Assignment 4.1: Peer Review of Application Package
For the last peer review, I had the opportunity to read Emily Leung’s application package for a Geospatial Data Analyst position at UBC Sauder. This was a very impressive application package, and clearly proves that she is qualified for this position. Having reviewed Emily’s work a month earlier, it was admirable to see how much her writing skills had improved. While her report proposal had seemed unnecessarily wordy, the application package showcased her skills efficiently and provided the right amount of information.
Peer Review for: Emily Leung, ENGL 301 student
Peer Review by: Andree Coschizza, ENGL 301 student
Date: December 15, 2019
Peer Review of: Application Package Draft
Dear Emily,
Thank you for the opportunity to view your application package draft for the Geospatial Data Analyst position at UBC Sauder. This application package was very well written, and impressively highlights your skills and qualifications for this position. Specific comments on each section are included below, as well as overall comments about organization and style:
Job Posting
The job posting includes all details of the job, including: start date, department, job summary, and job requirements. Citation is correct.
Cover Letter
The cover letter conveys enthusiasm for the subject and contains lots of information about prior experience. It also specifically acknowledges the requirements of the position and tailors your experience to what the employer is searching for. A few small suggestions:
- While this cover letter is very informative, stating why you want to work with UBC Sauder will show your enthusiasm for the employer’s project.
- Par 2: It is a bit unclear if the project in mention was from a course or not, and if this is the same course as “Research in Cartography,” mentioned later. Introducing the project as a course project will provide clarity to this paragraph.
- Par 4, sentence 1: Defining the IAAC will provide context for the reader and conform with how acronyms are introduced throughout the rest of the cover letter.
Resume
This resume is very impressive, and as before, tailors your experiences to the employer’s needs. Specifically, the quantitative data in the resume makes the past projects even more notable. The organization is consistent with examples in “Technical Communication” and presents the information in a readable manner. Great job! A specific note on grammar:
- Education point 1, GIScience Curriculum Renewal Project Worker point 4: Ensuring that tenses are consistent throughout phrases will be less confusing to the reader.
Letters Requesting Recommendation
All three letters requesting recommendation are written with a “YOU” attitude and address the previous employers with respect and understanding. The tone is professional, yet personable. It is a good tactic to provide the employer with a list of talking points, and it makes the concept of being a reference very easy for them. Clearly a lot of effort has been made into crafting these letters to each individual reference, and they are very well written.
Organization and Style
The entire application package is laid out in a logical and easy-to-read manner. The cover letter and resume really takes the employer’s needs into accounts and highlights how you can benefit them. The letters for recommendation are written in a direct tone with your exact needs, which makes it easy for the reference to say yes.
Conclusion
Overall, this application is very well done, and highlights the impressive skills and experience you could bring to the role. Your qualifications are backed up by quantitative results and a “YOU” attitude has embodied throughout. This application package is well written and could be improved by correcting some minor grammar mistakes, and mentioning why you want this job in the cover letter. However, this was an impressive application. If you have any questions about these suggestions feel free to contact me. Thank you again for allowing me to read your application.