Full Department Name
Name of Institution
Department Address
Dear Dr./Mr./Ms. Search Committee Chair’s last name and/or Search Committee Members:
Paragraph 1 [3-5 Sentences]: Identify the position you are applying for. Introduce yourself to the committee and your research interests. Connect your interests to the department and describe what makes you interested in becoming part of this departmental community.
Paragraph 2 [3-5 Sentences]: Briefly explain your research to date. Consider mentioning your research questions, methods, key findings, as well as where and when you published and/or presented this work.
Paragraph 3 [4-5 Sentences]: Elaborate on your current research project. Consider mentioning your most prestigious funding awards for this project. Explain your key findings in more detail.
Paragraph 4 [3-5 Sentences]: Introduce your future research plans and goals. Point out the intellectual merit and/or broader impacts of this future work.
Paragraph 5 [3-5 Sentences]: Briefly discuss your teaching experience and strategies. Provide examples of teaching strategies or an anecdote highlighting your teaching effectiveness. You may also want to introduce your philosophy on diversity in an academic setting.
Paragraph 6 [2-3 Sentences]: Make a connection between your work and the department to which you are applying. Include how you will participate in the intellectual life of the department both inside and outside the classroom. Provide concrete examples of how you will be a hard-working and collaborative colleague.
Paragraph 7 [1-2 Sentences]: A thank you for the search committee’s time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
Your Name
Credentials and Position
Institution/Affiliation Name
Date: Month Day, Year Search Committee Chair’s First and Last Name, Graduate Degree Dear Dr./Mr./Ms. Search Committee Chair’s last name and/or Search Committee Members: Paragraph 1 [3-5 Sentences]: Identify the position you are applying for. Introduce yourself to the committee and your research interests. Connect your interests to the department and describe what makes you interested in becoming part of this departmental community. Paragraph 2 [3-5 Sentences]: Briefly discuss your teaching experience and pedagogical commitments. Provide examples of teaching strategies or an anecdote highlighting your teaching effectiveness. You may also want to introduce your philosophy on diversity in an academic setting. Paragraph 3 [3-4 Sentences]: Provide a discussion of how you involved yourself with students or the broader university community outside of the traditional classroom setting. Discuss how those interactions influenced your teaching. Paragraph 4 [2-3 Sentences]: Briefly explain your current research interests to date and how it relates to your teaching. State your research questions, methods, and key findings or arguments. Point out the intellectual merit and/or broader impacts of this future work. Paragraph 5 [3-5 Sentences]: Highlight when and where your research was published and/or presented this work or any forthcoming publications. Mention any prestigious funding or awards. Introduce your future research plans and goals. Paragraph 6 [2-3 Sentences]: Make a connection between your work and the department to which you are applying. Include how you will participate in the intellectual life of the department both inside and outside the classroom. Provide concrete examples of how you will be a hard-working and collaborative colleague. Paragraph 7 [1-2 Sentences]: A thank you for the search committee’s time and consideration. Sincerely, Your Name |
Remember your first draft does not have to be your last. Try to get feedback from different readers, especially if it is one of your first applications. It is not uncommon to go through several stages of revisions. Check out the Writing Center’s handout on editing and proofreading and video on proofreading to help with this last stage of writing.
Using the word dissertation. Some search committee members may see the word “dissertation” as a red flag that an applicant is too focused on their role as a graduate student rather than as a prospective faculty member. It may be advantageous, then, to describe your dissertation as current research, a current research project, current work, or some other phrase that demonstrates you are aware that your dissertation is the beginning of a larger scholarly career.
Too much jargon. While you may be writing to a specific department, people on the search committee might be unfamiliar with the details of your subfield. In fact, many committees have at least one member from outside their department. Use terminology that can easily be understood by non-experts. If you want to use a specific term that is crucial to your research, then you should define it. Aim for clarity for your reader, which may mean simplification in lieu of complete precision.
Overselling yourself. While your job letter should sell you as a great candidate, saying so (e.g., “I’m the ideal candidate”) in your letter may come off to some search committee members as presumptuous. Remember that although you have an idea about the type of colleague a department is searching for, ultimately you do not know exactly what they want. Try to avoid phrases or sentences where you state you are the ideal or the only candidate right for the position.
Paying too much attention to the job description. Job descriptions are the result of a lot of debate and compromise. If you have skills or research interests outside the job description, consider including them in your letter. It may be that your extra research interests; your outside skills; and/or your extracurricular involvements make you an attractive candidate. For example, if you are a Latin Americanist who also happens to be well-versed in the Spanish Revolution, it could be worth mentioning the expanse of your research interests because a department might find you could fill in other gaps in the curriculum or add an additional or complementary perspective to the department.
Improper sendoff. The closing of your letter is just as important as the beginning. The end of the letter should reflect the professionalism of the document. There should be a thank-you and the word sincerely or a formal equivalent. Remember, it is the very last place in your letter where you present yourself as a capable future colleague.
Small oversights. Make sure to proofread your letter not just for grammar but also for content. For example, if you use material from another letter, make sure you do not include the names of another school, department, or unassociated faculty! Or, if the school is in Chicago, make sure you do not accidentally reference it as located in the Twin Cities.
Name dropping. You rarely know the internal politics of the department or institution to which you are applying. So be cautious about the names you insert in your cover letters. You do not want to unintentionally insert yourself into a departmental squabble or add fire to an interdepartmental conflict. Instead, focus on the actions you will undertake and the initiatives you are passionate about.
We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.
Ball, Cheryl E. 2013. “Understanding Cover Letters.” Inside Higher Ed , November 3, 2013. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/11/04/essay-cover-letter-academic-jobs .
Borchardt, John. 2014. “Writing a Winning Cover Letter.” Science Magazine , August 6, 2014. https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2014/08/writing-winning-cover-letter# .
Helmreich, William. 2013. “Your First Academic Job.” Inside Higher Ed , June 17, 2013. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/06/17/essay-how-land-first-academic-job .
Kelsky, Karen. 2013. “How To Write a Journal Article Submission Cover Letter.” The Professor Is In (blog), April 26, 2013. https://theprofessorisin.com/2013/04/26/how-to-write-a-journal-article-submission-cover-letter/ .
Tomaska, Lubomir, and Josef Nosek. 2008. “Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Cover Letter to Accompany a Job Application for an Academic Position.” PLoS Computational Biology 14(5). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006132 .
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Resumes examples for:.
Most people go to a university to study, but some go to a university to work. Whether you’re an astrophysics professor, a football coach or a food service worker, a compelling university cover letter is a crucial part of your application for any college job.
And these jobs are not exactly scarce. One website that specializes in jobs in academia, HigherEdJobs , says that there are more than 100,000 positions at 2,000 institutes available.Â
This guide, along with the corresponding cover letter example, will explore:
The format of a university cover letter is defined by its five key elements, its structure, and text volume. In most cases, a university cover letter should be one page only, a maximum of 300 words. So unlike a 100,000-word doctoral dissertation, a cover letter prizes brevity and economy of words.Â
But those words need to be chosen very carefully, and they need to follow a recognized structure.These are the five key elements in the format of a university cover letter:
We will explore what each of these components should contain, but first let’s check out the editable cover letter example you can use for your own application:
Dear Mr. Brawley,
During my seven years as Head of Modern Languages at Northwestern, we saw a 35% uptick in admissions and 25% improvement in overall grades. The oriental studies program was 150% oversubscribed and 95% of all our professors published critically acclaimed research in industry-leading linguistic journals.
Moving to Austin with my family brings opportunities, and while I am happy to explore a move back into academia, the timing of the Head of Modern Languages role at the University of Texas seems perfect. I know that you are looking to grow your oriental and middle east studies departments and I trust that my experience may prove beneficial.
Students are attracted to a degree course primarily because of the diversity of curriculum and the range of options for further study. Language professors with experience of teaching courses around the cultural and historical aspects of their respective countries proved the most popular at Northwestern and it is exactly this combination that will likely help to propel the success at Texas.
Interest in studying obscure linguistics and ancient poetry has dwindled as these regions become global economic powerhouses. Students want to study things that will be relevant to their interactions with real people. That is what underpins the success of any modern languages department. I am an active participant in these academic circles and am confident that I could assist in attracting some top teaching talent to the Texas team.
I have presented at over 100+ international seminars over the past five years, raising the prestige of my university and I would hope to continue in exactly the same vein. Being proactive in exploring the issues of the day and using social media to amplify the messages is the greatest student recruiting tool that any university department can use.
I would welcome the opportunity to share my thoughts on how I might help the Texas Modern Languages department to thrive.
Sandra Hangleton
The cover letter header is a thoughtfully designed section at the top of the page that contains your name, occupation, address, phone number and email. It may also include your photo and perhaps your LinkedIn profile — but don’t clutter it up with much else.
When the hiring manager opens your cover letter, before reading the first words, they should say, “Hmm, this looks nice.” In a page otherwise full of paragraphs full of black text, the header is your one opportunity to make some design choices to help your letter look as good as it reads. You can opt for an accent color, an imaginative layout, creative use of typography and perhaps icons for your address, phone and email. It should not be “gimmicky,” but it should be designed with a certain amount of flair.
The cover letter greeting, also known as a salutation, is the line where you say “Dear Ms. Smith,” “Dear Mr. Hernández” or “Dear Dr. Patel.”Â
Don’t get too creative here — in a letter seeking employment, “Hey, y’all” is obviously not going to work. Do attempt to find out the name of the person to whom you should address your job application letter. People like to read their own names, and it shows your attention to detail and your interest in this employer if you’ve gone to the trouble of finding out who is processing the applications for the job you want.
To catch a fish, you have to throw out some enticing bait. And your cover letter introduction, the opening paragraph, should both identify the job you’re seeking and make a convincing case that you’re the right person to fill it.
For a university application, mentioning your top-notch alma mater may be one way to bait the hook. If you have years of experience in your field, that may be another. Lead with your strengths, and try to write a paragraph that makes it impossible for the recruiter to stop reading.
Here’s an example of a good university cover letter introduction:
During my seven years as Head of Modern Languages at Northwestern, we saw a 35% uptick in admissions and 25% improvement in over all grades. The oriental studies program was 150% oversubscribed and 95% of all our professors published critically acclaimed research in industry-leading linguistic journals.
The body of your cover letter — i.e. the middle paragraphs — should contain the heart of your pitch. If your introduction has hooked the fish, the body is the part where you reel it in.Â
Given a one-page limit, you have a lot of work to do here in a short amount of space. Here you must list all of your top qualifications for the job you want. Again, this will usually include experience in your field, and in a university cover letter, it will generally address your education.Â
Be specific about your work experience, using facts and figures wherever possible, and try to relate at least one anecdote about how you solved a thorny problem in a previous job.Â
Also, try to mention the name of the university where you’re applying, and explain what it is that makes you want to work there. Let the employer know that you aren’t just mass-mailing job applications to random universities, but that you specifically want to work for this one. For example:
The conclusion of your cover letter should contain a call to action, in which you suggest that the hiring manager take some action as a result of your letter. You can say that you look forward to a reply, that you’d be happy to follow up with a phone call, or that you’d be delighted to be invited for an interview, in person or remotely.Â
Your interest in receiving a reply should let the recruiter know that you’re really interested in this job. You don’t want to sound either desperate or overconfident, but you do want to convey your sincere interest in exploring this job opportunity further.
Your letter needs to say the right things, but it also needs to have the right look. Choose the right layout and design for your cover letter, and don’t squander your golden prose on a badly designed letter that sounds great but looks ugly.
You need to use a legible font — nothing avant-garde or strange-looking. You want to choose a font size between 10 and 12 points, big enough to read but not so big it looks like you’re writing a children’s book.Â
You need to use 1-inch margins at the top, bottom, right and left of your letter. You need to add a space between your paragraphs, which should not be indented, and hold all paragraphs to a reasonable length.
When it comes to visuals, Resume.io’s cover letter templates offer a professionally designed, ready-to-go solution to quickly create a beautiful cover letter in minutes flat.
Always remember that you’re writing this letter to a human being, so you need to sound like one. Avoid robotic language or HR-speak about how you’re a “team player” who “thinks outside the box.” Beware of clichés that a recruiter has read a thousand times before, and beware of “fluff,” which is fancy language that says nothing.
A cover letter is a way of establishing a personal relationship with a hiring manager, someone whose help you desperately need in order to get the job. It’s a business letter, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be personal. In places, you score points by using rational language that speaks to the head, but in other places you gain ground by using emotional language that speaks to the heart.
Remember that nobody owes you a job, and you don’t need to convince anyone that you deserve one. You need to convince employers that you can help them more than they can help you, making the company stronger, more profitable and more efficient.Â
Pay close attention to your tone, making sure that it’s friendly, professional and confident, but never arrogant or presumptuous.
Here are some mistakes you want to avoid in your university cover letter.
If you’re looking for other cover letters and resumes, check out our related education cover letter examples :
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The purpose of a cover letter.
Anatomy of a Cover Letter
Sometimes called a “letter of intent” or “letter of interest”, a cover letter is an introduction to the rest of your job application materials (e.g., resume/CV, research statement, teaching philosophy, writing samples, etc.). The purpose of a cover letter is to quickly summarize why you are applying to an organization or for a particular position, and what skills and knowledge you bring that make you the most suitable candidate for that position. The cover letter is often the first impression that a prospective employer will have of you, especially if they do not know you, or have not heard about you from their network of contacts. First impressions count, and so getting your cover letter right is a critical step in your job application process. Like all your job application materials, it may take time and focus to write your cover letters well. You will likely have several drafts before you come up with a final version that clearly articulates your skills and your understanding of the employer and the job requirements.
While your resume briefly states your skills, knowledge, experience, and (most importantly) what you have achieved using your abilities, the cover letter gives you an opportunity to create a narrative that shows the path you have taken in your career or education, emphasizing the skills you’ve used along the way, and explaining why the position you are applying to is the next desirable step on this path. To find out more about the structure of the cover letter, you can see some examples here. Also, it is important to know that there are some differences between cover letters written for faculty positions and those written for non-faculty positions. You can review some of the key differences of cover letters for faculty positions here .
When you start the process of looking for job opportunities, you will probably read through lots of job advertisements. You will notice that most job ads ask for a cover letter of some sort. The exception to this might be when you apply for some jobs through an employer’s online job application system, where they may ask you to upload your letter as a document, cut and paste the contents of your letter into specific fields, or they may not ask for a letter at all. For most jobs, and whenever you are submitting a formal application, cover letters are usually expected – and can be very helpful – even if a letter is not requested in the job ad itself.
You might be tempted to send the same version of your cover letter to multiple employers, especially if you are applying for similar types of positions. Don’t. It can be fairly obvious to an employer when they receive a stock letter, and this will make a bad first impression. Tailor your letter to the employer and to the specific job. This may require you to do some background research on the employer’s website, or talk to someone you know (or don’t yet know) who already works there. Use this information to explain why you want to work at that particular place, doing that particular job. It takes time, but it is worth it. You’ll probably have more luck with three tailored cover letters than with 30 stock letters sent out to 30 different employers. Your cover letter will be read by someone as part of a formal job application, so make certain that it is free of spelling mistakes, grammar issues, and typos. Make sure your cover letter fits onto 1 page (for non-academic position applications), has consistent margins and formatting, and a readable font that is between 10-12pts.
When Not to Use Cover Letters: There are some occasions during the job search process where cover letters shouldn’t be used. During career fairs, you would typically only hand out your resume to employers (and a 1-page resume is ideal). Employers want to be able to quickly scan your resume for the key points, and you should be able to verbally communicate some of the ideas that a letter might contain (for example, why this company interests you). Recruiters won’t have the time to read a letter.
Step 1: The first step to writing a good cover letter is to first have a good resume. For information on putting these documents together, click here . Your cover letter expands upon some of the information you include within these documents, and describes the role you have played in achieving your academic or non-academic goals (i.e., showing how your experiences have made you the best candidate for the position).
Step 2: The next step is to find an open position that interests you, or at least the type of job to which you want to apply. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all cover letter, as each should be tailored to each job you apply to, but there will certainly be parts of the letter that will stay much the same, and be appropriate for multiple jobs. This might mean changing some of the key words in the letter, so that you are describing your experience in the employer’s language (using some of their keywords), not your own.
Step 3: Go through the job ad and carefully note all of the requirements and skills the employer is looking for. Based on your background research of the employer and the people you have spoken to who know about this employer, try to identify the two or three most important skills that the employer is looking for. You should then try to create a cover letter that illustrates that you have these skills and have used them effectively. Your cover letter will be stronger if it addresses these requirements and the job duties. Ensure that you talk about your experiences in the language used by the employer, echoing their words in descriptions you use to illustrate your skills. Write out a list of the keywords that you highlighted from the job ad, and then next to each of these words, write a brief statement that illustrates the fact that you have this skill/ability/knowledge using a specific example. You may not have an experience for all of the requirements, but the more you think about what you have achieved, the more likely it is that you will find something relevant to talk about. When you have all of this information, then you can begin to structure it within the format of a formal cover letter.
Here is a general template for a cover letter:
Your Name Street Address City, State, Zip Email and phone number
Today’s Date
Mr./Ms./Dr. Name Title Organization
Dear ______:
The opening paragraph should explain why you are writing, giving your specific employment interest. Mention how you found out about the position. If it was advertised, refer to the website or resource in which you saw it. If a contact told you about it, say so. It is also helpful to include an overall summary of the key skills, knowledge areas, or experiences that you are bring to this role right here in the first paragraph. If you start off with these very specific conclusions that confidently state that you have what the employer is looking for, then the reader will also have a lot of confidence that your letter and resume are worth reading. The next paragraphs will then expand on and illustrate what you are summarizing in this first paragraph.
The middle paragraph(s) should summarize the aspects of your background which will interest the employer. The more information you have about the organization and its needs, the better. Discuss your qualifications in terms of the contributions you can make. While you should not repeat your resume verbatim, don’t hesitate to refer to the most important information discussed in it. Ideally, both your cover letter and your CV/resume would be able to stand alone. It is not necessary to describe yourself in superlatives. Rather than saying, “I can make a uniquely valuable contribution to your organization,” give the employer enough relevant, targeted information to allow the reader to reach that conclusion independently. Be specific and credible. Tell stories that have a touch of drama, for example: “When I was working as the president of X student group, one of the challenges that we faced was XYZ.” Once you have created a touch of drama, describe how you used your skills to overcome it, for example: “So what I had to do was build relationships with administrators on campus by communicating the critical role our group played in doing ABC.” Once you have told the story, reflect on it in terms of how this is particularly relevant for the reader, for example: “I really enjoyed being placed in a position where I had to reach out to contact and bring them all together by creating a shared vision for everyone to buy into. I think this combination of strong marketing skills and relationship building will be valuable to the role of Advertising Associate.”
The closing paragraph should explain why the position and the particular organization is attractive to you, and should hopefully pave the way for the interview. Provide an authentic reason why you are excited about bringing your skills to the role, and what you will also gain from being in the role. Speaking with former or current employees at the organization as part of your networking will help in this regards. You can also offer to send any additional information, restate your contact details, and state that you look forward to hearing from them.
Applying to university can be a daunting experience, especially when it comes to crafting the perfect cover letter for your application. A well-written cover letter can be the deciding factor between getting accepted into your dream program or receiving a rejection letter. In this guide, we will explore the importance of a strong cover letter, its purpose, format, content, and provide tips and examples to help you craft a compelling cover letter for your university application.
A cover letter for a university application is an essential document that can make or break your chances of getting admitted to your dream program. The importance of a strong cover letter in the application process cannot be understated, as it serves to introduce you, showcase your achievements, and demonstrate your passion for the chosen program or course.
In this article, we will cover:
By following the advice and guidance provided in this article, you will be well-equipped to create a cover letter that stands out from the competition and increases your chances of admission. So, let's dive in and learn how to craft the perfect cover letter for your university application!
The primary purpose of a cover letter is to introduce the applicant, showcase their achievements, and demonstrate their passion for the chosen program or course. A cover letter complements other application materials, such as your resume and transcripts, by highlighting your unique qualities and strengths that may not be evident in those documents.
An effective cover letter can also demonstrate your motivation and commitment to the program, which can influence the admissions committee's decision. For example, MIT's Career Advising & Professional Development office explains that a well-crafted cover letter can help set you apart from other applicants by providing context and a personal touch to your application.
A proper format and structure are crucial for creating a professional and effective cover letter for a university application. A standard cover letter typically includes:
Proper formatting, such as using an appropriate font, font size, and margin settings, is essential for creating a polished and professional appearance. Keep your language clear and concise, and make sure to proofread and edit your letter to ensure it is error-free.
A successful cover letter for a university application should contain specific elements that demonstrate the applicant's qualifications, achievements, and passion for the program. These elements include:
Tailoring the content to the specific university or program is crucial, as demonstrated by Seattle Pacific University's Career Services . They advise that telling stories about your skills and experiences that are relevant to the specific program can help make your cover letter more effective.
Following certain tips and best practices can significantly improve the quality and impact of a cover letter for a university application:
Avoiding common cover letter mistakes is essential for creating a strong and effective university application:
Examining sample cover letters can provide valuable insights and inspiration for crafting a successful university application. We recommend:
With proper research, planning, and execution, a well-crafted cover letter can significantly enhance a university application and increase the chances of admission. By applying the tips and guidance provided in this article, you will be well-prepared to create a compelling cover letter that showcases your passion, achievements, and qualifications for your dream program.
As a final piece of advice, remember that persistence and dedication are key to success in the university application process. Keep refining your cover letter and learning from feedback until you have a polished and impactful document that truly represents you. Good luck on your university application journey!
By Victoria Reyes
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Sociologist Andrew Whitehead started a Twitter thread some months ago detailing his take on various stages of the academic job market. For the cover letter, he gave excellent advice . He suggested among other things, keeping it at a suggested length (one and a half to two pages) and avoiding jargon. He also stressed the importance of strong lead sentences, using the cover letter to highlight and point to other parts of your application, and controlling the narrative you want to tell .
Others have also written about writing a cover letter. Cheryl E. Ball, for example, provides excellent advice and a paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown . Indeed, a simple Google search on “how to write an academic cover letter” brings back 49,600 results if the clause is in quotations, and 526 million results without quotations.
I want to build on the foundational advice of those before me and provide additional insight into the purpose of a cover letter, tips for writing a successful one and what to avoid in it. At the very least, I find having multiple perspectives, styles of writing and exposure to different ways of thinking about the same topic to be useful.
This essay draws on an invited prep talk on how to write a cover letter that I gave at the 2019 American Sociological Association’s annual meeting and on my own experience as a job applicant and as a faculty member on search committees. It’s meant to be helpful for those new on the job market, as the following advice may seem obvious to those who have been in academe for a while.
The first thing that Ph.D. students need to remember about the academic cover letter is its purpose: to introduce who you are as a scholar, what you would bring to the department as a potential colleague and how you fit the requirements listed in the advertisement. The cover letter may be the first thing search committee members see, alongside the CV, so you want to make sure that it captures their attention in a good way.
Here are some tips that I hope you’ll find helpful.
Don’t assume knowledge on the part of the reader. Don’t presuppose that faculty members are reading your application holistically, or that if you mentioned something in a research statement, you won’t have to repeat it in the cover letter. As Whitehead suggests, you should walk your reader through the narrative you want to tell of who you are as a scholar. For example, what is it you study? Are you a scholar of globalization? Social movements? Race? What is the overarching question your research addresses? Even if the content of your publications covers particular topics, and it seems obvious to you who you are as a scholar, you need to specify in your cover letter what it is you study. Take the lead in shaping the narrative of you who are. If you don’t, others will.
Another aspect of not assuming knowledge on the part of the reader means that you need to be explicit, stating what you think is obvious -- because what is obvious to you is not always obvious to the reader. For example, although your dissertation may use qualitative methods, you may be able to teach undergraduate statistics. But you decide not to say in your cover letter that you are able to teach that class because you assume that anyone who has a Ph.D. in sociology could do so. However, that assumption would be incorrect, and the search committee will not know that you can, and want, to teach undergrad statistics unless you say that explicitly in your cover letter and teaching statement.
Tailor your letter. As others, like Karen Kelsky, have written , do your research on the institution and department behind the ad. Take care to understand and communicate how you fit with a given department and how you and your work connect to departmental activities and communities across the college or university. That means elaborating on your approach to teaching for a liberal arts college, for example, and demonstrating what your publications and research can specifically bring to a research university.
Tailoring your letter also means tailoring it to the job ad, remembering to be as explicit as you can about how you fit the listed requirements. If the job ad states that the position is for someone who studies religion, for example, say you study religion. Additionally, show how your broader research agenda ties to religion in some way. My department is currently hiring in organizations and institutions, and successful applicants clearly state they are scholars that study these areas. More important, the most successful applicants demonstrate that they are primarily interested in expanding theoretical knowledge about organizations and institutions more generally, rather than being theoretically interested in a different topic that happens to take place within an organization.
Something I didn’t realize until I was on the faculty side of hiring is that the areas of specialization asked for in the ad, other than those few open hires that call for anyone in any specialization to apply, are often tied to holes in the curriculum. So, for instance, at my institution, an applicant who demonstrates a teaching record related to organizations and institutions is the strongest, while a desire to teach -- with no prior record -- is slightly less ideal but still a potentially strong applicant. Someone who does not explicitly state their experience or their desire to teach in organizations and institutions is not as strong a candidate. The search committee only knows what you write down in your materials, so be sure to mention the obvious!
Write as a potential colleague rather than as a graduate student. When you write about your research, focus on your arguments and contributions rather than simply describing the details of your specific study. That demonstrates you’ve shifted to being a producer of knowledge who knows how your research fits into the broader field. Another way to write as a potential colleague, rather than as a graduate student, is to discuss how you see yourself fitting into, and contributing to, the department, college and university. That means doing your homework and seeing what centers and institutions are on the campus, as well as any workshops, symposia or other events that occur in your department and how you could contribute or add to those ventures. This involves a transition to seeing yourself as someone who is a useful resource that brings something to the academic table.
Write fact-based statements that highlight your accomplishments, including publications, awards, fellowships and teaching. It is not bragging or self-promotion to say that you’ve received an award or fellowship. It’s a statement of fact. For example, saying that you’ve won a teaching or mentoring award is evidence of excellence in teaching or mentoring. That is different than adjective-filled comments that talk about your “passion for teaching,” for example. Fact-based statements that highlight your accomplishments show , rather than tell, the reader of your commitment. Of course, you could still say you are passionate about teaching. Just follow it up with a sentence that provides concrete evidence or data that supports your claim -- such as a teaching award.
Be clear and concise. Write short, declarative sentences. Do not write long, complicated sentences, as your point may get lost in the details.
Here are a few things to avoid when writing a cover letter.
Excessive detail. Don’t try to describe each and every paper you’ve written in the cover letter. Instead, highlight one or two given papers and discuss their arguments and significance. Also, don’t give a detailed description of how your paper fits into the existing literature. That is appropriate for an article but not a cover letter, because it takes up too much space that could be better used to highlight your own accomplishments rather than others’ arguments. To be sure, you can gesture to how it fits into the existing literature, but limit it to just a short sentence or two. You should not write a whole paragraph on the intricacies of the subfield.
Jargon. Similar to what Verena Hutter and Kelsky write, be sure to avoid jargon and clichés . Remember that members of the search committee are likely not in your subfield. Translating your research for a general audience means getting rid of the jargon, or at the very least, defining the jargon you use. While each subfield’s jargon differs, think about whether a certain concept or word is familiar to an educated lay audience. If not, then it is important to try to explain your work without using the jargon.
For example, if you are dedicated to feminist praxis, talk about your commitment to both feminism and putting theory in action in lay terms, and/or define what you mean by “feminist praxis” -- particularly if you are applying to a department other than gender studies or related subfields. That said, avoiding jargon means knowing your audience, as it depends on the discipline and subfield. For example, writing that you are committed to feminist praxis may not be jargon in a gender studies department. In contrast, writing that you are committed to having students discover their “sociological imagination” may be jargon for gender studies but is a taken-for-granted concept across subfields within sociology.
Hyperbole. As previously mentioned, stick to fact-based statements that highlight your accomplishments. Remember you are probably competing with hundreds of applicants, many of whom have competitive records and accomplishments. So saying something such as “I am uniquely qualified to fill the position” is very likely to be untrue.
The three things to avoid that I mention above are common mistakes that signal someone who is still positioning themselves as a grad student, not a colleague, and thus, someone who may not be ready for a faculty job. That is a tricky but extremely important transition to make. It requires walking a delicate line between drawing on and acknowledging the work that senior scholars have done in the field and being confident enough to know you have something to contribute.
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Your academic cover letter must immediately highlight your most significant achievements. Showcase the research or projects that align closely with the position's requirements. Demonstrate your potential contribution to the department and the institution. Ensure your passion for teaching and scholarship shines through every word.
Cover letter guide.
Academic Cover Letter Sample
Cover Letter Format
Cover Letter Salutation
Cover Letter Introduction
Cover Letter Body
Cover Letter Closing
No Experience Academic Cover Letter
Key Takeaways
Crafting an academic cover letter can be a stumbling block, especially when you're already deep into job applications and realize it's a required piece of the puzzle. This isn't just a repeat of your resume; it's your chance to spotlight a shining professional triumph and weave a compelling narrative around it. Forget the clichés—your cover letter must exude formality without being mundane, all while fitting neatly on a single page. Let's unlock the secrets to a cover letter that leaves a lasting impression.
Let the power of Enhancv's AI work for you: create your academic cover letter by uploading your resume.
If the academic isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Do you want to make a good impression on recruiters and, at the same time, follow the best industry advice on writing your academic cover letter?
Make sure to include the following:
Remember to use the same modern, simple font for your academic cover letter as you did for your resume (e.g. Lato, Rubik, etc.)
Ensure your academic cover letter is single-spaced and is wrapped around a one-inch margin, like in our cover letter templates .
Once completed, use our cover letter builder to export your academic cover letter in the best format to keep your information intact - PDF.
At the end of the day, your academic cover letter won't be assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) software, but by the recruiters. Your information should thus be legible, organized, and follow a structured logic.
Before you start writing your academic cover letter, take the time to find out who is recruiting for the role.
Search for the recruiter's name on LinkedIn or the corporate website to address them personally in your academic cover letter salutation .
What if you can't find out who's recruiting for the role?
Always aim to avoid the very impersonal "Dear Sir/Madam" - instead, opt out for "Dear HR Team" or "Dear Hiring Manager" to make a better first impression.
Have you ever wondered what the best way is to present your profile in the academic cover letter introduction ?
There's no right or wrong answer if you're being concise and authentic to yourself.
Some professionals start their academic cover letter by:
The lengthiest part of your academic cover letter is the body.
Within the next three to six middle paragraphs, present yourself as the best candidate for the role .
How can you do that without retelling your whole professional resume?
Select one key achievement that covers job-crucial skills and technologies (and is memorable).
Within the body of your academic cover letter, aim to tell the story of how you achieved your success. Also, write about how this would help out your potential team.
So far, you've done a fantastic job in tailoring your academic cover letter for the role and recruiter.
Your final opportunity to make a good impression is your closing paragraph.
And, no, a "Sincerely yours" just won't do, as it sounds too vague and impersonal.
End your academic cover letter with the future in mind.
So, if you get this opportunity, what do you plan to achieve? Be as specific, as possible, of what value you'd bring to the organization.
You could also thank recruiters for their interest in your profile and prompt for follow-up actions (and organizing your first interview).
Don't worry if you have no conventional professional experience . Within your whole experience, there's plenty more you can write about in your academic cover letter.
Take, for example, your biggest achievement or award - dedicate your cover letter body to describe it and the job-relevant skills you've learned.
Your professional ambitions could also take center stage. Describe what you plan on achieving in the next five to ten years and the efforts you're making towards your dreams.
Within this Enhancv guide, we've provided you with plenty of advice and inspiration on writing your academic cover letter:
Explore additional academic cover letter samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
Enhancv harnesses the capabilities of ChatGPT to provide a streamlined interface designed specifically focused on composing a compelling cover letter without the hassle of thinking about formatting and wording.
How to answer the "how did you hear about this job" interview question, cover letter design: 5+ tips & examples for success, how to send an introduction email to a recruiter (sample included), a guide to finding a headhunter, does having color on my resume affect my chance of getting hired.
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If you’re applying for jobs at a university, you need a cover letter that will make you stand out amongst all the other qualified candidates.
It’s key that you present yourself in a manner that will persuade the recruitment team to shortlist you for interview, and to help you impress, we’ve put together this detailed guide on how to write a standout cover letter.
We’ll share all our expert advice, along with some university cover letter examples to inspire you.
CV templatesÂ
These University cover letter examples provide you with some guidance and inspiration for writing a cover letter that gets noticed and ensures your CV will get opened.
But if you really want to master the art of writing a winning cover letter , then follow our step-by-step cove letter writing guide below.
A simple step-by-step guide to writing your very own winning cover letter.
Type the content of your cover letter directly into the email you are sending, or if you are applying via a job board, directly into their messaging system.
The reason for doing this it to ensure that your cover letter gets seen instantly and you can start connecting with the recruiter as soon as they open your message.
If you attach your cover letter as a separate document, the recipient will have to open up the document, which will slow the process down, or make them less likely to even open your cover letter – which could mean your application gets skipped over.
To start building rapport with the recruiter or hiring manager right away, lead with a friendly greeting.
Try to strike a balance between professional and personable.
Go with something like…
Stay away from old-fashioned greetings like “Dear sir/madam ” unless applying to very formal companies – they can come across as cold and robotic.
Addressing the recruitment contact by name is an excellent way to start building a strong relationship. If it is not listed in the job advert, try to uncover it via these methods.
Once you’ve opened up the cover letter with a warm greeting to start building a relationship, it is time to identify which role you want to apply for.
Recruiters are often managing multiple vacancies, so you need to ensure you apply to the correct one.
Be very specific and use a reference number if you can find one.
See also: CV examples – how to write a CV – CV profiles
The sole objective of your cover letter is to motivate recruiters into to opening your CV. And you achieve this by quickly explaining your suitability to the roles you are applying for.
Take a look at the job descriptions you are applying to, and make note of the most important skills and qualifications being asked for.
Then, when crafting your cover letter, make your suitability the central focus.
Explain why you are the best qualified candidate, and why you are so well suited to carry out the job.
This will give recruiters all the encouragement they need to open your CV and consider you for the job.
It is best to keep your cover letter brief if you want to ensure you hold the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers. A lengthy cover letter will probably not get read in full, so keep yours to around 3-6 sentences and save the real detail for your CV.
Remember the purpose of your cover letter is to quickly get recruiters to notice you and encourage them to open your CV, so it only needs to include the highlights of your experience.
To finish off your cover note, add a professional signature to the bottom, stating your important contact details and information.
This not only provides recruiters with multiple means of contacting you, but it also adds a nice professional appearance to the cover letter, which shows that you know how to conduct yourself in the workplace.
Include the following points;
Here is an example signature;
Warm regards,
Aaron Smith Customer service professional 075557437373 [email protected] LinkedIn
Quick tip : To save yourself from having to write your signature every time you send a job application, you can save it within your email drafts, or on a separate document that you could copy in.
Your University cover letter will be unique to your situation, but there are certain content guidelines you should stick to for best results.
To attract and entice recruiters, stick with the following key subjects in your cover letter – adapting them to fit your profession and target jobs.
Copy and paste these University cover letter templates to get a head start on your own.
I am excited to apply for the Lecturer position in the Politics Department at Sheffield University, bringing with me a wealth of experience and a passion for International Relations, Political Philosophy, and Critical Theory. With an MA and PhD from the University of Leeds and 6+ years of teaching experience, I possess the skills to design engaging lectures, mentor students, and conduct impactful research.
In my current role as Assistant Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, I have designed a popular course on the politics of identity and social movements, demonstrating my ability to innovate new and well-received modules. My research on the intersections of power, identity, and social movements was presented at the International Political Science Association Conference and published in the Journal of Politics. During my tenure as a Teaching Assistant, I introduced a seminar series on essay structure and technique, which received positive feedback and contributed to a significant 12% increase in exam scores. My dedication to fostering inclusive classrooms and research, as evidenced in my publications on intersectionality and politics of representation, aligns with the values of your department.
I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience to discuss how my qualifications and commitment to diversity and equity align with your department’s vision.
Best wishes,
I hope you’re well. With a varied 30-year academic career and specialist experience in 18th-century literature, literary theory, and critical race studies, I am thrilled to apply for the position of Professor of English Literature at UCL.
Through my PhD research and 12+ years of teaching experience at The University of Manchester, I have honed my ability to design and deliver engaging lectures and seminars while effectively mentoring students. My original research on race and gender in 18th-century literature has garnered recognition from Lit Today and LHB Journal, including a successful research project on the reception of African American literature in the UK. My monograph on the same subject received acclaim in Women’s Writing Journal. In my previous role as Senior Lecturer, I designed a highly requested course on the history of the novel which attracted 65% of students in its first year, showcasing my innovative approach to course development. Additionally, in 2021 I organised an international conference on race and literature that attracted scholars from 38 countries and engaged 800 undergraduate students.
I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience to discuss how my qualifications and dedication can contribute to the progressive academic excellence at UCL.
Kind regards,
Simone Rickard
Dear Martin,
I hope this email finds you well. With a 25+ year career at UCL, including a PhD in the history of women’s rights and the feminist movement, I am excited to apply for the esteemed position of Program Director, bringing with me a wealth of experience and dedication to advancing the field of Women’s History.
As the current Program Director of Women’s History at UCL, I successfully spearheaded the development of a new undergraduate program in Women’s History Studies, becoming the most popular history class in recent cohorts. I have also cultivated partnerships with external organisations, such as the British Library and the Tate, to create interpretive exhibits showcasing influential women throughout history. My dedication to fostering an inclusive learning environment is evident in my implementation of a 1-2-1 mentorship program for women interested in pursuing careers in history. My ability to design and deliver engaging curriculum materials, mentor students, and secure funding through grant proposals makes me the ideal candidate for this role.
I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience to discuss how my qualifications and commitment to advancing the study of Women’s History align with your institution’s mission.
Osei Johnson
Writing an impressive cover letter is a crucial step in landing a job working at a University, so taking the time to perfect it is well worth while.
By following the tips and examples above you will be able to create an eye-catching cover letter that will wow recruiters and ensure your CV gets read – leading to more job interviews for you.
Good luck with your job search!
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November 2, 1998
Dr. Naomi Sellers Chair, English Search Committee Box 58 Baxter College Arcadia, WV 24803
Dear Dr. Sellers:
I am writing to apply for the position as assistant professor of English with an emphasis in rhetoric and composition that you advertised in the October MLA Job Information List. I am a graduate student at Prestigious University working on a dissertation under the direction of Professor Prominent Figure. Currently revising the third of five chapters, I expect to complete all work for the Ph.D. by May of 1999. I believe that my teaching and tutoring experience combined with my course work and research background in rhetoric and composition theory make me a strong candidate for the position outlined in your notice.
As my curriculum vitae shows, I have had excellent opportunities to teach a variety of writing courses during my graduate studies, including developmental writing, first-year writing for both native speakers and second language students, advanced writing, and business writing. I have also worked as a teaching mentor for new graduate students, a position that involved instruction in methods of composition teaching, development of course materials, and evaluation of new graduate instructors. Among the most satisfying experiences for me as a teacher has been instructing students on an individual basis as a tutor in our university Writing Lab. Even as a classroom instructor, I find that I always look forward to the individual conferences that I hold with my students several times during the semester because I believe this kind of one-on-one interaction to be essential to their development as writers.
My work in the composition classroom has provided me with the inspiration as well as a kind of laboratory for my dissertation research. My project, The I Has It: Applications of Recent Models of Subjectivity in Composition Theory, examines the shift since the 1960s from expressive models of writing toward now-dominant postmodern conceptions of decentered subjectivity and self-construction through writing. I argue that these more recent theoretical models, while promising, cannot have the liberating effects that are claimed for them without a concomitant reconception of writing pedagogy and the dynamics of the writing classroom. I relate critical readings of theoretical texts to my own pedagogical experiments as a writing teacher, using narratives of classroom successes and failures as the bases for critical reflection on postmodern composition theory. After developing my dissertation into a book manuscript, I plan to continue my work in current composition theory through a critical examination of the rhetoric of technological advancement in the computer-mediated writing classroom.
My interest in the computer classroom has grown out of recent experience teaching composition in that environment. In these courses my students have used computers for writing and turning in notes and essays, communicating with one another and with me, conducting library catalogue research and web research, and creating websites. I have encouraged my students to think and write critically about their experiences with technology, both in my class and elsewhere, even as we have used technology to facilitate our work in the course. Syllabi and other materials for my writing courses can be viewed at my website: http://machine.prestigious.edu/~name. In all of my writing courses I encourage students to become critical readers, thinkers, and writers; my goal is always not only to promote their intellectual engagement with cultural texts of all kinds but also to help them become more discerning readers of and forceful writers about the world around them.
I have included my curriculum vitae and would be happy to send you additional materials such as a dossier of letters of reference, writing samples, teaching evaluations, and past and proposed course syllabi. I will be available to meet with you for an interview at either the MLA or the CCCC convention, or elsewhere at your convenience. I can be reached at my home phone number before December 19; between then and the start of the MLA convention, you can reach me at (123) 456-7890. I thank you for your consideration and look forward to hearing from you.
First Lastname
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Target your cover letter, cover letter format.
Submitting your application.
When you are applying for a faculty position at a college or university, your cover letter will differ significantly from the standard business cover letter.
Your cover letter may be reviewed by Human Resources department staff to determine if you meet the basic qualifications for the job. If it does, it will be forwarded to a search committee comprised mostly of faculty members and academic deans.Â
These individuals will be accustomed to reading more lengthy academic cover letters and resumes or curriculum vitae (CV) than would be customary in the business world. They will also often be more interested in the philosophical foundations for your work than the typical business recruiter.
Kelly Miller / The Balance
Your initial challenge will be to pass through the Human Resources screening. Review each of the required qualifications included in the job announcement and compose statements containing evidence that you possess as many of the skills, credentials, knowledge, and experiences listed as possible.Â
Address as many of the preferred qualifications as possible.Â
Give concrete examples to support your assertions about your strengths.Â
Your faculty reviewers will typically have an interest in your philosophy and approach to teaching and research within your discipline. They will also be evaluating how your background fits with the type of institution where they work.
Research the faculty in your target department to assess their orientation and expertise. Emphasize points of intersection between your philosophy and the prevalent departmental philosophy.
If you possess traditionally valued areas of expertise that are not already represented by the current faculty, make sure to point those strengths out in your cover letter. It's important to tailor your letter to the orientation of the college and adjust the mix of emphasis on teaching and research based on the expectations in that setting.Â
Colleges will typically want to hire new faculty who are passionate about their current research and not resting on past research credits.
Describe a current project with some detail and express enthusiasm for continuing such work.Â
Try to do the same with any evolving teaching interests.Â
Highlight any grants and funding you have received to undertake your research activities. Incorporate any awards or recognition which you have received for your teaching or research activities. Some text should also be devoted to other contributions to the college communities where you worked, such as committee work, advising, and collaborations with other departments.
Your cover letter should be written in the same basic format as a business cover letter. An academic cover letter is typically two pages compared to a single page for non-academic letters.
Here’s an example of the appropriate format for a cover letter and guidelines for formatting your letters.
You can use this sample as a model to write an academic cover letter. Download the template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online), or read the text version below.
Robin Applicant 123 Main Street, Anytown, CA 12345 555-555.5555 robin.applicant@email.com
April 5, 2021
Dr. Sylvia Lee Chair, English Department Search Committee Acme College 123 Business Rd. Charlotte, NC 28213
Dear Dr. Sylvia Lee,
I am writing to apply for the position of assistant professor of English with an emphasis in nineteenth-century American literature that you advertised in the MLA Job Information List. I am a Dean’s Fellow and Ph.D. candidate at XYZ University, currently revising the final chapter of my dissertation, and expecting to graduate in May I am confident that my teaching experience and my research interests make me an ideal candidate for your open position.
Over the past five years, I have taught a variety of English courses. I have taught a number of American literature survey courses, as well as writing courses, including technical writing and first-year writing. I have extensive experience working with ESL students, as well as students with a variety of learning disabilities, including dyslexia and dysgraphia, and disabilities like ADD and ADHD. I pride myself on creating a classroom environment that accommodates the needs of my students while still promoting a high level of critical thought and writing skills. Some of my most satisfying experiences as a teacher have come from helping struggling students to grasp difficult concepts, through a combination of individual conferences, class activities, and group discussion. I know I would thrive as a teacher in your college, due to your belief in small classroom size and individualized support for students.
Not only does my teaching experience suit the needs of your school and department, but my research interests also fit perfectly with your description of the ideal candidate. My dissertation project, “Ferns and Leaves: Nineteenth-Century Female Authorial Space,” examines the rise and development of American female authors in the 1840s and 1850s, with a particular focus on patterns of magazine publication. I argue that, rather than being submissive to the requirements of the editor or publisher, female authors, in fact, developed a more transparently reciprocal relationship between themselves and their readers than previously has been assumed. I apply recent print-culture and book-history theory to my readings of novels, magazine articles, letters, and diary entries by various female authors, with a particular focus on Sara Willis (known by her pseudonym Fanny Fern). I plan to develop my dissertation into a book manuscript and continue to research the role of female writers in antebellum magazine culture, with a particular focus on the rise and influence of female magazine editors on literary culture.
My research interests have both shaped and been shaped by my recent teaching experiences. Last spring, I developed and taught a course on the history of print culture in America. I combined readings on theory and literature that addressed issues of print with visits to local historical museums and archives. My students conducted in-depth studies on particular texts (magazines, newspapers, novels) for their final papers. I believe my interdisciplinary teaching style, particularly my emphasis on material culture, would fit in well with the interdisciplinary nature of your English department.
I am therefore confident that my teaching experience, my skill in working with ESL and LD students, and my research interests all make me an excellent candidate for the assistant professor of English position at ABC College. I have attached my curriculum vitae and the two requested sample publications. I would be happy to send you any additional materials such as letters of reference, teaching evaluations, and past and proposed course syllabi. I will be available to meet with you at either the MLA or C19 conference, or anywhere else at your convenience. Thank you so much for your consideration; I look forward to hearing from you.
Robin Applicant (hard copy letter)
Robin Applicant
Betty Applicant 567 North Street, Boston, MA 02108 555-555.555 betty.applicant@email.com
Dr. Robert Smith Chair, Department of Biology Acme University 123 Business Rd. Business City, NY 54321
Dear Dr. Smith,
I am writing to apply for the position of Assistant Professor of Biology with a focus on molecular biology at XYZ University, as advertised in the March issue of Science. I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of XYZ in the Department of Molecular Biology, working under the advisement of Professor Linda Smith. I am confident that my research interests and teaching experience make me an ideal candidate for your open position.
My current research project, which is an expansion on my dissertation, “[insert title here],” involves [insert research project here]. I have published my dissertation findings in Science Journal and am in the processing of doing the same with my findings from my current research. The laboratory resources at XYZ University would enable me to expand my research to include [insert further research plans here] and seek further publication.
Beyond my successes as a researcher (including five published papers and my current paper in process), I have had extensive experience teaching a variety of biology courses. As a graduate student at Science University, I served as a teaching assistant and guest lecturer for both biology and chemistry introductory courses and won the university award for outstanding teacher’s assistant. As a postdoctoral fellow at the University of ABC, I have had the opportunity to teach Introduction to Biology as well as a graduate-level course, Historicizing Molecular Biology. In every class, I strive to include a blend of readings, media, lab work, and discussion to actively engage students with the material. I would love the opportunity to bring my award-winning lesson planning and teaching skills to your biology department.
I am confident that my research interests and experience combined with my teaching skills make me an excellent candidate for the Assistant Professor of Biology position at XYZ University. I have attached my curriculum vitae, three recommendations, and the two requested sample publications. I would be happy to send you any additional materials such as teaching evaluations or past and proposed course syllabi. I will be available to meet with you at the ASBMB conference or anywhere else at your convenience. Thank you so much for your consideration; I look forward to hearing from you.
Betty Applicant (hard copy letter)
Betty Applicant
It’s important to submit all your application materials in the format requested by the college or university. You may be asked to email, mail, or apply online via the institution’s applicant tracking system.
You may be required to provide references with your application, so be prepared to submit a list of references. The institution may also request transcripts, teaching evaluations, and writing samples.
Send only what is requested. There's no need to include information that the institution hasn't ask for.
However, you can offer to provide additional materials like writing samples, syllabi, and letters of recommendation in the last paragraph of your letter.
Follow the instructions in the job posting for submitting your application. It should specify what format the college wants to receive.
Here are some examples of what you may be asked to include with your cover letter and resume or CV:
What are the objectives of a cover letter.
A good cover letter puts your résumé in context and persuades the prospective employer that you are a good match for the position in question. If your cover letter does its job, the prospective employer will begin to consider your candidacy and go on to review your résumé in detail.
Your cover letter also serves as a sample of your organizational and communication skills. For this reason, it's essential to spend time writing and organizing the content, and to proofread it carefully. The time and care that you devote to constructing and writing your cover letter and résumé will demonstrate to the prospective employer that you're capable of producing high quality work.
Finally, your cover letter expresses your interest in the particular position or particular organization. Cover letters should be individually tailored for each job prospect. Your letter should convey to each prospective employer that you have an understanding of the job, and that you've done some thinking about how you could fit in to the organization and contribute to its goals.
Your cover letter is your opportunity to market those aspects of your skills, abilities, education, training, background, and experience which are most relevant to the position you're seeking. This means that you will need to begin by doing some thinking about your skills and background and how these relate to the position for which you're applying. (For more information about skills, visit the Humanities Academic Services Center website .) Your cover letter should reflect your individuality, but remember that you are "introducing yourself" for the first time to a stranger: it's best to err on the side of professionalism.
Read the job announcement carefully. What are the most important qualifications being sought? How can you best demonstrate that you have them? Try to put yourself in the prospective employer's position: What would you want to know about a candidate for this particular job? What information would be most important to you? Include only the most relevant attributes and experiences you possess which specifically match the job for which you're applying.
Research the company or organization: What does the employing organization do? What are its goals? What is its history? How does it fit in to its industry? What characterizes the organization's culture (e.g., is it casual, conservative, highly structured, diverse, traditional, modern, fast-paced, etc.)? Some information, such as the organization's mission, purpose, clients, partners, and a sense of its "style" can be found on its website (if it has one). There are also industry and employer directories available on the web, in the libraries, and at UW Career Center in 134 Mary Gates Hall. Local and national newspapers, industry-related publications and journals, and the Washington Occupational Information System are also good resources.
Address the letter to a specific individual. As with all writing, it's important to identify your audience. Taking the time to find out the hiring party's name and correct title is another way to demonstrate your interest in the position.
Your cover letter should be three to four paragraphs in length and limited to one page. Like an essay, its content can usually be divided up into three parts:
The introduction states the position you're seeking, explains how you learned about the position, and indicates your interest. It often also contains a brief statement of your qualifications (education, experience, and skills).
The body highlights the most important qualities you can offer to this particular employer , related to the position that you're seeking. Because you will be attaching your résumé, this is not the place to go into great detail. What you are attempting to do is to get the employer's attention and interest him/her in your candidacy. This is also the place to present other relevant information about your characteristics or background that may not be evident from your résumé. You might provide the employer with some specific examples of how you've demonstrated particular key skills or how you fulfill the most important qualifications listed in the job announcement.
The conclusion should summarize your qualifications and your interest in the position. Be sure to close your letter with a request for action or an indication that you'll be following up. This might include a request for an interview, a statement of your intent to call the employer on a specific date, or the dates you'll be in town for an interview. Finally, always thank the employer for considering your application.
by Eszter Hargittai on July 2, 2024
I’m hosting a couple of professionalization discussions for our PhD candidates and postdocs this summer, informal conversations to help them navigate the crazy academic job market. A few weeks ago we discussed job talks as the department had just had a bunch of candidates visit (very different schedule here in Europe than the US) and we’ve had quite a few such talks over the past few years. Debriefing seemed like a good idea. After that conversation, people requested that we have a session specifically about job application letters so that’s coming up next. I’m writing now to seek your input on what works and what doesn’t. I can imagine that some of this is field-dependent, but I also suspect many aspects are generalizable.
My experiences with reading letters are a bit ridiculous in terms of volume at this point. I’ve been at the University of Zurich for eight years and have served on as many search committees. These have mostly concerned my own department (communication and media research), but a couple of times it was a search in political science and now one in sociology. It is standard to have people from other departments (and even other universities) on search committees here, very different from US practice (in my experience). I had also served on several search committees while at Northwestern and have served as an external member on some committees elsewhere in Europe so you can do the math on how many letters I’ve read over the years.
One of my biggest pieces of advice is for candidates to show rather than tell committee members about their accomplishments. I always cringe when I read things like “I am a leading researcher in the area of” (especially since most of these positions are for junior scholars, but I don’t like to see this even from a senior scholar). Rather than stating that “I’m a very accomplished scholar,” applicants should list their tangible accomplishments such as “I have published in x, I have won award y, I currently hold competitive fellowship z.”
Another piece of advice I have is that for junior applicants, letters should not go on for 4-5 pages. As a senior scholar, my letter to Zurich was 4 pages. This included half a page listing papers I was attaching and another half explaining why I was applying for the position in the first place. The latter component is rarely necessary for a junior scholar who doesn’t have a job lined up. It can be very relevant for senior scholars though. For example, it would not have been obvious why I was applying to Zurich when I was holding an endowed chair at one of the top programs in the field. I just pulled up my letter and see that I dedicated two paragraphs (239 words) to explaining why I was applying for the position.
A less crucial point, but another avoidable cringe, is skipping empty praise of the target department. Committee members know where the department stands, there is no need for the applicant to say how excited they are to apply to such a prestigious university/program. (This is more common with graduate school applications, but does show up in job application letters as well.) If the candidate has specific experiences with the department (they received a degree there, they participated in a program or workshop there, they have collaborators there), that would be worthwhile to mention, but simply telling letter readers how wonderful their program is doesn’t add value.
There is always the question of how detailed or not to get when describing past and current research. In my experience, this is where junior scholars often go on too long. The show vs tell approach here involves mentioning where work has been published and/or what grants/fellowships have supported it. Providing details is a bit more relevant for future research plans as that would not have publications or grants to describe it. But even then, no need for too much detail, just enough to show that there are future plans, how they may fit with the department, and why they are a relevant direction. I realize publications are not as common in some fields at this stage so there a more detailed description of ongoing work that hasn’t been published yet would likely be necessary.
Do you agree with my points above? What else would you add?
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
JDF 07.02.24 at 9:52 am
My experience in the UK is that application letters often have a short “here is who I am; here is what I do in teaching and research section” (maybe a page) which would usually be the entire US application letter, but in the UK, they then also explain in detail how the applicant meets each of the essential/desirable criteria. The practice seems preposterous since all the information is included elsewhere in the application (usually the CV), but it’s probably worth it just to make sure you cannot be tossed onto the reject pile because you don’t meet a require criterion.
When I evaluate applications, I must confess that I don’t read the application letter but just look at the CV, writing sample, research statement, and so on. I certainly don’t care about whether the candidate says anything about the school or department, at least at the junior level, and definitely don’t care if the candidate has a degree or is otherwise familiar with us.
NDH 07.02.24 at 11:24 am
My experience is mostly in the EU. I think a helpful way to approach the cover letter is that it should maximize the possibility of making you stand out (in a positive way obviously) after your CV, research plan and writing sample have been taking into account. It is important that the letter explains why you satisfy the essential criteria (as JDF above mentions), but it should ideally give the review committee an idea of you as a candidate. It should try to convey what makes you special, what makes your research project(s) worthwhile and relevant (if this isn’t part of the application), what is your plan for grant acquisition, and how you think you would fit in with the department, and writing a generic cover letter is not going to do this. It should not just list your achievements, but it should contextualize them so that the committee gets a better idea of you as a candidate. They should be able to picture you as a colleague that would be great to add to the team (this is probably not going to happen just on the basis of a letter, of course, but I think it nonetheless helps to write the letter with this in mind). The letter will not get you an invitation, but together with your CV, research plan and writing sample, it may help to make you stand out. This could be the difference between getting long-listed and short-listed, for example. I think it is usually at this stage where the cover letter starts to matter.
While I agree with empty praise of the department being somewhat cringe (I think pointing out overlaps between research interests is a better way of showing you did some research on the department), I must say I don’t share the view about the ‘cringe’ about junior scholars claiming to be leading researchers in a certain area. If they have say five to six publications in high ranked journals on related topics, this seems an apt statement to me. This is certainly not uncommon for junior scholars nowadays. Of course, the cover letter should explain how you have established yourself as a leading researcher in the field, but I don’t see any problem with pointing out that you are a leading scholar in the field you work in if you can back it up. But perhaps this is just me.
Matt L 07.02.24 at 12:09 pm
The situation described by JDF is also the case with most Australian (and New Zealand, I think) jobs – there will be a long list of “essential criteria” in the ad, much of which is sort of silly, and in the application letter you’re supposed to state, explicitly, how you meet these criteria, even though looking at the CV you’re required to include would do that much better. (This is so for many non-academic jobs in Australia, too. It’s boring, tedious, and generally frustrating. I’m highly skeptical that it helps those making the decisions, either.) At least in many cases, if you don’t do this in the early stage, you’re likely to just be weeded out, so even though it seems preposterous to an applicant from the US, it’s a good idea to do it.
Jeff 07.02.24 at 1:18 pm
US sociology here, several searches. The cover letter ends up secondary to the c.v. (for better or worse) and so it has to hit a home run concisely and complementing or explaining the c.v. Short paragraphs should hit a few themes: 1) How you fit with the stated need (research & teaching are related to the ad) & department/college (e.g. why liberal arts), with brief mention of anything innovating or different; 2) accomplishments that complement what’s on the c.v., 3) plans for the future that complement what on the c.v.; 4) anything relevant (such as why you’re leaving a tenure-track position at your school for tenure-track at ours, if relevant).
C.v.s of people just coming out are insane–too many publications (single-authored or co-authored), and it’s unhealthy. But if someone’s c.v. doesn’t have that much publication activity, a cover letter could concisely justify why (field methods, giving some time to social justice, etc.). Much of this could be in teaching & research statements, but the cover letter is the chance to signal those.
Concision & showing (not telling) are key. For what it’s worth.
Kevin 07.02.24 at 2:26 pm
The field differences here are wild. In economics, and this is true for most European departments hiring on the international market as well, almost all applications are a CV, a job market paper, 3 letters to be submitted directly later. Maybe you would write a short cover letter (1 page at most) where you would note any school specific info (e.g., “my family is from Zurich and I am able to teach in English, French and German”); even then, omst people would barely read this.
The idea that you would write five pages of content explaining what should be on the CV and in the submitted papers is incredibly surprising to me. Indeed, in economics, we talk about lowering the cost of applying – a third party website that aggregates applictions so students only have to upload their documents (and professors their rec letters) a single time has become very common.
CJColucci 07.02.24 at 2:44 pm
it would not have been obvious why I was applying to Zurich when I was holding an endowed chair at one of the top programs in the field. I just pulled up my letter and see that I dedicated two paragraphs (239 words) to explaining why I was applying for the position.
So you’re going to leave us hanging?
notGoodenough 07.02.24 at 4:25 pm
While I am considerably distanced from the UK’s academic sciences, my general impression from those less fortunate than I is that the second-best advice for applying for a faculty position is:
Have many (ideally first author or PI) high impact publications; have a track record for successful funding applications; secure as many prestigious awards/grants as possible (e.g. MSCA, Fellowships, etc.); have at least some teaching experience; signal your enthusiasm to – in your own time, naturally – take on any less-desirable tasks there may be; (not strictly necessary but it helps) be a protégé (or similarly connected) to A Big Name.
The best advice for applying for a faculty position being, of course, “don’t”.
Alex SL 07.02.24 at 10:10 pm
As others have implied, it is nearly impossible to give useful advice unless one is part of the same field in the same country, because there are vast differences in how applications work, and even between university culture and research agency culture in the same field and the same country.
As a biologist in Germany (now quite some time ago), my understanding was that the letter was half a page with a bit of boilerplate “I would love to have this job and am available for an interview”, with the CV doing all the rest of the work. Then I applied in Australia and was perplexed by the fields the online form had for various selection criteria. My replies were to the effect of “yes, see my CV for details” where a text of half a page providing details was the expectation. Luckily for me, the panel concluded that the silly European wouldn’t understand how it works in Australia and did compare my CV against the criteria. In the other geographical direction, don’t get me started on American statements on teaching philosophy etc., or on the question of where a photo of the candidate is expected as part of the CV and where it is a big no-no.
The most important advice to me, and one that carries across fields and cultures, is indeed show, don’t tell. Since sitting on the other side of the table, I realise how important it is to give the panel concrete examples. Everybody can make the empty claim that, yes, I can deal with challenges. But what the panel wants is a specific case of a challenge that you actually dealt with, and how.
Eszter Hargittai 07.03.24 at 1:50 pm
Thanks for all the helpful input!
While it is indeed difficult to give advice across fields and countries, some positions attract applicants from different disciplines, and faculty positions are very much a global market now so it is important to understand details across countries. (Certainly in Europe’s smaller countries, restricting one’s applications to one country can pose major challenges with what is already a challenging situation.)
Folks are correct that providing detailed responses to the various aspects of the application can be helpful in the European context. External reviewers – we have them for any stage hire not just tenured positions – may check candidates’ fit that way.
CJColucci ;-) – I grew up in Europe, I was missing some aspects of life here (public transportation FTW!) and I cherished the idea of being closer to my parents (luckily still going strong); I also had some push factors (even before Trump) like racism, guns, crazy healthcare system. Zurich had a very good department already at the time and by now it is also very high in rankings (for what that is worth). My biggest question mark concerned students and I’m happy to say that our students are great so that’s also worked out well.
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Sample job application email templates to save time and improve your chances of landing your dream job and making a strong impression on employers.
In today's digital world, the job application process has evolved too. Now, there is no need for frequent visits to companies to apply for a job; you can do it from your home.
Even companies are more comfortable recruiting new hires with ease of online that is why these job portals gained so much success in a short time.
But, to do that, you must know how to craft an effective email, a crisp and captivating cover letter, and a resume. But before that, you have to find a job opportunity that suits your needs.
To get a job, one must know how to look for it. Here are some ways to find the job that you desire.
Now that we have gone through some ways you can look for a job opportunity, let's look at some other essential aspects.
You need to include certain things in your job application if you want your application to be considered. These are:
Recruiters receive a large number of job-related emails regularly. So, it becomes crucial that your email stands out from the others to grab the recruiter's attention. Let's look at some tips and tricks that you can use to make your email personalized and captivating.
We have compiled a list of sample emails for you that will help you write compelling job emails. Let's take a look at them.
Sub: Application for [job title]
Respected Sir/Madam,
I am [your name] and interested in applying for the position of [job title] on your website/ [name of job portal] . My qualifications and skills are relevant and at par with the job requirements.
I have graduated from [college and university name] and have over three years of experience in [field's name] at [company's name] .
I have attached my current resume and I look forward to hearing from you about it.
Thanking you,
[Your name]
Sub: Applying for the position of [job title]
Dear Sir/Madam,
I hope you are well and reading my email. My name is [your name] , and I'm writing to express interest in the [job title] position.
I have always been pleased by your company's dedication to innovation and excellence as [professional title] . Your mission and vision align with the values I hold dear, both personally and professionally, and I am thrilled about the chance to join your team.
The prospect of joining your team and assisting in the expansion and success of the business excites me. For your review, I've included my resume in this email, and if you require any more details, just let me know.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity of discussing my qualifications further.
[Your Name]
Sub: Job application for the position of [job title]
My name is [your name], and I'm writing to apply for the [job title] position. I have been researching your company for the past few months and have only heard positive things about your organization.
I have been referred to you by Mr./Ms. [Referrer's name] , who is working for [Referrer's company name] as [designation's name] . They also highly regard your company and have especially recommended me to you.
I have a work experience of over [years] at [company's name] . Therefore, I have the experience necessary to work for your esteemed organization.
I have also attached my resume and await your valuable response.
Yours sincerely,
Sub: Following up on my application for [job title] at [Company Name]
My name is [your name] . I applied for the job of [job title] at your company, to which I have assured a response in two weeks, but it has been over a month now, and I would like to know my application status.
I'm still interested in working for your esteemed organization and can fulfil my responsibilities aptly.
If you have any further queries or need additional information, please let me know. Once again, thank you for your time and will eagerly await your response.
Sub: Thank you for the opportunity
Dear [interviewer's name] ,
Thank you for taking the time to interview me. It was a great experience, and I'm grateful for talking to you. The details you provided regarding the post's responsibilities have made me even more confident that I can complete my work on time and without any issues.
There are a few questions, though, that I didn't get the opportunity to ask you yesterday due to the time limitation. So I hope you will be okay if I write them in this email.
[Question(s) by the candidate]
Also, when can I hear from you about the position?
Please get in touch with me if you have any questions.
Sub: Regarding the position of [job title]
Dear [hiring manager's name] ,
Thank you for taking the time to interview me and for the opportunity to work in your company. While I am disheartened for not being able to work for your reputed organization, I am thankful for getting back to me with your final decision. I immensely enjoyed the time with you and others.
I have one small request. Please give me your feedback. It will immensely help me with my job search. Thank you for your time and consideration. I wish you and the team all the best.
Sub: Request to withdraw my job application
Respected [recipient's name] ,
Thank you for taking the time to interview me for the position of [job title] at your reputed company. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with [company's name] . However, with a heavy heart, I would like to withdraw my application. It was a hard decision, but I had to take it owing to [state the reason] . I hope you will understand.
You will find a perfect candidate for the position.
Sub: Thank you for your time
Hi [interviewer's name] ,
I wholeheartedly thank you for taking out time to interview me. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and was thrilled to learn more about the position of [job title] and its responsibilities.
I cannot wait to be a part of such an incredible team and esteemed organization. I look forward to hearing about the next steps in the hiring process. Please feel free to contact me in case of any queries.
Sub: Informational interview request
Dear [recipient's name] ,
My name is [your name] . I hope you are doing well. I have come across your profile on LinkedIn, and I'm incredibly interested in your work and would like to know more about you and your company.
I hope you'll let's catch up to talk more in-depth about [insert what you would like to discuss] . If you are too busy, I can wait or even talk on the phone for 10 to 15 minutes. So please let me know what will be convenient for you. I will eagerly wait for your reply.
I appreciate your time, and thank you in advance.
Sub: Request for job shadowing
My name is [your name] , and currently, I am a student at [college/university name] . I am passionate about a career in [mention the field of profession] and would like to explore it more to understand the area better. I found your email through [website/or recipient's colleague] . If you are willing to allow students to shadow you, I would appreciate the opportunity to observe you, to talk more about the field.
I hope I am not intruding. If you have any queries, please contact me at [phone number] .
Thank you for your time,
Sub: Request to know the next steps
Dear [name of the employer] ,
Thank you for interviewing me. It was a great pleasure to learn the workings and responsibilities of your esteemed organization.
I would like to know more about [mention what you want to know about] and would appreciate it if you could provide me with more precious time. Also, please advise what I have to do next.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sub: Application for the post of [job title]
My name is [your name], and I have found your job opening in/on [mention here] . I graduated with distinction from [name of college/university/institution] in [course name] . Therefore, I have the required knowledge and skills needed for the job.
Please find the attached resume. I will eagerly wait for your reply.
Faithfully,
Sub: Requesting for experience certificate
This is to bring to your attention that I served as [designation] at [company name] from [joining date] till [relieving date] . It was an exceptional experience, and I have learned a lot as a member of your team. The experience has helped me in growing personally and professionally. I have learned some great value too.
Please issue my experience certificate, as it will help me professionally in the future.
Job application email templates can be extremely helpful in saving time and ensuring that your message is professional and effective. Using a template as a guide, you can easily customize your email to the specific job and company you are applying to, and avoid common mistakes that can hurt your chances of getting hired.
However, it's important to remember that job application emails should still be personalized and unique to you. While templates can provide a structure and format, you should always tailor your message to your experience, skills, and goals.
With the right approach, job application emails can be a powerful tool for landing your dream job.
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The application for degree certificate is submitted in case if the candidate requires the certificate before the completion of one year after graduation due to reasons such as pursuing higher education or seeking jobs.
Application for Degree Certificate : The application for a degree certificate is submitted to a college or university in case if the student fails to collect the degree certificate on the mentioned date or requires the certificate before completion of one year of higher education or jobs.Â
An application for a degree certificate is written similarly to a formal letter with a structure containing the receiver’s address, the subject, the body of the letter and a conclusion.Â
Table of Contents
Application for degree certificate samples: download pdf.
How to write an application for a degree certificate.
The degree certificate is essentially an award or recognition given to a candidate after completion of a course or a degree from an institution. The certificate is generally required for various purposes such as employment, higher education, etc.Â
Here are some important points on how to write an application for a degree certificate:
Also Read : Informal Letter Format, Topics, Sample
Candidates can follow a formal letter-writing format for the application for a degree certificate to the college or university. Given below is the basic format of application for degree certificate letter students can follow:
Student Name,
Contact Details
The Principal/ The Head of Examination,
Name of the College,
College Full Address
Subject: Request for Degree Certificate
Salutation,
Body of the Letter
Name and Signature of the Student
Department:
Registration Number
Also Check : What is a Letter of Enrollment (LoE)?
Students can download the sample application letter for the degree certificate PDF using the links given below:
Application for Degree Certificate Format | Download Links |
Application for Degree Certificate Sample 1 | |
Application for Degree Certificate Sample 2 | |
Application for Degree Certificate Sample 3 |
Also Read : Authorization Letter Format: Download Samples, Writing Tips
Candidates can write the application for a degree certificate using formal letter writing techniques that include the subject, body of the letter and a conclusion. Students can refer to the sample application for degree certificate given below for various scenarios such as higher education and employment to write their application letter:
13, Ram Nagar, Bangalore,
The Principal,
MMC College,
Chennai, TamilNadu
Subject : Requesting my Degree Certificate
Respected Sir/ Madam,
I am Manoj, a student of your esteemed University from the Department of Commerce. I have completed my undergraduate degree in Commerce in the year 2023. I request you to issue my degree certificate as I am looking forward to pursuing a postgraduate degree in Commerce from a reputed university.Â
As a part of the admission process, I am required to submit my degree certificate for document verification. I understand that the Degree certificate is usually issued after a year, but I require it beforehand as the admissions are ongoing for the current year. Kindly do the needful considering my situation.Â
I shall be highly obliged for your kind gesture.
Yours faithfully,
Manoj Kumar
Reg No. 987654
Department of Commerce
Contact – 1234567890
Mail- [email protected]
15, Shenoy Nagar, Hyderabad,
The Head of Examination Department
Anna University,
With due respect, I, Nikila from the Biomedical Engineering Department. I would like to request my degree certificate as I was not able to attend the convocation ceremony due to some personal reasons. Now, that I am looking forward to starting my career, I would require my degree to validate my educational qualifications. I will be able to collect it in person as I will be travelling to Chennai very soon. Please do the needful.Â
Reg No. 98768
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Contact – 1234512345
Mail- [email protected]
Read More : Letter to Principal: Format, Samples and Guidelines
Listed below are some of the important tips for writing an application for a degree certificate:
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Use a proper salutation. Begin your college application letter with a formal salutation. The standard, in this case, is "Dear". Be sure to avoid informal salutations such as "Hey", "Hi", and "Hello". đź’ˇ Tip: Do your best to personalize your university application letter in every way that you can.
Here are 6 examples of skills to describe in a university student cover letter. Communication (always describe your style of communication) Collaboration and teamwork. Leadership. Critical thinking. Time management. Responsibility. Here is an example of how to describe an accomplishment in a cover letter.
Academic cover letter sample Use this sample to help craft your own academic cover letter: Malik Hanson Providence, Rhode Island 312-209-9389 [email protected] Feb. 1, 2023 Hiring committee Teal University Department of English 12 Teal Ave. Providence, Rhode Island 02902 Dear Hiring committee, I am writing to apply for the Tenure-Track English Professor position at Teal University as ...
University Application Letter Example Template. Dear Admissions Committee, I am writing to express my enthusiastic application for the [Program Name] at [University Name]. My interest in [Subject or Field of Study] was sparked by [brief personal anecdote or experience that ignited your passion in the field].
The long list of application materials required for many academic teaching jobs can be daunting. This handout will help you tackle one of the most important components: the cover letter or letter of interest. Here you will learn about writing and revising cover letters for academic teaching jobs in the United States of America.
A 1-3 page cover letter might be the norm when applying for a tenure-track, faculty position, but you need to check with your own department to find out what the norms are in your field. Step 3: Go through the job ad and carefully note all of the requirements and skills the employer is looking for. Based on your background research of the ...
Use this University cover letter example to finish your application and get hired fast - no frustration, no guesswork. This cover letter example is specifically designed for University positions in 2024. Take advantage of our sample sentences + expert guides to download the perfect cover letter in just minutes. 4.8.
Your cover letter will be read by someone as part of a formal job application, so make certain that it is free of spelling mistakes, grammar issues, and typos. Make sure your cover letter fits onto 1 page (for non-academic position applications), has consistent margins and formatting, and a readable font that is between 10-12pts.
A successful cover letter for a university application should contain specific elements that demonstrate the applicant's qualifications, achievements, and passion for the program. These elements include: Addressing the letter to the appropriate recipient. Crafting an engaging introduction that captures the reader's attention.
Dr. Jane Smith American State University Palo Alto, California, 94301 [email protected]. October 30, 2015. ... Instead of presenting your qualifications as-is, knowing how to craft a strong cover letter opening ensures your job application best resonates with hiring committees stuck reviewing many qualified applications each day.
A cover letter must accompany and be tailored to any application you submit. STEM letters should not exceed one page. ... Check with faculty in your department. Address to the individual named in the job posting, or with "Dear Members of the Search Committee." The cover letter is a writing sample. ... University of Texas at Austin ox 19308 ...
The First Paragraph. In the opening of your letter you need to convey some basic information, such as what specific position you are applying for (using the title given in the job notice) and where you learned of the opening. Since a cover letter is a kind of persuasive writing (persuading a hiring committee to include you on a list of ...
6 7 www.jobs.ac.uk How to Write a over etter for cademi obs Tweet this ebook, share on Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+ Do: •ut your most convincing evidence first.You need toP make an impact in the first few sentences. Talk about your current or most relevant job first •ocus on achievements in your current and previousF roles rather than merely your responsibilities
A connection at the school. A recent, positive news item about the school. See the next of our academic cover letter examples: When Carol Daviau suggested I apply to the undergraduate research position, I knew it was the perfect fit. My manager at MedicalNewsToday called me the most helpful researcher he's ever known.
He also stressed the importance of strong lead sentences, using the cover letter to highlight and point to other parts of your application, and controlling the narrative you want to tell. Others have also written about writing a cover letter. Cheryl E. Ball, for example, provides excellent advice and a paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown. Indeed ...
Getting Started with CVs and Cover Letters. culum vitae, or CV Your CV represents your accomplishments and experience as an academic and helps to establish yo. professional image. Well before you apply for faculty positions, you will use your CV to apply for fellowships and grants, to accompany submissions for publications or conference papers ...
Closing paragraph; Signature (this one is up to you). Remember to use the same modern, simple font for your academic cover letter as you did for your resume (e.g. Lato, Rubik, etc.) Ensure your academic cover letter is single-spaced and is wrapped around a one-inch margin, like in our cover letter templates.
I would like to apply for the role of Sales assistant (Ref: 406f57393) I would like to express my interest in the customer service vacancy within your retail department. I saw your advert for a junior project manager on Reed and would like to apply for the role. See also: CV examples - how to write a CV - CV profiles.
Academic Cover Letter Sample. November 2, 1998. Dear Dr. Sellers: I am writing to apply for the position as assistant professor of English with an emphasis in rhetoric and composition that you advertised in the October MLA Job Information List. I am a graduate student at Prestigious University working on a dissertation under the direction of ...
Betty Applicant 567 North Street, Boston, MA 02108 555-555.555 [email protected]. April 5, 2021. Dr. Robert Smith Chair, Department of Biology Acme University 123 Business Rd. Business City, NY 54321. Dear Dr. Smith, I am writing to apply for the position of Assistant Professor of Biology with a focus on molecular biology at XYZ University, as advertised in the March issue of Science.
No hard numbers. "I worked in a team and provided customer service to elderly residents". 5. Choose engaging words for your application letter. Your letter of application's length should be 250 to 400 words or 3 to 4 paragraphs — long enough to get your point across but short enough that the reader won't lose interest.
If your cover letter does its job, the prospective employer will begin to consider your candidacy and go on to review your résumé in detail. ... specific date, or the dates you'll be in town for an interview. Finally, always thank the employer for considering your application. Sample Cover Letters. Mary Martin 221 Peachtree Street Seattle, WA ...
Academic Job Market. Build your academic job applications using these tips and templates. This section covers the core documents that make up an academic job package: the CV, academic cover letter, research statement, teaching statement, and diversity statement.
Follow these steps to compose a compelling application letter: 1. Research the company and job opening. Thoroughly research the company you're applying to and the specifications of the open position. The more you know about the job, the better you can customize your application letter. Look for details like:
Debriefing seemed like a good idea. After that conversation, people requested that we have a session specifically about job application letters so that's coming up next. I'm writing now to seek your input on what works and what doesn't. I can imagine that some of this is field-dependent, but I also suspect many aspects are generalizable.
Sample job application email templates to make a strong impression on employers. We have compiled a list of sample emails for you that will help you write compelling job emails. Let's take a look at them. 1. Simple and direct sample job application email. Sub: Application for [job title] Respected Sir/Madam,
Application for Degree Certificate: The application for a degree certificate is submitted to a college or university in case if the student fails to collect the degree certificate on the mentioned date or requires the certificate before completion of one year of higher education or jobs.. An application for a degree certificate is written similarly to a formal letter with a structure ...
Location: District Office - Procurement Department Hours/Day: 8 hours/day Days/Week: 5 days/week Months/Year: 12 months/year *** View Job Description for details *** Pasadena Unified School District serves the communities of Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre. The area is prominent for its numerous historical landmarks as well as the Rose Bowl Stadium and Tournament of Roses.