000034907 an analysis of job applications in the english language in the english langusge in multi lateral educational projects in vietnam
BACKGROUND T O TH E STU D Y
Multilateral development has become a central pillar of international development and international relations in an increasingly globalized world A broad range of aid areas is now governed by multilateral rules and norms, created through multilateral negotiations and implemented through joint multilateral-national efforts.
Interpreting and translating are pivotal to the development process in developing countries, which depend on external trade, foreign investment, development aid, and technology transfer to accelerate growth and spur social progress By enabling clear cross-border communication, skilled interpretation and translation unlock access to international markets, support effective policy dialogue, and accelerate the flow of knowledge, ideas, and resources that drive economic growth and social advancement.
Expanding international development has significantly shaped Vietnam’s government Recently, Vietnam has built strong relationships with international donors in the education sector, initiating and implementing multiple multilateral educational projects that involve both international and Vietnamese stakeholders English and Vietnamese serve as the official languages within these projects, but language gaps—some Vietnamese staff not fluent in English and some international partners not fluent in Vietnamese—have created a need to recruit interpreters and translators to facilitate clear communication among participants.
Choosing interpreters and translators for multilaterally funded projects presents several challenges, including limited accuracy and the difficulty of conveying the same concepts across different languages Translation aims to reproduce in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source message, prioritizing meaning first and genre second, while the transfer of genre itself becomes a persistent challenge for every translator or interpreter Translators and interpreters are mediators who must possess not only bilingual ability but also bi-cultural vision, since they mediate between cultures to overcome incompatibilities that hinder the transfer of meaning.
Translation is an act of interaction, not a mere transfer of words This interaction unfolds as a process that involves more than the traditional trio—author, translator, and target reader—and extends to the signs that constitute a text and the relationship between those signs Meaning emerges from the ongoing dialogue among people and signs, as translators reinterpret messages while maintaining intent, nuance, and context Viewed this way, the translation process becomes a dynamic negotiation between language, culture, and readership, with both sign systems and human participants shaping the final text for its new audience.
From the outset, the study assumes that for many Vietnamese interpreters and translators aiming at multi-lateral educational projects, success hinges on presenting an appropriately structured job application that follows the right genre In Vietnam, even a brief scan of English-language job advertisements shows that applicants must submit an application letter and a curriculum vitae in English Preliminary findings indicate many applicants send only a very simple letter that does not address the selection criteria, and in the absence of a CV, prospective employers have insufficient information to assess fit In other cases, qualifications and experience may be solid but are poorly presented, providing little useful information despite actual capability The barrier to interviews is often not a lack of professional knowledge but rather a lack of familiarity with the norms and conventions of writing an application letter and CV in a different cultural context.
A IM S
From the preceding discussion, it is possible to identify the problem o f existing job application evaluation discourse as follows.
In contemporary Vietnam, multilateral aid acts as a catalyst for social, political, cultural, and economic development, with education projects positioned as engines of modernization These initiatives increasingly rely on bridging language and genre gaps to meet the expectations of multinational aid organizations while serving as career pathways for interpreters and translators This intersection merits closer academic examination, as genre and cultural elements can intensify the divide between employers and language professionals Understanding these dynamics helps design more effective and inclusive development programs that align employer expectations with the capabilities of interpreters and translators.
Thus the aims o f this study are to examine:
(a) The ways job applications are written by Vietnamese interpreters/translators to persuade prospective em ployers undertaking multi-lateral educational projects, and
These applications are perceived as meeting the needs of prospective employers engaged in multilateral educational projects that explore cultural elements shaping how job applications are written, enabling recruiters to assess candidates within diverse cultural contexts and align application materials with cross-cultural expectations in recruitment.
SCOPE AND SIG N IFICA N CE OF THE STU D Y
Scope o f the S tu d y
Within business communication, a job application comprises two key components: a letter of application that directly addresses the job’s selection criteria and specifications, and a curriculum vitae (CV) that presents the applicant’s academic, professional, and other relevant details in a clear, structured bullet or report format.
In business literature, the three-stage selection process is commonly described The first stage involves screening applicants based on their job applications and written materials, a step known as short-listing The second stage is the interview, where overall suitability is evaluated through responses to questions tied to the job specifications The third stage is the final selection, where, in addition to suitability, other factors are considered to rank candidates and choose the preferred individual(s).
This study restricts its analysis to the initial screening stage, since the second and third screenings involve a broad range of dependent and independent variables that can influence the selection and ranking process Accordingly, in this thesis, references to “successful” and “unsuccessful” applicants pertain solely to the first screening—the process of inviting candidates for an interview based on their application letter and curriculum vitae Here, success is defined as being shortlisted for an interview based on the submitted letter of application and CV.
Significance o f the Study
As in any academic thesis significance, the research findings must have significance for an audience and for the academic discipline The significance o f this study is manifold.
This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of how genre theory and discourse analysis illuminate the cultural dimensions underlying letters of application and curricula vitae written by Vietnamese interpreters and translators, and how these documents are evaluated by multilateral employers in the education sector It shows that cultural factors based on high-context and low-context communication styles significantly shape both the composition of applications and the criteria used to assess them, with important implications for cross-cultural hiring and credential evaluation.
This article examines the genre of job-application documents—cover letters and curricula vitae—through discourse and genre analysis, highlighting how cultural factors shape their production and interpretation It shows that understanding the interrelation between cover letters and CVs is increasingly important for grasping how employer expectations and a candidate’s interpretation of those expectations influence which applicants are shortlisted for interviews By exploring language, structure, and cultural cues, the analysis explains how these documents guide hiring decisions in real-world recruitment contexts.
These findings have practical significance for job applicants in general and for those seeking interpreters/translators positions within multilateral educational projects in Vietnam, offering clearer guidance on how letters of application and curricula vitae should be written and presented to meet employer expectations They also help applicants navigate cultural factors that may affect their applications and application materials Additionally, the study contributes to an evaluation framework rooted in the job-application genre, enabling employers to assess interpreters/translators applicants more effectively while accounting for cross-cultural issues.
ORGANIZATION OF TH E T H E S IS
The thesis consists o f five main chapters, two appendices and references.
Chapter 1: Introduction presents the background to the study, aims, and scope and significance o f the study It provides justifications for undertaking this study.
Chapter 2, Literature Review, establishes the theoretical framework for the study and covers seven key sections: genres; genre and discourse analysis; genre theory and organizational communication; the job-application genre; linguistic features of an application form; cultural aspects of application writing; and previous studies.
Chapter 3 presents the methodology by outlining the research questions that address the study’s aims discussed in Chapter 1 Once these research questions are defined, the chapter specifies the study subjects (participants), the data collection instruments, and the data collection procedures used to gather the information.
Chapter 4: Results presents the data outcomes from three analyses—the letters of application, the curriculum vitae, and employers’ questionnaire responses—and contrasts these findings with the expectations expressed by employers The section reports on the key patterns and themes found in application letters and CVs, summarizes the feedback provided by employers, and analyzes how the actual materials align with or diverge from employer expectations in areas such as qualifications, experience, formatting, and content quality.
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations has two parts The conclusions are organized in four different them es: genre, cultural factors embedded in the jo b applications, main characteristics o f the letter o f application and curriculum vitae, and em ployer expectations o f the letter o f application and curriculum vitae.
Five chapters are follow ed by two appendices and references.
IN T RO D U C TIO N
Any literature review in the academic field is subject to the locus o f the thesis, namely the chosen theoretical perspective that governs the thesis It should be noted that the choice must be taken on basis o f the research question.
This thesis adopts genre theory as its theoretical framework, since the research questions call for an interpretive analysis It treats interpretation as a form of communication shaped by the institutional context of multilateral organizations and grounds its approach in established work practices and interaction norms.
Conceptually, genres form an interconnected network that supports a coordinated communicative process across professional texts—advertisements for positions, job descriptions, terms of reference, application letters in response to ads, and curricula vitae This clustering creates a genre system that is valuable for analyzing how people in a community interact Evidence from Orlikowski and Yates (1998) and from Yoshioka and Herman (1999, 2000) shows that deploying the right genre at the right moment can advance communication and influence decision-making.
Genre analysis is an integral part of workflow design and planning, shaping how content is organized, produced, and delivered By applying the appropriate genre, communicators ensure that information is received with trust, aligning with the audience’s cultural rules and expectations and thereby boosting clarity, credibility, and impact.
Much of contemporary world literature has been shaped by interpretations of the nature, function, and value of genres Recent advances in critical theory, together with the emergence of new modes of fictional and non-fictional communication—encompassing text, media, and digital technologies—are redefining genre boundaries and challenging the assumptions that underpinned traditional genre theory.
An examination of genre literature shows that, in addition to content and form, purpose and function are the central considerations in modern genre analysis Here, a genre is defined inductively from a specific combination of features, and this inductive approach shapes much of the literature review presented in this article.
At first glance, defining genre may not seem difficult, but a closer read of the literature reveals it as a theoretical and methodological minefield Traditional definitions tend to tie genre to shared conventions of content (themes or situational settings) and/or form (including non-literary or non-conforming textual structures and styles) that appear to belong to a set of texts (Eckert and Rickford 2001) While some scholars view the goal of pinning genre to essential textual characteristics as theoretically interesting, it often creates practical impediments for analysis A case in point is situational non-literary texts, such as English-language job applications for interpreters and translators within multilateral education projects in Vietnam, where applications may seem to align with one genre in content but with another in form.
Genre studies, for the purposes of this thesis, are the systematic examination of diverse literary forms—novel, short story, poem, drama, and film—centred on their distinctive characteristics, structures, and conventions The approach also encompasses situational writings, such as formal communications including job applications, illustrating how genre-specific features shape writing practices and audience expectations (Bell, 2001).
Genre continues to function as a meaningful concept that crosses the boundaries between traditional and contemporary literary theory, even as radical, periodic calls for its abandonment persist Much of the literature remains puzzling and frequently lacks explanatory clarity, while academic writings and readings provide limited guidance on the debates that underlie discussions of genre.
Hodge and Kress (1988) argue that genres exist only when a social group endorses and enforces the regulations that define them, and they note that it is controversial how far it is possible to create fixed 'rules' for the textual genres most commonly used, since much genre knowledge is often implicit In relation to job applications, genre can be understood as what a particular group collectively believes it to be, which raises the question of who that 'specific group' actually is (cf Tudor 1974) Allen (1989) critiques this approach, suggesting that if we follow it, determining what audiences (in this case the applicants) expect from a job application would require employers to ask the applicants themselves.
Building on Buckingham (1993), there is limited empirical evidence on how real audiences—such as job applicants—understand genre and use that understanding to interpret job‑requirement genres and craft the responding genre of job applications Neale (1980, 1995) suggests that job application genres are not fixed systems but processes of systematization, with non-literary genres remaining dynamic in form and function In this view, genres are not merely governed by static conventions but are in ongoing dialogue and transformation, shaped by situational circumstances Accordingly, situational non-literary genres like job applications may not be controlled by a single culture but can emerge in a context as a new culture, with the boundaries of these genres continually shifting These shifts reflect writers’ choices about content, language, and structure, and should be analyzed holistically in terms of purpose and function as well as content and form Taken together, the argument points to the possibility that non-literary situational genres become more visible under economic pressure on job applicants seeking new audiences—prospective employers—while acknowledging the dynamic flexibility of genres and resisting a claim that genres will ultimately disappear as an interpretive frame in non-literary and non-fictional settings.
Since 1996, the expanding general corpus of job advertisements and applications has driven changes in genres and their interrelationships The conventions of each genre shift over time, with new genres and subgenres emerging and others fading away, illustrating the fluid evolution of recruitment language as the field evolves.
Kửnigsberg (1987) and Fiske (1987) argue that texts within genres encode not only a culture's moral values but also the era's salient ideological concerns Regarding culture, the thesis also examines divergent communication practices as discussed below Neale (1980) adds that genres help form these moral and ideological values, while Thwaites et al (1994) contend that these values are mutual and that genre evolves in response to social conditions.
Scholars such as Feuer (1992), Casey (1993), Livingstone (1990), Miller (1994), and Freedman and Medway (1994) view genre as a mechanism of social control that reproduces the dominant ideology In this view, genre positions the audience to naturalize the ideologies embedded in the text, for example the contrast between job descriptions and job applications However, readers of such texts—like potential job applicants—are capable of reading against the grain and resisting the text, attempting to reshape it to fit a particular cultural genre (Fomas, 1995).
Genres are not neutral; Livingstone (1990) argues that different genres are designed to establish distinct worldviews, so the worldview embedded in a job description may diverge from the worldview of a prospective applicant In redefining genre in terms of purpose, Miller (1994) contends that a rhetorically sound definition centers on the action a genre is used to accomplish rather than the substance or form of the discourse Following this perspective, Swales (1990) notes that the defining feature guiding a set of communicative events—such as job descriptions and job applications—into a genre is a shared set of communicative purposes.
GENRE AND D ISC O U R SE A N A L Y S IS
In genre and discourse analysis, genre is defined as the classification of communicative events that share common communicative purposes, while discourse is treated as a social practice that signals the different ways of representing social phenomena This distinction clarifies how language operates in context, with concrete examples such as a letter of application, a curriculum vitae, job advertisements, job specifications or descriptions, and terms of reference illustrating how professional communication conveys roles, expectations, and contextual meaning.
Although some scholars argue that genre provides a sufficient theoretical framework for research, the counterargument is that theory without practice may fail to reveal all practical implications for phenomena such as application writing and its assessment Taking the Marxist concept of dialectical materialism into account illuminates how social and economic structures shape writing practices, influence how assignments are framed, and affect the criteria by which student work is evaluated This integrated view—where genre theory meets practical performance—highlights the dynamic interaction between theoretical constructs and real-world assessment, and it argues for a research approach that links theoretical insights to concrete instructional tasks and evaluation standards.
Praxis, derived from the Greek verb meaning “to do,” embodies the systematic and concerted synthesis of theory and practice As a guiding principle for this thesis, praxis anchors the research by linking conceptual frameworks with real-world application, ensuring that theoretical insights are translated into actionable outcomes By foregrounding praxis, the study emphasizes how knowledge is created and applied in tandem, enhancing relevance, rigor, and impact.
Discourse analysis, as Fairclough (1989) describes, is an interdisciplinary approach to the study of text and talk that treats language as a form of social practice It aims to uncover the ideological underpinnings of discourse—ideologies that have become so naturalized over time that they are perceived as common, acceptable, and intrinsic features of everyday communication (Teo, 2000).
Fairclough argues that language is the primary domain of ideology and a site where power struggles unfold, tying language to social life as both a battleground and a stake in influence Therefore, the purpose of discourse analysis is to reveal the ideologies and power relations embedded in discourse, including how unequal access to linguistic and social resources shapes who can participate, who is heard, and how social hierarchies are reproduced or contested This focus on unequal access to linguistic and social resources emphasizes why examining discourse is essential for understanding how language both reflects and shapes social power (Fairclough, 1989; 1995).
There is little explicit reference to how a job‑application document contributes to understanding the job description as a form of situational non‑literary genres, which makes it difficult to position applicants within specific genres Consequently, an application can be viewed as the set of categories that constitute a genre, categories that are realized linguistically in texts and, in turn, shape the broader orders of discourse within the text (Threadgold, 2000) However, as Fairclough (1995, 2002) and others have noted, recognizing these orders of discourse in text depends heavily on the analyst’s experience, knowledge of the text’s context, and interpretive biases—biases that are themselves described within the genre of the group This suggests the need for social understanding in particular institutional or organizational settings (Fairclough ).
Van Dijk (2001a; 2001b) and Wodak (2001) identify leading contemporary European researchers in the field of discourse analysis, and their work highlights both the shared approaches and the notable differences that characterize linguistic and discourse analysis today.
GENRE THEORY A ND O RGAN IZATIO NAL CO M M U N ICA TIO N
Although the concept of genre has long circulated across diverse disciplines and arts (Zimmerman, 1994), it has only recently been recognized as a valuable analytic tool for examining organizational communication, as demonstrated by Yates and Orlikowski (1992) and Paré and Smart.
1994) In this context, a genre o f ‘organizational com m unication’ has been defined by
According to Miller (1994) and Yates and Orlikowski (1992), a genre can be seen as a typified communicative action characterized by shared content and form This view explains how a genre’s content—or its communicative purpose—must be collectively recognized within a community and interpreted against articulated social motives, themes, and topics (cf Yates and Orlikowski, 1992; Bazerman, 1994; Berkenkotter and Huckin, 1995) In this framing, content refers to the aspects addressed in a given act of communication and the purposes behind that act, while form denotes the document’s physical features.
Communicative genre must be distinguished from the medium that carries it, separating text, media, and technology into distinct concepts A fax or email is a transmission medium supported by electronic technology, and by itself it does not define a communicative genre In contrast, a job application sent by fax or email represents specific genres Moreover, media can shape a genre’s form, and the introduction of new media can occasionally change existing genres (Yates and Orlikowski, 1992).
A genre system, as Bazerman (1994) describes, is a network of interconnected genres that operate together within particular situational contexts An example is the typical sequence of a job advertisement, a job letter, a curriculum vitae, and a job interview, which together form a coherent genre system in the recruitment process When multiple distinct genres exist, the interaction between participants—such as employers and potential employees—changes accordingly If these different genres are employed simultaneously to achieve a communicative goal—applicants submit a letter of application and a CV while the employer provides a standard invitation or framework—there is potential for overlap, though this does not necessarily produce a single new genre (Orlikowski & Yates, 1994) Consequently, the notion of a genre system can encompass both a linear sequence of genres and a set of overlapping genres, representing a broader communicative process shared within the relevant community (Bazerman, 1994).
Changes in individual genres drive shifts in the overall genre repertoire over time, occurring either implicitly or explicitly (Yates et al., 1999) This development unfolds as everyday communicative actions by community members reinforce existing genres or challenge their use As a result, new genres—such as an application letter and curriculum vitae style—may emerge and gradually become the common norm among interpreters and multilateral employers.
Explicit development of a genre repertoire may involve actively adopting new genres or genre systems, or modifying existing ones Development can occur through trial-and-error in application writing and application assessment This process can be achieved when employers adjust to the genre norms of the applicants, and, conversely, applicants adapt to the genres favored by employers (Yates et al., 1999).
JOB-APPLICATION G E N R E
Although genre theory can be used to analyze job advertisements and job-application documents in business communication literature, the notion of a 'job-application genre' has not been explicitly defined or elaborated with respect to other types of business communication Much academic work has been published on business communication genres, but there is little specifically addressing the job-application genre Therefore it is necessary to borrow concepts from related areas and adapt them to the situation explored in this thesis The concept of a job-application genre is explained here to highlight the role job applications play in gaining employment and to demonstrate the use of genre concepts in job-application processing (cf Bhatia, 1993).
Job applications have long been a fundamental concept in business communication research and practice, particularly in the field of office management (Culnan, 1980; Bracchi and Pemici, 1984) In business communication literature, job applications are traditionally regarded as unstructured information, distinguishable from the more structured information used in relational and other kinds of communiqués.
Viewing a job application through the lens of genre theory helps us grasp its communicative purpose A job application comprises prearranged data presented in a medium designed for employer consumption, making it a typified genre that serves a specific communicative aim within a professional community In this view, a job-application document is an instance of a document genre—recorded information stored and used to achieve that purpose, understood and recognized within its intended audience, typically the employer.
Viewing a job application as a business discourse positions it within the broader fields of organizational communication and organizational discourse It examines how a business actor—typically a potential employer—reads ongoing interactions to interpret discourse within specific contexts, such as how a letter of application is organized by content, structure, and purpose By doing so, it seeks to establish a language-driven, context-aware framework for analyzing the dialogue between a candidate and an employer around particular workplace tasks, as proposed by Bargiela-Chiappini and Nickerson (2002).
Multilateral organizations operate within a global economy shaped by economic internationalization, which calls for redefining culture and cultures through interculturality Inter-culturality is a dynamic concept that reflects the resources that business actors—prospective employers and employees—bring to intercultural encounters, and the ongoing negotiation of multiple cultural dimensions as employment relationships develop (Harris and Bargiela-Chiappini 2003).
LINGUISTIC FEA TU R ES O F JOB A PPL IC A T IO N S
In language studies, text (for example, an application letter) is a broad term for any expression composed of words to convey meaning, and thus cannot be separated from genre and discourse analysis The emphasis here is on language and expression rather than organization or a prescribed structure.
Job applications typically consist of two parts: the curriculum vitae (CV) and the letter of application that addresses the job requirements The CV generally uses the simple present tense with "being" and "having" constructions—such as "being employed" or "having completed my studies"—to describe characteristics, combined with action verbs to outline activities Verbs that express saying, thinking, or feeling, like "shows" or "means," are used to signal the significance of the points made, placing the document in an explanatory genre CVs often employ technical, discipline-specific noun phrases and focus on generic participants such as employers, with these noun phrases expanded by relative clauses and prepositional phrases Conjunctions in these texts tend to convey cause and purpose rather than sequence.
An application letter is an explanatory genre that directly addresses the job description and requirements, using personal pronouns and action verbs to describe the applicant’s activities, and linking ideas with additive and temporal conjunctions while predominantly employing past tense to recount experiences By tying education, experience, and personal achievements to the role’s requirements, the letter draws on concrete experiences and may reflect on them, including statements like “I feel that I am eminently suitable for this role” to express evaluation This approach presents a cohesive case for suitability, showing how the applicant’s background aligns with what the employer seeks and how their achievements demonstrate capability.
Expository writing features in curriculum vitae (CV) and letters of application, where the text either reports facts in a CV or explains a case in a cover letter This mode uses a distinct set of linguistic tools than reporting or narrating: rather than a temporal sequence, it relies on a logical framework that presents arguments in a timeless, cohesive way Expository CVs and cover letters therefore adopt a more authoritative voice, typically written in the third person and infused with technical language to convey clarity, credibility, and purpose.
An analysis of the language features of the letter of application reveals that its genre centers on reporting what the applicant has done and explaining and arguing why they are suited for the position This can be examined in terms of what the applicant demonstrates they can accomplish in the writing, as well as the strengths and weaknesses evident in their approach A discourse-analytic perspective highlights how linguistic form—expression, grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and other stylistic choices—shapes persuasive impact By focusing on these elements, one can evaluate how effectively the applicant communicates qualifications, builds a case for fit, and presents coherent arguments across sections such as introduction, claims, evidence, and closing In practical terms, this means identifying the discourse patterns that reveal capability and self-presentation while noting how form and content align with audience expectations in professional communication.
Discourse analysis is surprisingly underutilized for analyzing linguistic expressions, yet recent work highlights formal concept analysis as a promising approach within discourse studies In modern grammar theories such as structure grammar (Pollard & Sag, 1994), lexical knowledge is organized into hierarchical feature-structure classes of lexical entries According to Sporleder (2002) and Osswald & Petersen (2002), discourse analysis may provide a viable method for deriving these hierarchies of information in the context of job applications However, their research remains largely theoretical rather than practical, and no detailed application examples have yet been published in the area of the application-writing process.
CULTURAL A SPEC TS OF APPLICATION W RITING
This thesis adopts a discursive-semiotic framework to analyze the cultural dimensions of application writing, while recognizing that other approaches exist The combination of discourse analysis and semiotic analysis brings together two disciplines that have not traditionally been used by translators and interpreters to study how cultural elements are transferred in translation and interpretation, including the writing of applications in a second language (Stubbs 1983).
Viewed from this perspective, Fairclough’s concept of society links cultural identity to the way people communicate within social contexts Accordingly, a job application is shaped by discursive practice to influence the employer within a particular cultural setting This means that aligning one’s narrative with the employer’s cultural expectations can enhance employment prospects in a given society.
Semiotics demonstrates how verbal and nonverbal signs generate meaning that underpins social relationships, systems of knowledge, and cultural identity These signs, and the ways they combine, can be deliberately manipulated to perform a persuasive function in application writing—both in the text and in the surrounding context—so as to influence an employer and secure employment In this view, semiotics equips the applicant with the means to deploy signs effectively in a persuasive application, with those signs reflecting and shaping a broader cultural identity.
By analyzing the signs and semiosis within the employer’s culture, the applicant identifies the functions these cues serve and translates them into the target language and culture by finding culturally equivalent expressions This approach leverages signs and semiosis to integrate discourse analysis with semiotic analysis, addressing cultural dimensions in the persuasive presentation of the application—encompassing both the curriculum vitae and the letter of application.
Signs, or units of meaning, generate interpretation only within a specific cultural context In the communication process, different types of signs yield different messages—such as in an application—making semiotics the foundational science of communication, since it examines how a sender (the applicant) formulates a message and transmits it through a medium The receiver (the employer) then interprets that message within a defined cultural frame, and the process itself both shapes and is shaped by that cultural context Consequently, the cultural aspects of application writing as a communication act hinge on a message crafted for a particular cultural setting, whose interpretation is influenced by that same context (Jakobson, 1970).
Transitioning from theory to practice, this discussion addresses pragmatic issues in the cultural aspects of application writing; the recent expansion of multilateral aid work has pushed second-language researchers to identify cultural differences in written communication, while also revealing that defining distinct cultural styles of languages is increasingly difficult from an ethnographic perspective, as authenticity in contemporary cultures cannot be assumed To understand the communication approach to these cultural aspects, it is essential to consider the field of experience, meaning, and signs (Bell 1991), with these semiotic concepts guiding the analysis of how language conveys culture in real-world application writing.
Field of experience encompasses the employer’s total organizational and cultural experiences, including the organizational culture, and makes it essential for the applicant to tailor messages with contextual and textual elements drawn from the receiver’s culturally specific experiences and location This idea is closely linked to culture and cultural identity, where customs and idiomatic language are used to convey a meaningful message to the receiver (Jain, 1988).
Meaning is constructed by signs, which can be textual or contextual elements like a curriculum vitae or a letter of application There are three kinds of meaning to distinguish: denotative, connotative, and contextual Denotative meaning refers to the literal connection between words and objects or concepts; connotative meaning captures the emotional or symbolic associations that a person attaches to a concept or word; and contextual meaning depends on the cultural and social surroundings in which communication occurs (Bell, 1991).
To put this in the context o f this thesis, it is important to note that increased global interaction means that the ability to communicate inter-culturally in the world language of English has become an essential skill (Kramsch 1993) In other words, communication as a process involves exchange o f information with relevance and meaning for at least one o f the participants (Servaes 1989) From a technical point o f view, effective application writing depends on (a) communication o f a message and (b) the sender’s expression matching the recipient's impression To achieve this, the application must comply with the rules and expectations o f both sender and recipient However, in inter-cultural communication, these rules and expectations may differ according to the cultural conditioning o f the participants This implies that the content o f the application may be misinterpreted, and that, as a consequence, communication may be ineffective The challenge for people engaged in cross-cultural communication is to develop an awareness o f the fact that what is
‘meaningful and relevant’ may vary according to the cultural values o f people involved Culture, therefore, functions as a frame o f reference or a context in which all that is written in a curriculum vitae and a letter o f application is understood.
People from different cultural backgrounds display distinct communication styles shaped by their cultural influences Korac-Kakabadse et al (2001) argue that Asian cultures tend to be high-context, emphasizing contextual cues and implicit meaning, whereas Western cultures are low-context, prioritizing explicit information and direct messages.
High-context and low-context are umbrella terms used to describe broad cultural differences between societies High-context cultures are relational, collectivist, intuitive, and contemplative, fostering close, long-standing networks where many norms and expectations are understood without explicit communication due to years of shared experience Key characteristics include limited verbally explicit communication and less reliance on written or formal information, a reliance on internalized understandings of what is communicated, multiple cross-cutting ties, a focus on building and maintaining long-term relationships, strong boundaries distinguishing insiders from outsiders, and knowledge that is situational and relational Decisions and activities tend to revolve around personal, face-to-face relationships, often around a central authority figure This framework, associated with Hall (1976, 2000) and Hall & Hall (1990), helps explain how context shapes communication in different cultures.
Low-context cultures are logical, linear, and action‑oriented, with people maintaining many connections that are short in duration or formed for a specific purpose In these societies, cultural behavior and beliefs tend to be spelled out explicitly so newcomers know how to behave The defining characteristics include rule orientation, codified knowledge that is public, external, and accessible; clear sequencing and separation of time, space, activities, and relationships; interpersonal connections that are numerous but of shorter duration; knowledge that is readily transferable; and a task‑centred approach in which decisions and activities focus on what needs to be done and responsibilities are clearly divided.
Glenn (1981) argues that cultural differences shape how people manipulate and process information, with associative cultures such as Asian cultures relying heavily on context and shared meanings for effective communication, while abstractive cultures such as Western cultures depend more on explicit information and a factual‑inductive processing approach This view is supported by Servaes (1989), who contrasts Western, direct and explicit modes of communication with Asian, indirect and implicit ones, suggesting the Western style emphasizes rational argument and the end product of a message rather than its context Hofstede (1984; 1991) also frames these styles as distinct, linking the direct, individualistic communication found in Western cultures to presenting oneself as an individual rather than as a member of a collective, a trait more characteristic of Asian cultures.
As mentioned elsewhere, application writing as a communicative process involves transmission o f information with relevance and meaning for at least one o f the participants
Cross-cultural communication is an interactive process in which people give meaning to messages, jointly shaping a socio-cultural reality Effective message transmission depends on the sender’s expression aligning with the recipient’s interpretation, which requires the message to conform to the rules and expectations of both sides; in intercultural contexts, these rules may differ due to cultural conditioning, raising the possibility of misinterpretation and ineffective communication—especially in professional settings where English may be shared but cultural styles diverge For job applicants, the challenge in cross-cultural communication is to structure application content so that it remains meaningful and relevant across cultures Culture functions as the context in which actions are understood through social norms, beliefs, and values, helping to avoid miscommunication or non-communication While linguistic competence in application writing matters, intercultural communicative competence should be defined more broadly, encompassing three basic sub-competencies: Sociolinguistic, which covers perceptions of social relations and choosing appropriate things to say and their impact on communication; Discourse, which covers knowledge of how application texts such as curriculum vitae (CVs) and letters of application are organized; and Strategic, which describes how applicants negotiate their way to a solution when faced with a communication problem.
PREVIOUS STU D IES
Reviewing the literature reveals several prior studies that are relevant to, and in some cases closely aligned with, the aims of the present study These studies are described below to illustrate the range of existing research that informs the current investigation.
Bhatia's 1996 study, "Nativization of Job Applications in South Asia," examines job applications from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh and describes how these texts are written, read, and used in South Asian job negotiations He argues that a distinctive feature of job application letters is the applicant’s effort to present a favorable, positive, and relevant portrayal of the applicant’s services in terms of the employer’s needs Applicants claim the relevance of their resources and background to the job requirements outlined in the advertisement A candidate who stands a chance of success must demonstrate that they possess adequate experience and professional qualifications that meet the employer’s requirements.
According to Bhatia (1996), in nativized South Asian contexts the application letter largely functions to accompany the curriculum vitae, effectively turning the letter into the job application itself As a result, the decision on whether a candidate meets the job requirements rests primarily with the employer This dynamic tends to widen the power imbalance between employers and prospective employees.
Nguyen Hanh (1999) carried out a contrastive genre analysis of statement‑of‑purpose essays authored by Vietnamese and American students The findings indicate that the statement‑of‑purpose is an unfamiliar genre for Vietnamese students but an established genre for American students The study aims to compare the two groups—Vietnamese and American students—in terms of how they realize the genre of the statement‑of‑purpose through the text’s rhetorical structure and how they position themselves within this genre.
Nguyen Hanh (1999) argues that the inclusion or exclusion of certain textual components is shaped by differences in economic and cultural contexts She further notes that a writer's choice of genre can be influenced by additional factors, including writing proficiency, strategic competence, and training background.
More importantly, Nguyen Hanh (1999) outlines several implications for Vietnamese applicants, including that applicants may blend facts and interpretation to present a more assertive case; align their personal interests with what the program offers to emphasize the program’s appeal; portray themselves as dynamic individuals who develop qualities through experience; and generalize patterns of their qualities from experiences rather than simply listing achievements without interpretation.
Within this thesis, the applicant and the employer belong to the same discourse community, sharing a common language that facilitates mutual understanding even before socialization processes such as interviews Research on academic literacy development rooted in discourse-community theory is of interest to both native and non-native speakers Swales (1990b) highlights the central role of the discourse-community concept in shaping communication within a discourse community Flowerdew (2000) extends this by presenting an ethnographic case study of a non-native English scholar’s experience writing and publishing an article after returning from an English-speaking country, examining issues such as adapting content to meet journal expectations and the challenge of distinguishing content from form and navigating cultural distance.
Flowerdew (2000) identifies two major difficulties for non-native speakers seeking publication and professional communication in English: language problems and cultural differences Language problems refer to non-native writers’ need for awareness and a comprehensive understanding of writing in the appropriate genre, since they are linguistically removed by the lack of native-like proficiency demanded by full membership of their target audiences In addition, reviewer feedback shows that the challenge goes beyond lack of experience; reviewers report finding it impossible to draw the line between content and form, resulting in obscurity of meaning and problems with writing clarity In other words, the language problem is the isolation of the writer from the mainstream of cultural expectation of the reviewer.
In this thesis, the communicative technique is treated as analogous to direct mail, with applicants reaching out to potential employers in response to job advertisements or through unsolicited letters Consequently, the term “letter of application” describes the outreach sent by job-seeking translators and interpreters in order to secure suitable employment.
These letters resemble promotional direct-mail pieces used by businesses Abelen, Redeker, and Thompson (1993) contend that the direct-mail letter is the most important instrument for communicating an individual's “good cause” to a broad range of prospective employers In a small-scale study comparing Dutch and American direct-mail letters, Abelen, Redeker, and Thompson (1993) demonstrate that these letters follow general persuasive strategies, which can differ across cultures.
Chapter overview: This chapter introduces the main issues on which the thesis is built, outlines the major stages of the research, and establishes the study’s validity It reiterates key ideas, issues, and factors by presenting the research questions, the subjects under study, the data collection instruments, and the data collection procedures, with each element discussed separately to provide a clear account of the methodology and research design.
RESEARCH Q U ESTIO N S
Current analysis shows that interpreters and translators have divergent expectations from employers about how to present a job application, particularly regarding the content and structure of a cover letter and CV Cultural context, or at least the genre employed by both employers and applicants, stands as one of the main factors influencing whether a candidate is invited to an interview.
Taking this into consideration, the research questions can now be stated as follows:
For Vietnamese interpreters and translators applying to multilateral educational projects in Vietnam, the key characteristics of the letter of application and the curriculum vitae are a clear, project-focused structure and content that demonstrate relevant experience and fit The letter of application should briefly introduce the candidate, articulate motivation for working on multilateral educational initiatives, and draw direct connections between qualifications and project requirements, while inviting the reader to consult the attached CV The CV should be organized in a concise, scannable format, including contact information, a professional profile, education, language proficiency, translation and interpreting experience, notable projects, certifications, technical skills (e.g., CAT tools), and references; each entry should emphasize achievements, responsibilities, and outcomes aligned with cross-cultural communication, terminology management, and collaboration within multinational teams and educational programs Together, these documents convey a coherent narrative of capability and readiness for roles in multilateral educational projects in Vietnam.
2 Do the letters o f application and the curriculum vitas prepared by Vietnamese job applicants meet the expectations o f the potential employer?
These questions will be addressed based on the data collected in the research.
THE SUBJECTS
Two groups—applicants and employers—were selected from four of Vietnam's ten multilateral education projects: Primary Education for Disadvantaged Children, Lower Secondary Teacher Training, Upper Secondary Education Development, and Primary Teachers Development These projects were chosen because they represent the largest education initiatives in Vietnam and employ more interpreters and translators, yielding richer data for the study The abundance of data from these programs also supports more robust analysis and fulfills the study's data needs.
The initial cohort comprises applicants applying for translator and interpreter positions within the aforementioned educational projects in Vietnam Their ages range from 24 to 32, indicating they possess up-to-date English proficiency as a result of their recent university graduations.
Applicants were divided into two sub-groups—those who were successful in being shortlisted and those who were not For each project, three successful and three unsuccessful applicants were selected All candidates meet the English-language requirement, holding university-level degrees with English as a major, and they studied English at Vietnamese universities They all have experience working as interpreters or translators for foreign organizations, giving them exposure to the cultural idiosyncrasies of foreign employers operating in Vietnam, with all of their work experience based in Hanoi.
The second group consists of native English-speaking employers who oversee the educational projects in Vietnam, bringing 2–7 years of on-the-ground experience in the country, relevant academic qualifications in education or related disciplines, and additional educational aid management experience both in Vietnam and abroad In addition, staff from multi-lateral aid organizations within this group typically have experience in non-English-speaking countries and proven expertise in recruiting and coordinating interpreters in host countries The organizations these employers represent maintain long-standing associations with the Vietnamese government and ministries, suggesting that this group is well qualified to recruit Vietnamese-trained interpreters and translators.
DATA COLLECTION IN STR U M EN TS
This study examines two research questions To answer the first, it analyzes the main characteristics of letters of application and curricula vitae—specifically their structure and content—as used by Vietnamese interpreters and translators seeking employment on multilateral educational development projects The data come from (i) letters of application and CVs of unsuccessful applicants and (ii) letters of application and CVs of successful applicants The analysis is supported by an upfront review of job advertisements describing the positions and the Terms of Reference (TORs) drawn from four projects, with the aim of revealing employer expectations.
An analysis of job advertisements and terms of reference (TORs) reveals several general characteristics: job ads are typically published in English-language newspapers and present an abbreviated job description, which can impede less experienced interpreters or translators from fully understanding employer expectations; they commonly require excellent knowledge of both native and English languages (oral and written), a degree from a recognized university, and personal qualities such as flexibility, strong communication and presentation skills, the ability to work in multicultural environments, a cooperative working approach, quick understanding, and effective communication; frequent travel to localities is often stipulated; these broad statements can make it difficult for individuals to assess suitability unless they have extensive field experience to tailor their responses to the stated requirements.
Terms of reference (TORs) generally follow a standard format with common tasks and activities A review of TORs reveals that employers devote little attention to the organizational requirements or expected outcomes Both TORs and job advertisements give the impression that academic performance alone determines an interpreter’s chances of securing employment, and that the ideal candidate is young, energetic, and ready to commit fully However, none of the TORs reviewed require or even favor applicants with the experience and technical knowledge needed to translate the specialized terms used in education and training disciplines These gaps can create barriers for analyzing job advertisements and descriptions and for interpreting the TORs themselves.
An analysis of letters of application and curricula vitae from both unsuccessful and successful job applicants rests on two core variables: (a) the structure and content of the applicant’s letter of application as measured against employer expectations, and (b) the content and organization of the applicant’s CV from the applicant’s perspective versus the employer’s viewpoint The underlying assumption is that common strategies in application letters include objective or credible self-appraisal, self-promotion or self-glorification, self-degradation, and adversary glorification, while the presentation of factual information in the CV is assessed through the lens of how employers value and interpret that information.
‘detailed’, ‘specific’, ‘prioritized’ and ‘coherent’ manner should characterise the curriculum vitae This assum ption is based upon the works o f Al-Khatib (2001), Elliott (1989) and Kong (1998).
Al-Khatib (2001) analyzes letters through the writers’ socio-cultural backgrounds, arguing that, as a non-nativized English variety, applicants’ language shows peculiarities likely caused by a clash between two cultures, especially in conventions such as Conventional Business Form and Business Language Form versus Personal Expression Form The core argument is that these peculiarities reflect a gap between employer expectations and the applicant’s understanding of conventional business language, particularly in how the letter’s structure and content respond to selection criteria and convey relevance from the employers’ perspective.
Elliott (1989) focuses on the strategies in business letter writing He identifies Conciseness, Validation o f Responses and Balance o f Response as vital components o f communications
Sophisticated job applicants should learn to craft and order relevant information in their CVs, presenting it in descending order of relevance and detail They must also anticipate and align with employers’ expectations for specificity and coherence, while convincingly projecting traits such as self-realisation and self-reliance.
Kong (1998) argues, based on his cross-cultural research, that applicants from Asian cultures tend to exhibit higher verbal verbosity in letters of application, whereas Western hiring practices favor conciseness He contrasts these applicant styles with employers’ expectations by pairing self-appraisal with validation of response and juxtaposing self-glorification, self-degradation, or adversary glorification with a balanced description of achievements and personal traits.
Based on the above cited research, the contrast between the applicants’ approach and employers’ expectations can be presented as follows.
The framework o f criteria for analysis/evaluation of letters o f application and curriculum vitas
1 Letter of Application 1 Letter of Application
Personal Expression Form Business Language Form
Structure Order o f Relevance Structure Specificity
These criteria rest on two assumptions: first, that letters and job applications are unnecessarily verbose; second, that the structure and content of letters and curricula vitae are largely personal and do not reflect conventional business communication norms, and thus do not provide a clear, structured link between the cover letter and the résumé.
All of the information above will be reinforced by responses from employers collected through a structured, self-administered questionnaire that uses a Likert scale In the context of this study, this method enables data gathering from employers in the form of attitude statements, with Likert-scale responses used to determine the degree to which respondents agree or disagree with each statement and to quantify prevailing attitudes across the sample.
1 There were significant group differences with respect to the frequency o f responses from employers.
2 There were significant group differences with respect to the employers’ perceived level of preparation to assess letters o f applications and curriculum vitas.
3 Employers ensure that their assessments o f letter o f application and curriculum vitas are both valid and reliable (Agresti, 1992; Singelis, 1994).
The structured self administered questionnaire for employers consists o f eight questions The purpose and rationale o f the questions in the self administered employer questionnaire are as follows:
Question 1 provides information on the relevance of the responding organization to the research, Question 2 confirms the applicability of the field of practice as a multilateral educational project, and after establishing relevance and applicability, Question 3 defines the empirical scope of the employer’s experience with an acceptable number of interpreters/translators Question 4 supplies the information to determine the multiplying factor of experience used in selecting interpreters/translators for selection interviews, and Question 5 outlines the weighting of indicators—Letter of Application, Curriculum Vitae, Job Interview, and Other factors—while respondents are given the opportunity to describe any additional factors that may influence their decisions.
This questionnaire starts with five core questions and is followed by deeper items related to the indicators identified in question five Question 6 provides indicators that assess the importance of the criteria for a Letter of Application, while Question 7 offers indicators for the criteria of the Curriculum Vitae The indicators are expressed on a five-point scale: (a) Very Important, (b) Important, (c) Neutral, (d) Unimportant, and (e) Very Unimportant.
Questions 3 to 7 use the Likert scale to represent a set of attitude statements Respondents in the employer group indicate their level of agreement on a five-point scale, with each point assigned a numeric value from 1 to 5 The responses are then summed to produce a total numerical value that reflects overall attitudes across the items.
Question 8 is to invite qualitative statements and/or comments that may not be covered in other questions.
To answer the second research question, we perform a contrastive analysis of data drawn from letters of application and their corresponding curriculum vitae for both successful and unsuccessful applicants, complemented by information obtained from potential employers This comparison reveals how self-presentation in application documents and the documented qualifications align with employer expectations and what distinguishes profiles associated with successful applications from those that fail By triangulating applicant materials with employer feedback, the study identifies patterns in recruitment decisions and the materials most strongly linked to positive outcomes.
DATA COLLECTION PR O CED U R ES
Initially, letters will be sent to the selected employers to secure their cooperation in providing recent job advertisements for interpreters and translators, along with the Terms of Reference (TORs) The correspondence will also request letters of application and curricula vitae (CVs) for both successful and unsuccessful applicants.
Advertisements, TORs, and letters of application from selected applicants will be reviewed to provide the basis for developing a structured, self-administered questionnaire for employers Before distribution, the draft questionnaire underwent a content validity test, with it sent to two international experts not involved in the study to obtain their comments and assess the questionnaire’s content validity.
T h ir d , t h is q u e s t i o n n a i r e w ill b e d is tr ib u te d t o e m p l o y e r s f o r f i l l in g in T h e r e s p o n s o s w ill b e u s e d f o r t h e a b o v e - m e n t i o n e d c o n tr a s ti v e a n a ly s is
Fourth, letters o f application and curriculum vitae o f selected applicants will be analyzed against the criteria included in the Framework (above) based on em ployer requirements.
Step four will involve analyzing the letters of application and curricula vitae of the selected applicants and contrasting these with employer expectations as revealed by responses to a self-administered questionnaire This comparison aims to determine how closely each applicant's letter and CV conform to the attributes and criteria sought by potential employers The analysis will synthesize qualitative and quantitative data drawn from the document reviews and from employer responses, providing an integrated assessment of alignment and gaps between applicant submissions and employer expectations.
In this Chapter, the analysis o f the application letter and curriculum vitae, and its comparison with the em ployer’s responses to the distributed questionnaire will be presented.
ANALYSIS OF LETTERS OF A P P L IC A T IO N
Structure
An examination of application letters through the lens of conventionality reveals a diverse range of approaches used by both successful and unsuccessful candidates—those who were shortlisted for interviews and those who were not invited to present for an interview The analysis of conventionality was conducted against a defined set of criteria intended to capture how closely letters adhered to established norms and how those norms related to selection outcomes.
The applicant identifies the target addressee (e.g “Dear S ir’ o r ‘Dear M adam’ or ‘Dear
There is a case to be made that the correct opening of a job application letter contributes to the decision to invite a candidate for an interview, with data showing that among successful candidates 66% used the conventional letter-form opening, while only 16% of unsuccessful candidates adhered to the same convention.
4.1.1.1.2 Referring to the source o f information
The applicant states where, how and when s/he learned about the position (e.g ‘ With reference to y o u r advertisem ent in the on [date])
Across the applicant pool, the difference in success rates is small, with little gap between those who succeed and those who do not Notably, all successful candidates cited the source of their information While citing sources isn’t strictly required, it seems to contribute to success by signaling politeness and adherence to established conventions.
The applicant indicates a desire for application and consideration The italicized sections in the following exam ples illustrate this:
(1) 'With reference to your advertisement on I would like to be considered as a candidate fo r the f u l l time position as an interpreter.'
(2) I would like to apply fo r the position advertised in on 2005.'
(3) 7 had a look a t y o u r ad in and I would very much welcome the opportunity to work at your project '
(4) '1 am writing to yo u in response to your ad in on 2005 It is a great honor to apply fo r this job ’
(5) 'With reference to yo u r a d in , I'd like to be considered as one o f your em ployees.'
The applicant’s strong interest is clearly shown in sentences 3–5, conveyed through emphatic language and strong lexical items, including intensifiers like “very much welcome the opportunity” and phrases such as “great honor.” Sentence 5’s use of an italicized clause likely heightens the addressee’s negative-face pressure, amplifying the impact of the request.
According to Bhatia (1993), the main purpose of applying for a job is not to guarantee employment but to elicit a specific response from the reader, namely an invitation to an interview In this view, a job application serves to prompt the next step in the hiring process rather than promise a job offer, making the cover letter and resume the key tools to persuade employers to invite you for an interview By understanding this objective, applicants can tailor their messaging to highlight relevant skills and align with the employer’s needs, increasing their chances of securing an interview.
Although the difference between the successful candidates (100%) and unsuccessful candidates is greater than in the point above, the finding is not dissimilar Again, a statement on applying for the position is self evident by the submission o f a letter and a curriculum vitae Such statem ents can be seen as a contributor to the success, not so much as a necessity but a form o f politeness and compliance with conventions.
The applicant keeps the door open by offering any assistance to facilitate a speedy response, such as closing with a statement which will encourage a response or willingness to provide any further information, (e.g ' I f you need any fu rth er information, you can contact me directly at (phone n u m b e r)\ OR 7 will call again, hoping to hear your positive response.').
The difference between letters o f application submitted by successful candidates against those who were unsuccessful is marginal, 66% versus 50% Thus, no conclusion can be drawn as to the influence this may have on the short-listing procedures
The applicant ends the letter politely with the conventional use o f fixed expressions, (e.g 7 am looking fo rw a rd to hearing fro m you.').
It is interesting to observe that the response rate for polite ending is relatively low (58% for successful candidates and 25% for unsuccessful ones) There are a number o f findings one can highlight here O ne is that more than double o f the successful candidates as compared with unsuccessful candidates have used polite endings Thus it could be argued that the polite ending has som e influence on the outcome o f being short-listed for an interview.
The above inform ation can, in quantitative terms, be summarized as follows:
C onventional B u sin ess F orm at
Opening 8 (66% ) 2 (16% ) Referring to the source o f information 12 (100% ) 9 (75% )
Applying for the job 12 (100% ) 6 (50% ) Soliciting positive response 8 (66% ) 6 (50% )
4.1.1.2.1 Personal Expression Form as Introduction
Personal expression reveals the applicant’s voice, but it is a double-edged sword: it can be a powerful tool for introducing oneself and signaling how one differs from others, yet it can backfire if the expression is abrupt or overly forceful In practice, many applicants favor somewhat elaborate language compared with the standard personal expressions deemed acceptable in international settings.
4 1 ¡.2.2 Personal Expression Form as reflection fo r "job readiness"
Personal expression signals to the employer that you are job-ready by showcasing your intellectual capacity, along with your enthusiasm and genuine interest in the work It conveys how you intend to be a fully functioning member of the project team as an interpreter/translator in the specific area, highlighting your potential to contribute from day one In short, it demonstrates fit, capability, and commitment to the role and the project’s success.
There was little evidence that the applications reviewed in this research used personal expressions to convey “jo b readiness”.
The above inform ation can, in quantitative terms, be summarized as follows:
Personal Expression Form as Introduction 12 (100% ) 12 (100% ) Personal Expression Form as reflection for “job readiness” 0 (0% ) 0 (0% )
4.1.1.3 Structural Response to Selection Criteria
The applicant highlights the key strengths and abilities relevant to the desired jo b and how these qualify the candidate for the position.
The analysis shows that a relatively high percentage of successful applicants promoted their candidature (83%) compared with unsuccessful candidates (66%) Review of application letters indicated that applicants generally highlighted their strengths, but the key difference was that successful applicants used personal expression and addressed the selection criteria (at least in part), whereas unsuccessful candidates tended to promote themselves through personal expression alone.
The applicant refers to the enclosed curriculum vitae, which summarizes his/her qualifications and experience, (e.g ‘Enclosed is a copy o f my curriculum v i t a eOR 'A copy o f m y curriculum vitae is herein enclosed.')