragraph, body paragraph(s), and a closing paragraph.

5. The sender name and date are typed toward the right side of the page, without a complimentary close. Dates are typed immediately under the sender name, in year-month-day format without commas (ex: 2007-05-16), rather than in the month-day-year North American format (May 16, 2007). Use of numbers instead of month names is a more regular occurrence.

6. As with a North American letter, type "CC" for anyone receiving an additional copy of the letter, followed by their names. A list of enclosures is optional.

e.g. YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL LETTERHEAD

Fax number

#CF 4872

New Millennium Electronics

Ms. Chang Biyu

 

Dear Ms. Chang

I am writing to provide more information on the sales presentation taking place on Friday, June 15.

The merchandise samples, brochures, and presentation slides have all been prepared, and our sales team is in the process of tailoring their presentation to the particular needs of your company. I have enclosed a copy of the brochure and photographs of the merchandise samples for you to inspect. Right now, we believe the presentation will take about one hour. If you would like more or less time, we are very flexible and would be happy to accommodate you.

Please do not hesitate to e-mail ([e-mail]) if you have any questions. I am looking forward to meeting you in person on the fifteenth.

Your Name

2007-5-16

CC: Names

Memos

1. Memos are printed on organizational letterhead, and in many cases, all contact information (address, e-mail address, telephone, and fax number) is included. If any of these are missing, type them on the bottom after your name, not on the top.

2. Memorandum numbers, comparable to the letter reference numbers noted above are included near the top of the page, underneath organizational letterhead, on the left side of the page. Enter the date immediately below the memorandum number.

3. Below the date and in the center of the page, type the subject (you don't need to say “subject” or “re”), and below that, type "From" and your name. Unlike North American memos, there is no explicit mention of the recipient's name.

4. Type the body of the memo.

5. Type your name again along the left side of the page. Include contact information if it is not included in the letterhead.

e.g. YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL LETTERHEAD

Memorandum #60320

2007.5.17

June 15 Sales Presentation Preparations

From: You

 

Photographs of the merchandise to be displayed during the June 15 sales presentation will be circulated over the next week, along with copies of the sales brochure. Please enter your comments on both in the feedback form below this memo, and send them to me by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 21.

Your Name

[e-mail]

 

As is the case in nearly every country, Chinese businesses use A4 paper (210 × 297 mm/8.27 × 11.7 inches), rather than the 8 ½ × 11 inch (215.9 × 279.44 mm) letter and 8 ½ × 14 inch (216 × 356 mm) legal sizes that are standard in the United States and Canada. You will also find B5 paper (6.9 × 9.8 inches, 176 × 250 mm) in use on occasion, although not nearly as often as A4. Format your documents accordingly, by changing the paper size used by Microsoft Word (click File, then Page Setup; click the Paper tab, choose the paper size from the pull down menu, then click OK). You can also format PDF files, by clicking File, then Page Setup, and choosing A4 from the Size pull down menu before clicking OK—but this is not something you will be forced to do, since Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat both re-size pages to automatically fit the user’s paper size. Web pages and other electronic documents that are not meant for print follow universal display standards, and do not need to be formatted differently.

For domestic mail in China, it is important to use only 260 mm × 185 mm (10.24 × 7.28 inch) envelopes. Domestic mail sent in envelopes that do not correspond to this size will be returned.

· Style Considerations

For the most part, the norms of North American business writing are valued in Chinese business writing. There are, however, some subtle but important variations in discourse that your writing should reflect, enabling you to better connect with your audiences.

“Cold calling” as it is understood in North America happens far less often in Chinese contexts.* This does not mean that strangers do not communicate with one another to open talks for business, of course. It does mean that a writer will refer to any commonalities they share with their addressee. This can be a reference to a common acquaintance:

My long-time colleague, Mr. Li Jianguo, has often mentioned the quality of your company’s electronics repairs.

It can also take the form of an assumed awareness of the addressee’s particular circumstances (an important strategy in sales letters):

Your firm is growing, so of course you would be interested in finding out how to access new overseas markets.

Official communications, letters and other written communications that are not primarily personal, come under the general heading of the term “gongwen.” Within gongwen, there are three kinds of relationships: superior to subordinate (“xiaxing”), equal to equal (“pingxing”), and subordinate to superior (“shangxing”). What constitutes “xiaxing” (ex., a memo announcing layoffs) and “shangxing” (ex., a human resources report to a supervisor) is usually obvious across cultures, but “pingxing” encompasses most sales writing, as well as official letters. In each case, remain conscious of the language that you use to convey deference, respectful leadership, or equality of status.**

Use titles and family names in all your business correspondence. Do not use given names by themselves.

 

 

PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENTS