Write a statement of a purpose or letter of application in which you explain to a prospective employer / school district how your training, skills, and goals make you a worthy candidate to be hired. As much as possible, imagine yourself applying for a job for which you actually plan or hope to apply.

Although you should try to locate a relevant prompt, either from a graduate program or a job advertisement, you may assume for the moment that your only instructions are the following:

Write a brief essay about your past experiences and your future goals. What you write here will help us to determine your personal and professional qualifications for the position (or program) you are applying for.

Remember that your audience probably already knows the kinds of facts that are represented on your transcript and/or your resume. Use the Statement of Purpose to expand upon what your reader knows already or to help the reader see other facets of your personal and professional experiences and interests. (Remember that "relevant" can be a slippery term; almost anything -- not just past jobs -- can be made relevant as long as you link it reasonably to the position you are seeking.) Above all, remember that your audience may be reading hundreds of similar statements -- or even thousands, in the case of some graduate and professional programs. You need to present yourself as well and as memorably as possible. This does not mean that you have to be silly or startling, but you do need to be particularly articulate and personable. Because your audience is reading many similar statements from well-qualified applicants, even apparently trivial details can influence a decision. Make sure that your Statement of Purpose looks professional, and that you have revised it thoroughly.

• You are not writing a letter or a resume, but rather a brief essay that would accompany a letter and resume.

• Think of this as a 3-4 page double-spaced paper (since instructions for these statements often specify an essay of "1 or 1-1/2 pages," single spaced).
• Title your paper "Statement of Purpose: Application for _____."

I use a version of this SOP assignment for many advanced writing classes I teach.