“I can’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little, if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny and it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.” Chanel品牌創始人Coco Chanel曾說。
每當我接觸到充斥著陳詞濫調的求職信，我就會想起Coco Chanel這句話。要知道，申請一份工作，等於opening ourselves up to new possbilities。如果成事，誰知道我們通過這份工作認識的人和體驗的事，會為我們帶來什麼翻天覆地的變化？所以寫求職信絕對不能馬虎，因每一封都可能賜予a date with desinty。
如果我回顧我寫過的求職信，最滿意的那一封，應是申請做《蘋果日報》英文版專欄作家時寫的。大約2020年中，我得悉《蘋果》將會推出英文版，恰巧我認識一位認識黎智英先生的人，我就打算托那個contact把我的求職信轉交給黎生。遞交信件的渠道有了，信的内容應寫什麽？當我正苦惱怎可開頭，我突然想起多年前黎生在一次訪談中，提及他喜歡英國哲學家Michael Polanyi。無獨有偶，我在牛津寫的論文題材，正是Michael Polanyi的哲學理論。這下子我寫信的策略就有了：我在信的開端，要先談Michael Polanyi，跟黎生establish a common ground後，才談我的資歷，這樣應能給他留下印象。
I’ve reproduced that letter below。為了突出寫personalized求職信的重要性，further below，I rewrote my letter in the conventional style。如果你是僱主，哪種風格的求職信更能吸引你？
報道無罪 知情有價 請即訂閱《追新聞》：
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Personalized 版本
Dear Jimmy,
I once read that you took the trouble to try to read Michael Polanyi.
I remember this fact about you very clearly, because I did my masters thesis at Oxford on Polanyi. I remember being very surprised that someone like you would attempt something as impractical as tackling Polanyi’s dense text. Reading philosophy is so unfashionable in Hong Kong, and Polanyi isn’t even mainstream philosophy.
Did you know Polanyi didn’t do philosophy until he was in his 50s? He switched from chemistry to philosophy, a huge leap. He later became a Fellow at Merton College, Oxford. There his work was coolly received, partly because longtime philosophers regarded him as an oddball who had the temerity to invade their turf.
After graduation I worked in media and PR in mainland China for 10 years. I then returned to Hong Kong, and have since been writing for independent news outlets like 眾新聞 and Hong Kong Free Press. The thing about Polanyi that has stayed with me throughout the years is: never be afraid to travel off the beaten path.
My desire to write for the English edition of Apple Daily is my latest act of nonconformity. It stems from my belief that China won’t stay this way forever, that I can afford to wait till it liberalizes again – when it does, I will go back to share my knowledge, and my stint at Apple Daily, which took place when it was at its most downtrodden, will be an asset, a badge of honor.
Thanks for keeping Apple Daily running, so that (among other things) oddballs like me can “有訂去”
Yours,
Michelle
常規版本
Dear Jimmy,
I am writing to apply for a columnist position at Apple Daily’s English edition.
Equipped with a Masters Degree in Philosophy from Oxford University, I started my career as a copywriter and account manager for Cossette Communication Group’s office in Shanghai. The scope of my duties encompassed writing English ad copies, translating and client handling. I then became a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, writing stories on China’s stock markets, and retail and shipping sectors.
My fluency in English, together with my exposure to mainland society, will help me produce columns that have unique takes on issues.
I look forward to receiving your reply.
Yours,
Michelle
