http://www.biospace.com/jobs/job-listing/?job_id=255401&type=partner&sou...?
Neuroscience Research Associate- Genentech, Inc
The job that I am applying for is a neuroscience research associate with Genentech in San Francisco, CA. In the field of neuroscience, surprisingly few jobs are available at entry-level positions. This job appealed to me for a variety of reasons. Genentech is a world-leading biotech company that has produced many advances in the medical field. This field is where my primary interest lies, as I want to help people with the work that I accomplish in my lifetime. Genentech is a large company that values its employees and offers opportunity for advancement. I also really like the location. Ever since I visited California this past summer, I have wanted to work there after graduation. San Francisco is a very nice city and I would be thrilled to work there. For me, this job offers a great company in a great location.
After looking at Genentech’s website, it became apparent that their employees were very important to the company. The company was named in FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to work for for the eleventh consecutive year. It was also named “top employer in the biopharmaceutical industry” by Science magazine in 2008. Genentech offers training courses in many different areas. After one year of employment, the company will also pay 100% of tuition for continuing education. They offer many benefits such as 401k’s, insurance, and stock purchase plans. They also try to maintain a very friendly atmosphere, offering weekend socials and corporate parties to all employees. Genentech seems like the perfect company to work for, as they go out of their way to do everything that they can for their employees.
The requirements for this position are having a Bachelors of Science and 0-4 years of experience. Since I have little experience besides what I have learned in laboratory classes, this is the perfect job to apply for. The ideal candidate for this job is someone who has “a creative mind and keen sense of logic.” Throughout my labs and research I have learned to be very creative in coming up with new ideas. I also have learned to apply logic to unique situations. The job-ad also says that the applicant should be “observant and reliable with outstanding time-management skills.” I am a very observant person and prefer all meticulous details to be perfect. I am also a very reliable person with previous employers who could attest to the fact. I believe my time-management skills speak for themselves. I currently have two jobs and am involved in various clubs and activities, while taking six upper-level science/technical classes. While I don’t have much free-time, I find it better to keep busy.
One of Genentech’s guiding principles is to “Set aggressive goals with confidence that our employees have the ability and perseverance to achieve them.” This statement appeals to me because I am a very goal-based person. I always set goals for myself, many of which people think are unattainable, but it is my way of pushing myself. When I set high goals, I force myself to work harder than I would have without goals or with easily-attainable ones. Even if I don’t reach my goals, I have accomplished much more than I would have without them. I feel like working for a company who held high expectancies of its employees would enable me to do more with my career. I work well under pressure, especially when a deadline is looming. This would work to the advantage of both Genentech and myself. I would push myself to work harder and get more accomplished, enabling me to move up in the company, and Genentech to reach their goals of advancing medicine and biotechnology.
I really like the job that I found. They are looking for someone in my exact shoes, graduating with a degree in neuroscience that is a hard worker with knowledge of the field. I would love to move out to San Francisco after graduation and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. I would also appreciate the opportunity to do something with my career that will benefit many people in the long-term. Genentech seems to be a great company that cares about its employees. It would offer me many opportunities for advancement, not just in the company but also in education. I feel like the atmosphere at Genentech would be a perfect fit for me and the start of a mutually beneficial relationship.
Instructor commentary
You've clearly given careful thought to how this position matches your interests, which is good. I think three things might also help your analysis: focusing on how you would help the company (rather than how the job will help you); connecting key words in the job ad with specific tasks you have accomplished; discussing how your analysis shapes your cover letter (and resume if appropriate). You do mention some terms from the ad, which is a good move, but you want to point to concrete examples that show (rather than claim) that you are appropriate for the position. For example, you state:
Notice that you make claims about your connections to the job ad terms, but you don't provide concrete evidence as proof. The golden rule of employment documents is show, don't tell, because specific stories will stick and general statements will not.
Also, you should turn to a discussion of how your analysis shapes your cover letter (and other documents). Recall that the assignment description states: "Think of the Job Ad Analysis as a prelude to the Cover Letter." You should make tentative determinations about what the central theme or argument of your cover letter will be and how you will use the material in this analysis correspondingly. You want to treat this analysis as groundwork for the documents ahead of you, which means attention to both content and structure.Overall, however, you've got a good start, and you should be able to mine much of this content for your other employment documents.