نظرة عامة على البرنامج

Course Information

The course "Writing Attractive CVs and Cover Letters" is an online program designed for doctoral candidates. The course details are as follows:

• Date: Friday, March 6, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 2:45 PM
• Registration Opens: January 21, 2026, at 9:00 AM
• Registration Deadline: February 6, 2026, at 12:00 PM
• Course Fees: This course is free of charge and is only available to doctoral candidates of the University of Basel, with a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 14 participants.
• Trainer: Dr. Riana Paola
• Organized by: Language Center of the University of Basel in collaboration with the Graduate Center

Aims

The primary objective of this course is to equip PhD candidates with the skills to write compelling employment applications, including CVs and cover letters. The workshop aims to help participants strike the right balance between promoting their unique value to potential employers and explaining why the position they are applying for is a perfect fit for them.

Content

The course content includes:

• Reviewing the structure and content of various parts of CVs and cover letters for job applications
• Attending to language conventions in CVs and cover letters
• Tailoring the CV and cover letter to each application
• Identifying and describing skills and achievements without sounding arrogant
• Fine-tuning CVs and letters to the required length
• Reviewing and customizing participants' own CVs and cover letters, both by peers and the lecturer
• Attending to additional issues identified in participants' own writing

Methods

The task-based workshop will include input on CV and cover letter writing, language use, and tailoring employment application documents to the job description. A handout/slides will be distributed, and participants will work on their own drafts and review each other's CVs and cover letters. The trainer will provide advice and review participants' documents in class and after the workshop, if participants choose to submit revised final drafts for further review.

Target Group

The target group for this course is all doctoral candidates.

Requirements

Participants are required to provide written peer review for one fellow participant during and after the workshop.

About the Trainer

Dr. Riana Paola holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She has taught English in various educational institutions in Switzerland, England, and South Africa, and has published in the field of linguistics and language teaching, with a particular interest in Academic English and English for Specific Purposes.

Workload

The workload for this course is estimated to be 8 hours maximum, consisting of:

• Pre-workshop preparation (1-2 hours): Participants are expected to write, upload, and bring to the workshop a first draft of a CV and letter of application that will be reviewed during the course.
• Time spent in the workshop: 5 hours, including a 45-minute lunch break and two short coffee breaks.
• Post-workshop: 1 hour (optional): Participants have the opportunity to submit their revised CVs and cover letters to the lecturer for comments and corrections.

Feature

Once registration is open, applications will be collected for 24 hours, and course places will be allocated by lot. All registrations received after the initial 24-hour period will be put on a waiting list and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Course places/places on the waiting list will be confirmed by email. Full course attendance is mandatory, and participants who fail to attend a course without prior notification or withdraw after the registration deadline are subject to a fee.