Greetings to all contributors on this forum. I would like to say a very big thanks to you all for the numerous enlightening contributions you are giving on this forum. I just got a job as a fitness instructor in a large institution using to a large extent tips (application and interview tips) I got from this forum. Thanks once again.
The present challenge I'm faced with is how to convince the management (through a special committee on housing)to allocate an apartment to me in the staff quarters. Due to the large number of employees in the institution, the limited apartments in the staff quarters have become really difficult to get and could even be more difficult for me as a new staff since some old staffs have being on the waiting list long before I was employed.
However, the committee has a policy of giving special preference to some categories of staffs due to the nature of their jobs. For instance the medical officers whether old or just employed are given apartments prefrencially so also the staffs charged with ensuring that power (electricity) is always available in the institution. My point from the above is that the categories of staffs I just mentioned are always given apartments in the quarters regardless of how many people were on the waiting list before them.
As the fitness instructor, I am required to be at the fitness centre as early as 6 am for my morning shift then come back for my evening shift and close at about 7 pm as the case maybe. Using this requirement as a reason, how do I constructively convince the committee to prefrentially allocate an apartment to me? I ve tried to draft an application but what I ve been able to come up with isn't appealing to me so I decided to seek expert guide. Any tip or better still an application sample will be highly appreciated.I would like to add that I am the first fitness instructor that has ever been employed by the institution hence there has never been a case of concern for accommodation of fitness instructor. Once again thanks a million.

Just between you and me, how would such an apartment benefit you, especially as pertains to your job as fitness instructor?

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Just between you and me, how would such an apartment benefit you, especially as pertains to your job as fitness instructor?

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The institution happens to be isolated from the main town therefore I have to travel quite a distance to get to the office if I should decide to rent an apartment in the nearest neighbourhood. Since I don't have a personal car and live in an area where transportation could be sometime difficult to get at that hour of the day I'm required to be at the office, the most reasonable thing I need to do in other to do my job effectively is to live close to my office and in this case, the closest place is nowhere but within the campus.

And you have a split shift. What times would you have to be at the center?

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

And you have a split shift. What times would you have to be at the center?

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6am to 10am for the morning session, then I go home, clean up and come back at 12pm or 1pm as the case may be, do some administrative works, then begin the evening session by 4pm till 7pm depending of the number of clients that come but on the average, this is the normal routine.

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Originally Posted by cacman

6am to 10am for the morning session, then I go home, clean up and come back at 12pm or 1pm as the case may be, do some administrative works, then begin the evening session by 4pm till 7pm depending of the number of clients that come but on the average, this is the normal routine.

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And the time in between would be your free time when you don't have to be in the office? So it sounds like traveling from another location (home) would be difficult and stressful and might cause you to be late for your classes. You'd be spending all your free time traveling back and forth.

If you live at a site away from the office, could you stay in the vicinity of the office during your "off" times and amuse yourself somehow?

I would check public transportation schedules and commute times, and emphasize them in my request for preferential treatment. You could even attach a copy of pertinent parts of the schedule. 4 commutes a day and a 10 or 11 hour work day add up to an extremely long day. I personally would quit before I start if they won't give you housing.

Now, using all the information we have worked out in this thread, please write up your very excellent application for housing. I'm signing off for the night, but will see in the morning if you posted the body of your application (no personal or work info, please), and will offer suggestions to improve it.

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If you live at a site away from the office, could you stay in the vicinity of the office during your "off" times and muse yourself somehow?

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Although that would mean working overly more than the standard duration (and of course with no over time bonus) but I could live with that. However spending my supposed 3 hours free time around isn't d problem I have here. My problem is having to come to the center every morning before 6am from a distance of more than 5km (if I live outside the institution)

Using all this information, please write your housing application letter, and I (and maybe others) will edit it and make further suggestions to improve it.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Using all this information, please write your housing application letter, and I (and maybe others) will edit it and make further suggestions to improve it.

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APPLICATION FOR HOUSING IN THE STAFF QUARTERS

Having being fully incorporated into the institution's labour force and appointed as the fitness instructor in the institution's fitness centre, I find it precautious that I d be given accommodation in the institution's staff quarters as I consider it a necessary action that will contribute to the effective discharge of the duties required of me.
The fitness centre activities are scheduled to run on a 2 session basis amidst other administrative works. The first session starts from 6.30am and runs till 9.30am while the second runs from 4.00pm till 7.00pm. The hours between this sessions are partly used for rest and for discharge of administrative duties. The implication of this is that as the sole administrator of the fitness centre, I am required to be at the centre before 6.30am, run the morning session till about 10.00am, go back home, freshen up, come back by 1.00pm, handle other administrative duties and then begin the evening session by 4.00pm which runs till 7.00 and beyound as the case may be.
Considering the distance between the main town and the institution, the nature of the transport system obtainable in our environment and the requirement of my job, it becomes apparent that living in the premises of the institution is almost a condition for an effective discharge of my duties which I so desire to do.
In view of this, I humbly urge your committee to consider my application on the basis of its importance and not just on the basis of the time I applied.
With the assurances that my application will be accorded the positive action anticipated, please accept my sincere appreciation.

I read your letter. To my way of thinking it is wordy and ponderous, and could be simplified and made more straightforward. Do I have your permission to edit it? Or does your institution like wordy and ponderous?

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

I read your letter. To my way of thinking it is wordy and ponderous, and could be simplified and made more straightforward. Do I have your permission to edit it? Or does your institution like wordy and ponderous?

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By all means please do. That's why I'm hear after all. I must say you particularly guided me in writing the letter that in part earned me this job. Please edit this letter or re-write it if need be. I really appreciate.

Not perfect but getting there --

APPLICATION FOR HOUSING IN THE STAFF QUARTERS

Now that I am part of this institution's labour force and have been hired to be the fitness instructor in the institution's fitness centre, I am requesting accommodation in the institution's staff quarters. This would be a necessary action that will enable me to effectively discharge my duties.

I am responsible for fitness centre activities scheduled to run on a two-session basis amidst other administrative works. The first session starts at 6.30am and runs till 9.30am, while the second session runs from 4.00pm till 7.00pm. The hours between these sessions are to be used for rest and for the discharge of administrative duties.

The implication of this is that, as the sole administrator of the fitness centre, I am required to be at the centre before 6.30am, run the morning session till about 10.00am, go back home, freshen up, come back by 1.00pm, handle other administrative duties and then begin the evening session by 4.00pm which ends at 7.00pm (or longer, as the case may be).

Considering the distance between where I live now and the institution, my not owning a car and having to depend on possibly unreliable public transportation, and the length of my commute (X hours one way), living on the institution campus would allow me too much more effectively discharge my duties.

In view of this, I humbly urge your committee to consider this application. I look forward to being a valued employee of the institution.

Sounds better. I started this thread expecting responses from u (wondergirl), taliniman, fr chuck because I know what u 3 and a host of other experts are capable of. You have proven once again that you are wonderful. Thanks a lot and if I do get d house, I ll reserve a room for you. I'm so grateful