{"id":1624,"date":"2019-11-28T11:13:36","date_gmt":"2019-11-28T11:13:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/careers\/?p=1624"},"modified":"2025-10-22T15:16:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T14:16:47","slug":"why-them-the-missing-answer-on-your-cover-letter-application-or-personal-statement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/careers\/2019\/11\/28\/why-them-the-missing-answer-on-your-cover-letter-application-or-personal-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"Why them? The missing answer on your cover letter, application or personal statement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why do you want to work for THAT organisation, or study at THAT institution? Specifically. And not just because it\u2019s a \u2018leading company in its field\u2019 or a \u2018first class institution\u2019. Companies and Universities are expecting a much more well-researched, detailed and thoughtful answer than this.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Out of the many cover letters, applications and personal statements we see every term, this is very often the missing piece of the puzzle. And it could be the reason for your application being rejected.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not convinced, put yourself in the position of a hiring manager and read the following example answers to the question \u2018Why are you interested in working for us? If you were the recruiter for P&G which candidate would you score higher?<\/p>\n

Candidate A<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cYour organisation is an award-winning leader in its field, employing 7,000 people globally.\u00a0 It has an international reputation and is also one of the most respected companies in the UK.\u00a0 It is important for me to work for a successful organisation and I would welcome all the different opportunities available to me.\u00a0 I would also like to work abroad at some point and so the global nature of your organisation appeals to me.\u00a0 Finally, I\u2019d like to work for the organisation because the role matches my skills, particularly my communication and teamwork skills.\u00a0\u00a0 I am a creative person and I am also interested in developing new skills, and believe that this placement scheme would help me to achieve my goals.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Candidate B<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"I have researched P&G\u2019s product portfolio and am extremely excited by the thought of working for prestigious brands such as Olay, Gillette and Wella. I have been following your recent campaign for Olay with a great deal of interest.\u00a0 I was particularly attracted to the mother and daughter link in the campaign which indicated that the brand has something to offer a woman at all stages of her life.<\/em><\/p>\n

I also believe my skills are a strong match for the position of Account Manager.\u00a0 I have recently been involved with the innovative re-branding strategy of the student union at Bath, where I worked with senior managers in the university, undertook focus groups and collaborated with our design agency.\u00a0 After examining your website and attending your presentation at Bath, I understand the value of good organisational skills in order to manage a portfolio of brands.\u00a0 My organisation skills have greatly improved throughout my first year and I have consistently delivered coursework ahead of the deadlines.<\/em><\/p>\n

Finally I have also been impressed by the honesty and enthusiasm of recently recruited trainees of the organisation I met at this year\u2019s Careers Fair especially Maurice Edwards who spoke very highly of the creative culture at P&G.\"<\/em><\/p>\n

Do your homework <\/strong><\/p>\n

You cannot answer the 'Why them?' question properly unless you spend time researching the company or institution. When approaching this task think about what separates this organisation from their competitors, what have they achieved which is unique to them, and what is it about their culture or values which interests you? We have some detailed information on MyFuture on how to research employers on MyFuture:<\/p>\n