How to Write a Cover Letter for a Research Assistant Position | Biomedical Science Job Applications

How to write a Cover Letter for a Research Assistant Position | Biomedical Research Assistant Job Applications 🥼📝🔬
Hello everyone, hope you're doing well and taking good care of yourselves (especially if it's summer where you live because this heat wave is really killing me).
Previously on this channel, I made a video on how to write a CV for a research position, so in continuation to that, this video highlights how to write a cover letter for a research assistant position.
Here, I debunk the common myth that cover letters are useless and explain the key things that a CV can never do, but a cover letter can. I also talk about the structure and content to include in a cover letter, how to write with impact using the STAR technique, and finally how to bring it all together in layout and style.
I hope you find this useful! Take care :)
P. S. Another video on interview prep is coming your way soon, so stay tuned!
Disclaimer: I am not part of any admissions/recruitment teams, this is based on online research and my own opinions and experience.
⏳ Time stamps:
00:00 - Preview
00:15 - Intro
00:38 - What is a cover letter?
01:03 - 2 key things a CV cannot do, but a cover letter can
01:48 - Do the research
02:58 - Write with impact
03:27 - STAR technique
03:44 - My cover letter sample
04:12 - My cover letter edited using the STAR technique
05:00 - Structure & content
05:08 - Heading, contact info & employer's address
05:37 - Introduction
06:04 - Key paragraphs
06:12 - What can you bring to the job?
06:34 - Why do you want the job?
07:18 - Conclusion
07:41 - Quick don'ts
08:33 - Layout & style
09:21 - Thanks for watching :)
🔗 Online references:
www.careers.cam.ac.uk/files/c...
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👩🏻‍🔬 About me:
Hello 👋 My name's Vy and I make videos about pursuing an education and career in STEM 🔬 I'm currently working as a research assistant in Cambridge and studied biomedical science in the UK 🇬🇧 Science aside, I really enjoy all things creative arts 🎨 This channel is also a place for me to document the little joys in my every day life and my travel adventures 🌎
💻 Socials:
Instagram - @biomedwithvy
This video was entirely filmed and edited on my phone.

[@RohanKayani]

Concise and helpful. Thank you for the great insight!

[@cosmic-microwave]

This was exceptionally helpful, thank you for these tips

[@dazzlingqueen8712]

Very helpful! Hope to see you one day!

[@ktr2345]

oops, i have definitely used the ideal candidate thing. thank you for this!

[@AbdulrahmanAffaq]

Many thanks Vy! Greetings from Egypt, You are a very helpful person. May Allah bless you with his Mercy.

[@lucasaguayo-garber5386]

Such a valuable video for someone with very little guidance writing cover letters while in college 👏🏼 thanks Vy

[@biomedwithvy]

Glad I could help! 😊

[@lucasaguayo-garber5386]

@@biomedwithvy returning to this comment so say I got the research position I applied for using this video!! Thanks again, I owe u

[@biomedwithvy]

@@lucasaguayo-garber5386 I'm so glad! huge congratulationss 🥳🥳🥳

[@Getrudebyela]

@@biomedwithvy thank you for making videos for us.

[@biomedwithvy]

@@Getrudebyela happy to help 😊😊

[@Jaretelamar1]

Very good information and very well put together. Thank you!

[@biomedwithvy]

So glad you found it helpful!

[@dailymemories3514]

Excellent thank you❤🌹

[@sheerink9391]

Thank you so much🩵

[@arunangsusingh3274]

Thanks for the guidance. I was wondering if you could provide me with the cover letter you wrote as a sample. Would be really grateful. Thank you.

[@dannyaulia4639]

Thanks for KZbin to recommend this video, I've learned a lot of how to explain in my cover letter. Wish I can pass my scholarship research program for this year(2023) :)

[@biomedwithvy]

Best of luck!!

[@soumiabelkadi8463]

Please can tell me what does it mean reference number

[@keerthana7353]

I’m applying to jobs in a portal that only lets me upload one set of resume and letter. :/ but I’m applying to a variety of jobs within the institution sigh.

[@nadiirakhadar6784]

Thank you for this amazing video, can you please tell me if you had similar lab experience to the position you were applying to.

[@biomedwithvy]

I had some experience in PCR, CRISPR work, plasmid preparation and tissue culture during my university research projects, which are things I do a lot of in my job. My current work also involves stem cells which I didn't have prior experience in, but my existing experience in aseptic technique was translatable! I'd say that I did have bits and pieces they were looking for, but not to the extent and scale I do now, but it was something my supervisor helped trained me in during my probation period!

[@nadiirakhadar6784]

@@biomedwithvy Thank you

[@sanjanar3245]

This was useful. Thank you for sharing your tips on drafting a cover letter :) I have seen many RA positions asking the applicant to mention how they satisfy the essential and desirable criteria. Do I take it quite literally or highlighting 2-3 most important ones will be enough?

[@biomedwithvy]

hey! glad it helped 😊 I'd definitely try cover all/most of their criteria in your CV (especially things like education or certain lab/analytical skills), and in your cover letter highlight ~2 experiences that are most relevant to the job (and possibly unique to you!) best of luckkk

[@sanjanar3245]

@@biomedwithvy Thanks very much for replying. May I please know how important a LinkedIn profile is when seeking RA roles ? Do the HR's/recruiters/PI's usually have a look ?

[@biomedwithvy]

@@sanjanar3245 I can't say for sure, some do and some don't, but I think having a fully updated LinkedIn profile that aligns with your CV shows consistency and effort!

[@sanjanar3245]

@@biomedwithvy This was helpful. Thank you for your time to clarify my doubts :)

[@rahimsaadat1413]

good

[@user-wc4tq6qz3g]

how long does it takes to get application result especially Research assitant? I send my application to cambridge a month ago, but it still working on it,( because of HR vacation,)

[@biomedwithvy]

around a month I think, but yes many staff are currently on summer break so it might take awhile 😅

[@keerthikayalakaturi738]

thank you goddess 🙏🙏

[@ManeSushrut]

Look at the camera and not yourself

[@ghazanhussain2070]

You are really cute 😘😘😘😘😘😘