Crafting a Winning Motivation Letter: Essential Steps and Examples

1. What is a motivation letter? • A motivation letter is a one-page letter that’s used to describe why you are the perfect candidate for a certain position. • You are required to write a motivation letter in these specific scenarios: • You are applying to get admitted to an educational program at a college or university • You are applying as a volunteer in an organization • You’re applying for an internship in a company.

2. Make sure you follow these six steps • Include the basics • Write about what makes you unique • Give concrete examples of what you have done and why it is relevant for the job • Be prepared – Know the basics about the company • Make sure you explain why you've applied for the role • Be interesting.

3. Each motivation letter consists of 3 main parts: • the introduction – introduce yourself and your intent in the introduction, • body – describe and highlight your experiences in the body, and • • conclusion – thank the reader for his/her consideration in the conclusion.

4. Introduction: • A short, engaging pitch about yourself and why you are applying. Here, you can include: • Personal information. Who are you and what do you do? • What are you applying for? Where? • Mention the general reason on why you’re applying, and then deep-dive in the bulk of your motivation letter. • (don’t forget to mention contact information on top.)

5. Example of Introduction for Motivation Letter • Dear [Name of The Contact Person], • My name is [Your name] and I would like to express my interest in applying for the [e.g. Master’s degree program] in [e.g. Economics] at [University Name]. I’ve always dreamed of advancing my knowledge of [e.g. Market regulation and design], and I believe that an MA in Economics from [University Name] would set me miles ahead to reaching my goal.

6. Body of the Motivation Letter • This is the main bulk of your motivation letter, and where you mention stories behind your achievements, skills, and passion for whatever you’re applying for. • Look at the program requirements and the institution’s website. Find out the top three requirements for the position and explain how you are the best candidate. • Demonstrate that you share the organization’s values or are exceptionally qualified through a short story or personal examples. Be specific.

7. Things You Can Mention in Your Motivation Letter: • My passion for ______ started when ______. • I want to ______ because ______. • I have been part of _________ for ___ months/years. It’s the best thing for me because _______. • I remember once when I ________, which made me realize that I _______. • _______ resonates with me because _________. • What distinguishes me from my peers is __________.

8. Example • I developed my passion for Online Marketing during my internship at [Company name]. Working in a small startup allowed me to get surface-level experience in most digital marketing channels. Now, I would like to deep- dive and gain advanced know-how by attending the [University name] MA program in Digital Marketing.

9. Conclusion • In this section, you can: • Briefly summarize your main points - “I believe I’d be a good fit for the program because of __________” • Mention your overarching goal - “I’d love to be a part of _______, as it would allow me to ___________.” • Thank the reader and conclude the motivation letter

10. • • Dear Sir/Madam, As a skilled student currently pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Finance and Banking at [university name], I read your posting for an Investment Banking Internship with interest. My background aligns well with the qualifications you are seeking at [company name], and with the experience I gained in my previous internship at [previous company name], where I learned [provide example] and [provide example]. • • With my educational background and previous internship experience, I am adept at analysing and preparing complex analysis, presentations, financial models [give examples of which models you know]. Moreover, while my career history has afforded me a well-rounded skill set, including first-rate analytical and time management skills, I excel at: [e.g. Seeking ways to improve work flow and maximize efficiency] [ e.g.Utilizing data to forecast future trends] • • • • In addition to my education and solid career track record, I have a strong passion for corporate accounting. I am president of the universities accounting club and have [example of what you have done]. I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to your continued growth and success. • • Please review my attached resume for additional details regarding my expertise. I look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, • •

11. • • • Dear Sir/Madam, I have recently completed my second year at [university name], pursuing a BSc in [Subject]. I am writing to apply for the internship offered at [company name] this summer, which I saw advertised on [source]. Please find enclosed my CV as requested. • • I am particularly drawn to the internship because it provides experience in three key areas in which I am interested. • • First, I am eager to develop my skills in [provide] . This year I [provide an interesting fact] and I was [provide an interesting fact] . I would welcome the opportunity to work with the [company name] and learn more about [provide] . • Second, I am interested in gaining a better understanding of [thing you would like to learn] because I believe [provide] . As you can see from my CV, I have worked on [provide] at [previous internship]. I hope to build my future career in [provide] and any chance to sharpen my abilities or knowledge of this industry would be extremely helpful. • • Third, though I have considerable experience in [provide field ] that I gain through my [example], I am interested in gaining further experience of the [provide ] aspect. • • I am also enthusiastic about the post because of my long-standing interest in [field you would like to learn]. Since high school, I have been following the [topic/s]. • • [company name] attracts me because it [provide] . I am eager to contribute to [company name] in the work of [provide relevant aspects] . Your organisation has a long history and is a leader in its field, and the opportunity to work with such a respected company would be invaluable to me. I am enthusiastic about supporting the work of [company name] and gaining the experience that this internship provides in [field that you want to learn]. • • • Thank you for taking the time to read my application. I am available for interview at any time and look forward to hearing from you soon. • • Yours sincerely,