Writing an essay ( 8 pages) on my accomplishments

[Anonymous]

OP,

Please don't sweat this task. For starters, use 1.5 spacing and 12 font. It's the easiest to read. The readers are not going to count every word to make sure you hit 2,000 words.

This is a brief overview of how to write an essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1KbANXoWlo

Brainstorm, outline, then write. (Your parents background isn't really relevant to your accomplishments unless it motivated you to accomplish something. If it did, fine.) B/f you start writing, make a list of your accomplishments that most clearly relate to the job. If this is a gov't job and you're writing KSA (Knowledge, Skills, Attributes), they are being read by people who are not experienced in your field, so you will need to parrot back words and phrases listed in the KSAs b/c those are the buzzwords that they are looking for.

Truly, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. The thought of the one statistics class I took gives me heart palpitations. However, I would proof read lots of stuff for my friends who were engineers. If you have a friend who is more well versed on this end of things, have them look over your essay. You are an expert in your topic b/c it's about you. You can do this. GL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP,

Please don't sweat this task. For starters, use 1.5 spacing and 12 font. It's the easiest to read. The readers are not going to count every word to make sure you hit 2,000 words.

This is a brief overview of how to write an essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1KbANXoWlo

Brainstorm, outline, then write. (Your parents background isn't really relevant to your accomplishments unless it motivated you to accomplish something. If it did, fine.) B/f you start writing, make a list of your accomplishments that most clearly relate to the job. If this is a gov't job and you're writing KSA (Knowledge, Skills, Attributes), they are being read by people who are not experienced in your field, so you will need to parrot back words and phrases listed in the KSAs b/c those are the buzzwords that they are looking for.

Truly, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. The thought of the one statistics class I took gives me heart palpitations. However, I would proof read lots of stuff for my friends who were engineers. If you have a friend who is more well versed on this end of things, have them look over your essay. You are an expert in your topic b/c it's about you. You can do this. GL.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

You're welcome.

Also, if you're still in a PhD program, there should be a career services dept./office somewhere. If you have questions about your essay or parts of the application process, reach out to them.

If they are not much help and you are local, check out the Women's Center:
http://thewomenscenter.org/counseling/career-counseling/

You don't have to be a woman to seek assistance there. They also may have a sliding scale based on income and that you're still a student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It sounds like they're checking your ability to communicate in English. My eyebrow went up the moment you said Bangladesh. Additionally, statisticians need to be able to summarize findings in ways that are accessible. Lots of poor writing skills in the sciences, so they may be screening for that as well.

Of course you double-space. That's not cheating.

Take a step back and first decide how you define "accomplishment." Structure your paper accordingly. Draw from your life experience in keeping with the definition you determine for yourself. Being one of ten children would have allowed my XH to discuss his teamwork ability, for example. Having transitioned from another country would allow you (and him) to convey your ability to adapt. There may be some stats thing you grasped with great difficulty in the early years of your program that taught you the value of tenacity.

Use what you've got. Read it aloud. Check for any and all grammatical or stylistic errors. Good luck to you!!

That is RACIAL PROFILING and is NOT legal.

I hope you're not doing this in your own workplace, moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It sounds like they're checking your ability to communicate in English. My eyebrow went up the moment you said Bangladesh. Additionally, statisticians need to be able to summarize findings in ways that are accessible. Lots of poor writing skills in the sciences, so they may be screening for that as well.

Of course you double-space. That's not cheating.

Take a step back and first decide how you define "accomplishment." Structure your paper accordingly. Draw from your life experience in keeping with the definition you determine for yourself. Being one of ten children would have allowed my XH to discuss his teamwork ability, for example. Having transitioned from another country would allow you (and him) to convey your ability to adapt. There may be some stats thing you grasped with great difficulty in the early years of your program that taught you the value of tenacity.

Use what you've got. Read it aloud. Check for any and all grammatical or stylistic errors. Good luck to you!!

That is RACIAL PROFILING and is NOT legal.

I hope you're not doing this in your own workplace, moron.

Not PP, but a job that requires fluency in English isn't racial profiling.

[Anonymous]

OP, this is akin to an intellectual biography that highlights your strengths. You can start with someone personal about you/your parents, but then make it about the path that took you to where you are now at the tail end of your PhD, noting your accomplishments each step of the way. End with a summary of your strengths, what you bring to the job and your goals once in the job. make sure to have someone who is a good editor read it. (I used to do this on the side, it's striking how much small changes in flow and organization can help shape a narrative). good luck!

[Anonymous]

Op, if I'm guessing correct what you're applying for, it's 2000 - 3000 characters.

[Anonymous]

OP, take the job ad and a draft of your essay and your CV to the job placement center/career center at your school to ask for help. The help will be free and they can comment on what they make on the ad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It sounds like they're checking your ability to communicate in English. My eyebrow went up the moment you said Bangladesh. Additionally, statisticians need to be able to summarize findings in ways that are accessible. Lots of poor writing skills in the sciences, so they may be screening for that as well.

Of course you double-space. That's not cheating.

Take a step back and first decide how you define "accomplishment." Structure your paper accordingly. Draw from your life experience in keeping with the definition you determine for yourself. Being one of ten children would have allowed my XH to discuss his teamwork ability, for example. Having transitioned from another country would allow you (and him) to convey your ability to adapt. There may be some stats thing you grasped with great difficulty in the early years of your program that taught you the value of tenacity.

Use what you've got. Read it aloud. Check for any and all grammatical or stylistic errors. Good luck to you!!

That is RACIAL PROFILING and is NOT legal.

I hope you're not doing this in your own workplace, moron.

Not PP, but a job that requires fluency in English isn't racial profiling.

That's not what the bolded was saying at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It sounds like they're checking your ability to communicate in English. My eyebrow went up the moment you said Bangladesh. Additionally, statisticians need to be able to summarize findings in ways that are accessible. Lots of poor writing skills in the sciences, so they may be screening for that as well.

Of course you double-space. That's not cheating.

Take a step back and first decide how you define "accomplishment." Structure your paper accordingly. Draw from your life experience in keeping with the definition you determine for yourself. Being one of ten children would have allowed my XH to discuss his teamwork ability, for example. Having transitioned from another country would allow you (and him) to convey your ability to adapt. There may be some stats thing you grasped with great difficulty in the early years of your program that taught you the value of tenacity.

Use what you've got. Read it aloud. Check for any and all grammatical or stylistic errors. Good luck to you!!

That is RACIAL PROFILING and is NOT legal.

I hope you're not doing this in your own workplace, moron.

Not PP, but a job that requires fluency in English isn't racial profiling.

That's not what the bolded was saying at all.

+1
And I'd think that a PhD grad from an American university could write in English just fine.