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Preparation for Application to Agency for Science, Technology and
Research (A*STAR) – Summer February 2017
Welcome to UCEAP in collaboration with A*STAR
This brief presentation covers pointers for your application to the A*STAR laboratories covering the following items:
1. The Cover letter
2. Your Curriculum Vitae/Resume
3. Letter of Recommendation
4. Official Transcript(s)
Much of this information is included in your Pre-departure Checklist.
But first you will need to figure out which of the A*STAR institutes are of interest to you.
There will be a Q&A session at the end of the presentation. Please write your questions down as they arise and wait until prompted to ask them via the Questions box.
Explore the A*STAR Institutes
On the UCEAP A*STAR program pages, click on the Internship tab and on that page,
under the section titled Opportunities, click on the A*STAR Research Institutes. This will
take you to a list of 21 institutes and centers with which you might apply to work.
On that page, continue to click in and you will learn a little about the lab and the type of
work that they are doing. Click on the Visit tab for each and further information is found.
Information about whom to contact about your institute or center can also be found there.
Participants are selected by each A*STAR Research Institution (RI) independently.
Applications are processed on a first come, first served basis. You may apply to more
than one institute or center.
You must email the required documents to the A*STAR contact(s) for your prospective
project(s) by February 22, 2017 for primary consideration. Many of the documents
require additional preparation time. Do not wait until the last minute to work on your
application.
The Cover Letter
Do a cover letter expressing interest in a specific research/internship position:
• Keep it no more than one page in length.
• Customize each to the lab/organization/company to which you are applying.
• Don’t exaggerate your skills or experience. Be honest.
• Make sure the letter explains why you are interested in the research/organization
objective, why you want to work with the group, and why you are qualified. Anything
else is irrelevant.
1st Paragraph – Introduction
This paragraph should say who you are and why you are writing this cover letter in two
sentences. Use this paragraph to name drop one or two people with whom you have
worked (in class or position) or someone who works in the field with whom you have spoken
about this, but don’t overdo it.
Example: My name is Jane Doe and I am a 3rd-year economics major at the University of
California XXX. I am writing to apply for the Financial Analyst position at Goldman Sachs
given my interest in the bond market and my desire to be part of Goldman’s industry leading
performance in this area.
The Cover Letter (cont’d)
2nd Paragraph – Why Choose Me?
Tell your reader why you have what it takes to make a difference for the organization.
Use detailed evidence of your abilities from what you have already studied, successfully
completed and accomplished in school. Relate/transfer your accomplishments to what the
research lab may need. Indicate the ability to learn anything you have not yet
undertaken.
**Tip: Short bullets are very effective way to format this section.
Example: While studying economics and working as a part-time manager at the campus
bookstore, I gained knowledge and experience that will enable me to be a successful
financial analyst:
• Extensive Modeling Skills: I received A’s in all of my advanced economics classes which
emphasize quantitative analysis using complex models. I see myself using my advanced
regression analysis models to find hidden correlations in financial data
• Client Management Ability: I solved problems and built relationships in my bookstore job
by interacting with hundreds of customers a day. Our store has never had a satisfaction
rating below 90%. Because this role will have client facing responsibilities, I will be able
to apply my maturity and communications skills to manage constantly evolving client
demands
The Cover Letter (cont’d)
3rd Paragraph – Why this Lab/Organization/Agency/Company?
This paragraph is all about wooing the company and explaining to them that you know what
they are about and why you fit in with their culture and mission. Be very specific and
personal about why the group and its work interest you. Back this all up with examples.
Avoid plugging in generic responses that you would find off the company’s website and
recruiting materials.
Example: I am choosing to apply to Goldman Sachs because of the company’s commitment to
the best client service and its deep expertise in the international bond market. I have spoken to
many members of my school’s alumni group in finance and all of them speak highly of client
service being the key to success. Adding that to the fact that major finance publications like
Bloomberg frequently cite Goldman as the leading authority in this space, it was easy for me to
make this company my top choice of employers.
The Cover Letter (cont’d)
4th Paragraph – Why this Job/Organization/Team?
Present why you are a good fit for this particular lab/job/organization given your past
interests and skills. Be very specific giving what you hope to get out of this
research/internship and why it is interesting to you.
Example: The financial analyst role is a strong fit for me because I have always been
interested in bonds and finance. I have even started an investment club at the University of
California to test different trading strategies. My goal with this job is to use my love for
finance and my economics background to develop new innovative approaches to pricing
bonds for the international bond trading group because I believe there is opportunity to find
underpriced assets in today’s low interest environment.
The Cover Letter (the close)
5th Paragraph – The Close
This should be a quick sentence that does three things: thank your reader, remind them
that your resume is enclosed, and provide an email where you can be reached.
Sample Format: Thank for your time in reviewing my application and as a reminder, my
resume and a letter of reference are attached. I can be reached at [email protected] if you
have further questions.
Sign off formally, with Sincerely, Respectfully, etc.
References are available on every UC campus:
https://icc.ucdavis.edu/materials/cover-letters-samples.htm
https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/pitch-yourself-for-an-internship
https://career.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/Guide/ResumesCoverLetters.pdf
http://careercenterpeers.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/11/conquering-the-cover-
letter.html
http://career.ucla.edu/portals/14/documents/pdf/careerguide/2015/ucla_careerguide
_2015-2016_082615_1246pm_chapter5.pdf
http://aip.ucsd.edu/_files/resume-cover-letter-writing
The Curriculum Vitae (CV)
A CV is an academic resume. It should be a short concise report of what skills and
experiences you would bring to a research lab. Templates are available via your
campus Career Center for your use.
Please highlight
• Your objective
• Academic achievements
• What related classes you have successfully completed
• Scholarships or awards you may have received
• Work experience (especially teaching, mentoring, tutoring, research positions)
• Publication or poster presentations
• Communications, team or leadership experiences
References:
1. http://career.ucla.edu/portals/14/documents/pdf/careerguide/2015/ucla_care
erguide_2015-2016_082615_1246pm_chapter5.pdf
2. http://www.career.uci.edu/docs/students/Write-a-Resume.pdf
3. https://ugr.ue.ucsc.edu/email_examples
Letter of Recommendation
Due Date: February 22
Out of courtesy, you should allow at least two weeks for your UC professor to write your letter.
Request by email and/or visit faculty office hours. If requested in person, follow up with an email with the details.
Prepare request early
Choose appropriate professor
Put “Recommendation” for [your name] as the email subject line
Body of the request
• Purpose of the letter of recommendation, due date and logistics (letter must be on official UC letterhead) addressed to either lab supervisor or A*STAR Project Supervisor
• Information about yourself
• Name of labs and supervisors you plan on applying to so that the letter can be personalized.
• Information about what you would like the letter to say.
• Close with information about follow up ( you will bring your transcript and CV to the professor) and remember to thank your professor.
References:
http://www.wikihow.com/Ask-Your-Professor-for-a-Letter-of-Recommendation-Via-Email
Project supervisors may contact the recommender and/or student directly if more information is needed.
Letter of Recommendation
Downloaded from http://www.wikihow.com
From: [email protected]
Subject: Recommendation for John Smith
Dear Dr. Doe,
I was hoping you would be willing to write me a letter of recommendation. My name is John Smith, and I am a Junior majoring in Biology. I took your Microbiology 102 course in fall of 2015 and finished with an A in the class. I will be applying for a position on Dr. Allen’s cytology research team, and the application is due by February 22.
While I was in your class, I became fascinated with the fundamental processes of life that happen on a cellular level. I am very interested in working with Dr. Allen because I feel like his team’s research in amino acid therapies could make great advances in the field. I know that you have been a part of several successful related studies, and I would very much like to be part of a team that is working on something so important. In your class, I discovered my love for microbiology, and that has led me to apply for a position on Dr. Allen’s team.
Dr. Allen has said that the position will require long hours and rigorous research. I was hoping that you could include in your recommendation the dedication that I demonstrated on the group project I was assigned while in your class. As you might remember, my group’s project was particularly difficult. We faced several setbacks but, in the end, we earned an A because of our dedication and hard work.
If you are willing to write me a recommendation, please let me know and I will stop by your office with the required paperwork.
Thank you in advance for your time and assistance. I enjoyed your class, and it helped immensely when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do after college. You helped me see how much good biology can do in the world and I will always be grateful for that.
Best,
John Smith
Official UC Transcripts
You will need to order just one official UC transcript
Scan and email copies with application materials
PDFs are best
Make sure PDFs are clear
Scan both sides as the back side explains terminology on the transcript
Note: If you are currently enrolled in a course that is not on your transcript that is relevant to the internship, mention it on your CV.
And if you are a transfer student and some major prerequisites were completed at a community college, include a PDF of that transcript as well.
Questions?