cover letters for faculty job application

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Cover letters for faculty job applications

The cover letter serves as an introduction to your application package and answers the following questions: Who are you? When will you defend your dissertation (if you’re currently ABD)? Why are you interested in applying for this assistant professor position? Why are you interested in this institution? What is your dissertation research about? What are your research plans? What kind of teaching experience do you have? How will you contribute to our department and institution? Why is the school a good fit for you and vice versa? A strong cover letter will be tailored to the institution to which you’re applying. For the humanities and social sciences, it is typically two to three pages long, and for STEM fields, it is typically one to two pages but will vary depending on the specific discipline.

The purpose 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. 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 CV 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.

Timeline: Getting Started with your Cover Letter

Step 1: The first step to writing a good cover letter is to first have a good CV. 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  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. 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. 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 employer and the people you have spoken to who know about this employer (whether a business or a university department), 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.

When applying for faculty positions, especially those that involve both teaching and research, you will be expected to spend some time in your cover letter talking about your research and goals, as well as your teaching – even though you may have covered these in more detail in your research statement and teaching philosophy documents. How much time you need to spend talking about teaching and research will depend on the nature of the position and your field of study. For some humanities and social sciences applications, you will not be asked for a separate research statement, and this information will need to be integrated into the cover letter. Cover letters for scientific positions will generally be shorter as more (but not all) of the information about research will be covered in the research statement. Academic letters also need to cover everything that non-academic cover letters address, however, because you need to show that you are not only a good academic, but that you are a good person to work with who is committed to working at that particular institution. Make sure that you address the requirements of the position as stated in the job ad. Speak to faculty in your department to get a sense of what is expected in cover letters used in faculty job applications for your discipline. See if any faculty you know have been involved in search committees, and find out what they looked for in cover letters.

Explore other application documents:

Academic Cover Letters

What is this handout about.

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.

What is an academic cover letter?

An academic cover letter describes your experiences and interest as a candidate for a specific position. It introduces you to the hiring committee and demonstrates how your academic background fits with the description of the position.

What do cover letters for academic teaching jobs typically contain?

At their most basic level, academic cover letters accomplish three things: one, they express your interest in the job; two, they provide a brief synopsis of your research and teaching; and three, they summarize your past experiences and achievements to illustrate your competence for the job. For early-career scholars, cover letters are typically no more than two pages (up to four pages for senior scholars). Occasionally, a third page may make sense for an early-career scholar if the application does not require a separate teaching statement and/or research statement. Digital versions of cover letters often contain hyperlinks to your CV or portfolio page. For some fields, cover letters may also include examples of your work, including music, popular articles, and other multimedia related to your research, service, or teaching available online. Typically, letters appear on departmental or university letterhead and include your signature. Above all, a strong cover letter presents your accomplishments and your familiarity with the institution and with the position.

How should I prepare to write my academic cover letter?

Like all writing, composing a cover letter is a process. The process may be as short as a few hours or as long as several weeks, but at the end the letter should present you as a strong candidate for the job. The following section has tips and questions for thinking through each stage of this writing process. You don’t need to answer all of these questions to write the letter; they are meant to help you brainstorm ideas.

Before you begin writing your cover letter, consider researching the institution, the department, and the student population. Incorporating all three aspects in your letter will help convey your interest in the position.

Get to know the institution. When crafting your cover letter, be aware of the type of institution to which you are applying. Knowing how the institution presents itself can help you tailor your letter and make it more specific.

• Where is the institution located?
• Is it on a quarter-system or semester-system?
• What type of institution is it? Is it an R1? Is it an R2? Is it a liberal arts college? Is it an HBCU? Is it a community college? A private high school?
• What is the institution’s culture? Is it teaching-focused or research-focused? Does it privilege experiential learning? Does it value faculty involvement outside the classroom? Is it affiliated with a specific religious tradition?
• Does it have any specific institutional commitments?
• How does the institution advocate for involvement in its local community?
• What are the professional development opportunities for new and junior faculty?

Learn about the department. Knowing the specific culture and needs of the department can help you reach your audience: the department members who will be reading your documents and vetting you as a candidate.

• Who is on the search committee? Who is the search committee chair?
• What is the official name of the department?
• Which different subfields make up the department?
• Is it a dual appointment or a position in a dual department?
• How does the department participate in specific types of student outreach?
• Does the department have graduate students? Does it offer a terminal Master’s degree, Ph.D., or both? How large are the cohorts? How are they funded?
• Does the department encourage or engage in interdisciplinary work?
• Does the majority of the department favor certain theoretical or methodological approaches?
• Does the department have partnerships with local institutions? If so, which ones?
• Is the department attempting to fill a specific vacancy, or is it an entirely new position?
• What are the typical course offerings in the department? Which courses might you be expected to teach? What courses might you be able to provide that are not currently available?

Consider the students. The search committee will often consider how you approach instructing and mentoring the student body. Sometimes committees will even reserve a position for a student or solicit student feedback on a candidate:

• What populations constitute the majority of the undergraduate population?
• Have there been any shifts in the student population recently?
• Do students largely come from in-state or out-of-state?
• Is there an international student population? If so, from which countries?
• Is the university recruiting students from traditionally underrepresented populations?
• Are students particularly active on campus? If so, how?

Many answers to these questions can be found both in the job description and on the institution’s website. If possible, consider contacting someone you know at the institution to ask about the culture directly. You can also use the institution’s course catalog, recruitment materials, alumni magazine, and other materials to get answers to these questions. The key is to understand the sort of institution to which you are applying, its immediate needs, and its future trajectory.

Remember, there is a resource that can help you with all three aspects—people. Reach out to your advisor, committee members, faculty mentors, and other contacts for insight into the prospective department’s culture and faculty. They might even help you revise your letter based on their expertise. Think of your job search as an opportunity to cultivate these relationships.

After you have done some initial research, think about how your experiences have prepared you for the job and identify the ones that seem the most relevant. Consider your previous research, internships, graduate teaching, and summer experiences. Here are some topics and questions to get you started thinking about what you might include.

Research Experiences. Consider how your research has prepared you for an academic career. Since the letter is a relatively short document, select examples of your research that really highlight who you are as a scholar, the direction you see your work going, and how your scholarship will contribute to the institution’s research community.

• What are your current research interests?
• What topics would you like to examine in the future?
• How have you pursued those research interests?
• Have you traveled for your research?
• Have you published any of your research? Have you presented it at a conference, symposium, or elsewhere?
• Have you worked or collaborated with scholars at different institutions on projects? If so, what did these collaborations produce?
• Have you made your research accessible to your local community?
• Have you received funding or merit-based fellowships for your research?
• What other research contributions have you made? This may include opinion articles, book chapters, or participating as a journal reviewer.
• How do your research interests relate to those of other faculty in the department or fill a gap?

Teaching Experience. Think about any teaching experience you may have. Perhaps you led recitations as a teaching assistant, taught your own course, or guest lectured. Pick a few experiences to discuss in your letter that demonstrate something about your teaching style or your interest in teaching.

• What courses are you interested in teaching for the department? What courses have you taught that discussed similar topics or themes?
• What new courses can you imagine offering the department that align with their aim and mission?
• Have you used specific strategies that were helpful in your instruction?
• What sort of resources do you typically use in the classroom?
• Do you have anecdotes that demonstrate your teaching style?
• What is your teaching philosophy?
• When have you successfully navigated a difficult concept or topic in the classroom, and what did you learn?
• What other opportunities could you provide to students?

Internships/Summer/Other Experiences. Brainstorm a list of any conferences, colloquiums, and workshops you have attended, as well as any ways you have served your department, university, or local community. This section will highlight how you participate in your university and scholarly community. Here are some examples of things you might discuss:

• Professional development opportunities you may have pursued over the summer or during your studies
• International travel for research or presentations
• Any research you’ve done in a non-academic setting
• Presentations at conferences
• Participation in symposia, reading groups, working groups, etc.
• Internships in which you may have implemented your research or practical skills related to your discipline
• Participation in community engagement projects
• Participation in or leadership of any scholarly and/or university organizations

In answering these questions, create a list of the experiences that you think best reflect you as a scholar and teacher. In choosing which experiences to highlight, consider your audience and what they would find valuable or relevant. Taking the time to really think about your reader will help you present yourself as an applicant well-qualified for the position.

Writing a draft

Remember that the job letter is an opportunity to introduce yourself and your accomplishments and to communicate why you would be a good fit for the position. Typically, search committees will want to know whether you are a capable job candidate, familiar with the institution, and a great future addition to the department’s faculty. As such, be aware of how the letter’s structure and content reflect your preparedness for the position.

The structure of your cover letter should reflect the typical standards for letter writing in the country in which the position is located (the list below reflects the standards for US letter writing). This usually includes a salutation, body, and closing, as well as proper contact information. If you are affiliated with a department, institution, or organization, the letter should be on letterhead.

• Use a simple, readable font in a standard size, such as 10-12pt. Some examples of fonts that may be conventional in your field include Arial, Garamond, Times New Roman, and Verdana, among other similar fonts.
• Do not indent paragraphs.
• Separate all paragraphs by a line and justify them to the left.
• Make sure that any included hyperlinks work.
• Include your signature in the closing.

Before you send in your letter, make sure you proofread and look for formatting mistakes. You’ll read more about proofreading and revising later in this handout!

The second most important aspect of your letter is its content. Since the letter is the first chance to provide an in-depth introduction, it should expand on who you are as a scholar and possible faculty member. Below are some elements to consider including when composing your letter.

Identify the position you are applying to and introduce yourself. Traditionally, the first sentence of a job letter includes the full name of the position and where you discovered the job posting. This is also the place to introduce yourself and describe why you are applying for this position. Since the goal of a job letter is to persuade the search committee to include you on the list of candidates for further review, you may want to include an initial claim as to why you are a strong candidate for the position. Some questions you might consider:

• What is your current status (ABD, assistant professor, post-doc, etc.)?
• If you are ABD, have you defended your dissertation? If not, when will you defend?
• Why are you interested in this position?
• Why are you a strong candidate for this position?

Describe your research experience and interests. For research-centered positions, such as positions at R1 or other types of research-centered universities, include information about your research experience and current work early in the letter. For many applicants, current work will be the dissertation project. If this is the case, some suggest calling your “dissertation research” your “current project” or “work,” as this may help you present yourself as an emerging scholar rather than a graduate student. Some questions about your research that you might consider:

• What research experiences have you had?
• What does your current project investigate?
• What are some of the important methods you applied?
• Have you collaborated with others in your research?
• Have you acquired specific skills that will be useful for the future?
• Have you received special funding? If so, what kind?
• Has your research received any accolades or rewards?
• What does your current project contribute to the field?
• Where have you presented your research?
• Have you published your research? If so, where? Or are you working on publishing your work?
• How does your current project fit the job description?

Present your plans for future research. This section presents your research agenda and usually includes a description of your plans for future projects and research publications. Detailing your future research demonstrates to the search committee that you’ve thought about a research trajectory and can work independently. If you are applying to a teaching-intensive position, you may want to minimize this section and/or consider including a sentence or two on how this research connects to undergraduate and/or graduate research opportunities. Some questions to get you started:

• What is your next research project/s?
• How does this connect to your current and past work?
• What major theories/methods will you use?
• How will this project contribute to the field?
• Where do you see your specialty area or subfield going in the next ten years and how does your research contribute to or reflect this?
• Will you be collaborating with anyone? If so, with whom?
• How will this future project encourage academic discourse?
• Do you already have funding? If so, from whom? If not, what plans do you have for obtaining funding?
• How does your future research expand upon the department’s strengths while simultaneously diversifying the university’s research portfolio? (For example, does your future research involve emerging research fields, state-of-the-art technologies, or novel applications?)

Describe your teaching experience and highlight teaching strategies. This section allows you to describe your teaching philosophy and how you apply this philosophy in your classroom. Start by briefly addressing your teaching goals and values. Here, you can provide specific examples of your teaching methods by describing activities and projects you assign students. Try to link your teaching and research together. For example, if you research the rise of feminism in the 19th century, consider how you bring either the methodology or the content of your research into the classroom. For a teaching-centered institution, such as a small liberal arts college or community college, you may want to emphasize your teaching more than your research. If you do not have any teaching experience, you could describe a training, mentoring, or coaching situation that was similar to teaching and how you would apply what you learned in a classroom.

• What is your teaching philosophy? How is your philosophy a good fit for the department in which you are applying to work?
• What sort of teaching strategies do you use in the classroom?
• What is your teaching style? Do you lecture? Do you emphasize discussion? Do you use specific forms of interactive learning?
• What courses have you taught?
• What departmental courses are you prepared to teach?
• Will you be able to fill in any gaps in the departmental course offerings?
• What important teaching and/or mentoring experiences have you had?
• How would you describe yourself in the classroom?
• What type of feedback have you gotten from students?
• Have you received any awards or recognition for your teaching?

Talk about your service work. Service is often an important component of an academic job description. This can include things like serving on committees or funding panels, providing reviews, and doing community outreach. The cover letter gives you an opportunity to explain how you have involved yourself in university life outside the classroom. For instance, you could include descriptions of volunteer work, participation in initiatives, or your role in professional organizations. This section should demonstrate ways in which you have served your department, university, and/or scholarly community. Here are some additional examples you could discuss:

• Participating in graduate student or junior faculty governance
• Sitting on committees, departmental or university-wide
• Partnerships with other university offices or departments
• Participating in community-partnerships
• Participating in public scholarship initiatives
• Founding or participating in any university initiatives or programs
• Creating extra-curricular resources or presentations

Present yourself as a future faculty member. This section demonstrates who you will be as a colleague. It gives you the opportunity to explain how you will collaborate with faculty members with similar interests; take part in departmental and/or institution wide initiatives or centers; and participate in departmental service. This shows your familiarity with the role of faculty outside the classroom and your ability to add to the departmental and/or institutional strengths or fill in any gaps.

• What excites you about this job?
• What faculty would you like to collaborate with and why? (This answer may be slightly tricky. See the section on name dropping below.)
• Are there any partnerships in the university or outside of it that you wish to participate in?
• Are there any centers associated with the university or in the community that you want to be involved in?
• Are there faculty initiatives that you are passionate about?
• Do you have experience collaborating across various departments or within your own department?
• In what areas will you be able to contribute?
• Why would you make an excellent addition to the faculty at this institution?

Compose a strong closing. This short section should acknowledge that you have sent in all other application documents and include a brief thank you for the reader’s time and/or consideration. It should also state your willingness to forward additional materials and indicate what you would like to see as next steps (e.g., a statement that you look forward to speaking with the search committee). End with a professional closing such as “Sincerely” or “Kind Regards” followed by your full name.

If you are finding it difficult to write the different sections of your cover letter, consider composing the other academic job application documents (the research statement, teaching philosophy, and diversity statement) first and then summarizing them in your job letter.

Different kinds of letters may be required for different types of jobs. For example, some jobs may focus on research. In this case, emphasize your research experiences and current project/s. Other jobs may be more focused on teaching. In this case, highlight your teaching background and skills. Below are two models for how you could change your letter’s organization based on the job description and the institution. The models offer a guide for you to consider how changing the order of information and the amount of space dedicated to a particular topic changes the emphasis of the letter.

Research-Based Position Job Letter Example:

Teaching-Based Position Job Letter Example:

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.

Potential pitfalls

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.

Works consulted

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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Cover letter template for academic faculty and teaching positions.

Below is a general template for use when crafting a cover letter for academic teaching positions. Before getting started, you will also want to review the academic cover letter samples .

Optional – include header (similar to your resume and other supporting documents)

[Mailing date] [Search committee mailing info, including department and address] [Dear Professor _____________________, or Dear Search Committee Chair and Members:] [Paragraph 1: simple introduction.]

     I am writing to apply for the position of [official title] announced in the XXX [e.g., Chronicle of Higher Education]. I am completing a Ph.D. in XX from the [department name] at the University of California, Davis. I will defend my dissertation, "[dissertation title]” and expect to graduate in [month]. OR: I am finishing the first year of my postdoc with XX [your PI's name or in the lab of XX], where I am working on X, Y, and Z [briefly describe, but leave the bulk of the research description for the below sections]. [Paragraph 2: principal research area(s) and dissertation - this paragraph along with paragraph 3 would follow the introduction when applying for a faculty or teaching position within a R1 university emphasizing the research over the teaching. For Liberal Arts Colleges and State Universities, research and teaching paragraphs should be somewhat balanced in length. For teaching-only Community Colleges, a research statement might be included towards the bottom of the cover letter, but only in the context of staying on top of the discipline in order to perform more effectively as a teacher. ]

     My principal research area is X [area here], with a focus on [focus area(s)]. [3-4 sentence summary of dissertation here]. I've used X method/technique/approach to explore W and Z. [Paragraph 3: other research areas, contributions, and future directions - this paragraph would be included for R1, Liberal Arts College or State University.]

     My immediate research priority is to expand this manuscript into a book. I will direct future research toward [1-2 sentences on next project]. [Add additional sentences on your broader research agenda, how you would apply this to your new institution]. [Paragraph 4: teaching experience and interests - this paragraph would follow the 1st paragraph when applying to a State University.]

     During my [number] years at X [campus], I have taught [identify what you have taught, particularly as it relates to the institution you are applying]. [Add 2 or so sentences on any pedagogical training, innovative approaches you have taken in the classroom, technology you've used, areas you are particularly interested in exploring, and/or specific new class or seminars you would like to teach at their institution]. [Paragraph 5: closing.]

     I have enclosed my CV, a writing sample, and a teaching philosophy state [or whatever they ask for…]. Three faculty recommendations will be mailed under separate cover [or by Interfolio , a dossier service]. I will attend the XX conference in [city] this year, and I can always be reached by phone or email. Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, [your signature] [your email] – include if you don’t use a header [your phone number] – include if you don’t use a header

A couple of notes:

• The tone of the cover letter should be that of a potential colleague. It should showcase your knowledge, contribution to the discipline. The cover letter should be used to outline your academic accomplishments and to share a five year vision for where you are heading into the future.
• You want to present the perspective of an independent researcher and teacher, not simply a list the coursework and tasks you've completed as a graduate student or postdoc.
• Note that you do not have to separate your dissertation and other research interests (i.e. paragraphs 2 and 3).
• Understand the different missions of the institutions for which you are applying.

Adapted from a template provided by Robert P. Newcomb, Ph.D., Department of Spanish & Portuguese, UC Davis

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Academic Cover Letter Sample

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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

Points to Remember

• Use the form of address and title of the contact person as they appear in the job notice.
• Refer to the job title as it appears in the notice, and state where you learned of the position.
• Mention your major professor by name, especially if he or she is well known in your field. Also, mention your expected completion date.
• Make a claim for your candidacy that you will support in the body of the letter.
• For a position at a small undergraduate college, emphasize teaching experience and philosophy early in the letter.
• Describe your dissertation and plans for future research. Emphasize links between your teaching and research interests.
• Mention specific teaching experience that is relevant to the job notice or is otherwise noteworthy.
• Refer to relevant materials available on the web.
• State your willingness to forward additional materials and to meet for an interview.
• Mention any temporary changes in contact information.

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• Faculty Position

Faculty Position cover letter example

All those years of writing countless academic papers make it seem like something you could do in your sleep. As for job applications … well, how hard can it be to knock out a faculty position cover letter? 

Be assured that cover letters are in a writing league of their own, and rarely second nature to anyone. That’s one reason Resume.io is here to help. Our job search resources include more than 180 occupation-specific cover letter examples, each paired with a writing guide. 

This step-by-step guide aims to demystify the process of writing a faculty position cover letter. Backed by an adaptable faculty position cover letter example, we’ll discuss:

• The best format for structuring your faculty position cover letter
• Speaking to your strengths as an ideal faculty job match in each cover letter section: header, greeting, introduction, body, and conclusion
• Common cover letter mistakes to avoid

Here is exactly how you can write a cover letter that will stand out from the crowd, and help you land that interview.

For related examples and writing guides in our Education category, check out the following:

• Teaching Assistant

Best format for a faculty position cover letter

For anyone accustomed to writing scholarly research papers and dissertations, the simplicity of a cover letter’s format can be a welcome treat. Like any type of letter, it conforms to this outline of parts:

Cover letter header

Cover letter greeting, cover letter introduction, cover letter middle part (body).

• Cover letter closing.

Cover letters are a critical part of the job application process, and yet many struggle with how to write them. The cover letter writing tips in this guide will help you move beyond amateur errors and into the realm of a job-winning professional.

Before taking a closer look at the purpose of each cover letter part and how to optimize the impact, here is some general advice. 

Assume your cover letter recipient is busy with many other preoccupations. That includes dozens, if not hundreds, of other faculty job applications to weed through and pour over. Making life easier for that person will earn you bonus marks when your cover letter is:

• Short — no more than 400 words on a single page — but intriguing enough to catch the reader’s attention
• Inviting to read at first glance and all the way through — clean, streamlined, orderly and professionally polished, with legible fonts and ample white space to offset the text-heavy segments
• Tailored to the specific faculty position and hiring institution

Here is an adaptable cover letter example that you can customize for the faculty position and hiring institution.

Dear Professor Donnelly,

The teaching assistant faculty position would be an ideal role for me as I complete my PhD in Applied Linguistics at Brown University. I am fluent in Spanish, French, and Italian and have tutored Brown students in all three languages over the past four years. Having assisted with some cover lecturing last year, I would like to formalize my role within the department.

95% of private students have improved their grades and my extra-curricular linguistics class was attended by lecture halls of 300+ students from across the faculty. Students warm to my accessible teaching style. I enjoy reaching out to the nimble minds of tomorrow. You cannot study a language if you do not have an appreciation for the building blocks of semantics.

My ambition is to become a lecturer after my PhD, so this faculty position would provide the ideal stepping stone for the next couple of years. I already know many of the teaching staff well and a few of them suggested that this role would be a good fit for me.

I enclose a summary of my PhD thesis as I would like to discuss participating in your linguistics teaching as well as the individual languages. I know that staff absence has been an issue over the past few years, and I would like to offer as much academic support as possible.

I enclose my CV alongside nine academic and pedagogical testimonials from your faculty colleagues. I look forward to the opportunity of a formal interview - I would love to share my ideas about how I can make a difference to both students and staff.

Brain Townsend

A distinctive cover letter header — traditionally at the top of the page but sometimes along one side — can help your job application stand out from the rest in a “personal brand” fashion. Your identifying information is prominently displayed in a way that gets noticed first and is easy for recruiters to find when they’re ready to get in touch with you later.  

Be sure to include your name, occupation title, phone number, and email. It’s a good idea to add your LinkedIn profile URL too, and any relevant professional social media or website links.

A professional pair It takes very little extra effort to visually match your cover letter and resume design — notably in the header — so it’s obvious that the documents belong together, and to you. 

The goal of the cover letter header: Stand out from scores of other faculty job candidates with an attractive cover letter header that makes it easy for recruiters to remember and reach you.

No job candidate can go wrong using this traditional cover letter salutation: “Dear <Dr.> <Mr.> <Ms.> Surname.” It’s not considered old-fashioned and strikes the right balance between formal and friendly.

Typically, faculty position cover letters are addressed to a professor, a department or section head, or perhaps a principal investigator if it’s a research role. In any case, do make every effort to find out who will be on the receiving end of your faculty job application so you can address that person by name in your cover letter greeting.

“Sir” or “Madam” might have their place in polite society, but not in cover letters. Here, we look at why “Dear Sir or Madam” is the wrong way to address your cover letter recipient and the best alternatives.

If no one is named in the advertised faculty job posting, check the university website, LinkedIn profiles, or online publications. Failing those sleuthing efforts, just make a phone call and ask.

But if you still come up empty, your next best option is “Dear Search Committee Members.” 

“To Whom It May Concern” is an old-fashioned way of writing a letter greeting when you don’t know the name of the correct person to address. But it should never be used in a cover letter in which you’re seeking a job. Here are some alternatives.

The goal of the cover letter greeting: Start off on a professional but personal note by directly addressing the faculty position recruiter by name.

The introduction of your faculty position cover letter has some basic ground to cover off the top, in the space of just two or three sentences. It must convey who you are, your current academic role, why you are interested in the job, and what makes you an excellent candidate. 

The challenge is to prevent the search committee members’ eyes from glazing over reading the same opening lines as dozens of other applicants have put forward. You need a hook that resonates right away, intriguing them enough to keep reading and then learn more in your CV.

Was your faculty job application prompted by a lead from another university professor or colleague that the recruiter and you know in common? If so, your cover letter introduction is the place to mention it.

Hitting the high notes of your brightest accomplishments won’t go quite far enough. An engaging cover letter introduction helps faculty recruiters understand your motivation and how you might contribute to the projects and activities they care about deeply. How will this institution benefit from your expertise and enthusiasm? Is your excitement about this prospect coming across?  

The goal of the cover letter introduction: Appeal to the specific faculty hiring needs by emphasizing the value you would bring to this research project.

Here’s the greeting and introduction from our faculty position cover letter sample.

The body of your cover letter substantiates why you belong on this faculty team. To some extent, it’s like a written response to the “Tell me about yourself” interview question that you hope will come later when your application is shortlisted. 

Again, the career highlights presented in these middle paragraphs should paint a picture of your future that’s framed from the recruiter’s standpoint. Citing facts and figures to quantify beneficial outcomes where possible, give a few examples of achievements that speak to the hiring university’s needs and values. Focus on skills and experiences that are impressive, relevant, and relatable. 

Brief anecdotes also have their place in this cover letter section. Tell a story or two about unique or unexpected discoveries reflecting your curiosity and creativity as a dedicated researcher and teacher.

Evidence of your efforts to learn everything about this faculty role should be implicit here. How compatible are your career goals with this institution’s mission? What about your personality and work style? Who are you eager to collaborate with?  

The goal of the cover letter body: Build the recruiter’s confidence in your ability to help advance the university’s research and teaching goals.

This faculty position cover letter sample illustrates what you might include in the middle part:

Cover letter closing 

It’s time to end your cover letter while hinting at a professional relationship that’s only beginning. Beware of treating this concluding paragraph offhandedly as just a final formality. 

By all means, do the courtesy of thanking the hiring professor or search committee members for their time and consideration of your application. Beyond that, it’s the place to reinforce how interested and enthusiastic you are about this faculty opportunity. And absolutely reiterate why you’re an excellent match for the position.

Be sure to conclude with a call to action that opens the door wider to the next steps. Indicate you look forward to speaking or meeting with the search committee, or at least hearing back soon. Ask if they’d be receptive to a follow-up phone call from you in a week’s time. Anything that puts some onus on the recruiter to respond in some way is fine, as long as it doesn’t sound pushy or presumptuous.

Finally, close with a professional sign-off: your full name below “Sincerely,” or “Best regards.” 

The goal of the cover letter closing: End with a call to action that implies your expectation of a response and next steps. 

Below is the closing section of our faculty position cover letter example.

Common cover letter mistakes

It’s a safe bet that writing errors are not something most academic professionals typically need to worry about. Still, no cover letter writing advice would be complete without these precautions about common pitfalls to avoid:

• Failing to customize and personalize your cover letter for each job application, instead sending the same generic letter to multiple employers
• Self-centered angle — “why I need this job” instead of “why you need me on your team”
• Lazy language, word bloat and sloppy sentence construction
• Stilted institutional, bureaucratic or otherwise unnatural writing style — people don’t talk like that!
• Lack of personality, with too much emphasis on technical competence
• Careless typos, spelling mistakes, and grammatical goofs signifying a failure to proofread
• Over-reliance on spell-check and grammar apps that overlook faults such as inconsistent capitalization, date formats, and periods ending bullet points
• Page layout and formatting flaws that sabotage reader-friendliness
• Duplication of resume content and wording

Save yourself the time, hassle and uncertainty that DIY layout, design, and formatting entails. Leave those details up to Resume.io, by using one of our field-tested cover letter templates. It could not be simpler to drop in your own replacement text using our cover letter builder tool.

Key takeaways

• Faculty position applicants are already equipped with strong academic writing skills they can adapt to create a persuasive cover letter.
• Each custom-tailored cover letter should reflect your knowledge of the position and hiring institution while noting how the faculty would benefit from having you on board.
• Let your personality, purpose, and passion shine through in a way that’s not possible in a CV.
• With the bar set high for academic professionals to error-proof their work, a job application leaves no room for slip-ups.

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How to Write an Academic Cover Letter With Examples

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Target your cover letter, cover letter format.

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Requred Job Application Materials

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. 

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

Tips for Writing an Academic Cover Letter

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. 

Address as many of the preferred qualifications as possible. 

Give concrete examples to support your assertions about your strengths. 

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. 

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. 

Try to do the same with any evolving teaching interests. 

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.

Academic Cover Letter Example

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.

Academic Cover Letter Example #1 (Text Version)

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

Academic Cover Letter Example #2 (Text Version)

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:

• A cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three references.
• A cover letter (PDF format) of interest indicating your qualifications and reason for application, Curriculum Vitae (PDF format), and a minimum of three professional references, including phone and email contact information.
• A letter of interest, a Curriculum Vitae, a teaching vision statement, a research vision statement that specifically indicates how you would interact with or collaborate with other department faculty, and three references.
• A cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three references. Please upload these as ONE document in RTF, DOC or PDF format.

• Public Lectures
• Faculty & Staff Site >>

A Dozen Sentences that Should Appear in Your Academic Job Application Letter

When you apply for an academic job, your cover letter helps a hiring committee interpret your curriculum vitae and conveys your excitement about and dedication to your work.

Your mission is to land an academic job. The immediate goal is to use the cover letter to get you on two shortlists — the shortlist of a dozen people who will be invited to submit more writing samples and have references checked, followed by the shortlist of three or four people who will be invited to visit the hiring department.

Cover letters should include 12 pieces of information that hiring committees are seeking:

• “I would like to be considered for the position of [title copied from job ad] in [exact department name from job ad] at the [exact institution name from job ad]. I am an advanced doctoral candidate in [your department].” This opening should be short and can certainly vary. The odds are that you will submit for many jobs, be shortlisted for a few, and be offered one or two. In all the cutting and pasting, make sure these letters are correctly addressed to the chair of the search committee or the chair of the department.
• “My doctoral project is a study of [cocktail party description]. Much of the research on this topic suggests that [characterize the literature as woefully inadequate]. But I [demonstrate, reveal, discover] that contrary to received wisdom, [your punch line].” This is the key statement about your doctoral project. Demonstrate how you will contribute to an intellectual conversation that is larger than your project – but unable to advance without your findings. The next paragraph should detail your research with one sentence on each chapter in your manuscript.
• “To complete this research I have spent [X years] doing [fieldwork / lab work / archival work / statistical analysis]. I have travelled to [these cities or libraries], interviewed [X number of experts], created [original datasets/original compositions/original artwork].” This sentence should be followed by a paragraph with the story of your research process. Overwhelm the committee with the volume of artifacts you’ve studied, people you’ve talked to, time you have dedicated or places you’ve been.
• “I have completed [X] of [Y] chapters of my dissertation, and I have included two substantive chapters as part of my writing sample.” Many hiring committees expect their top candidates to be almost finished with the doctoral project, since the dissertation is a test of commitment to a research trajectory. Ideally, the review committee will be excited by your original research and beg you for more once you are on a short list. Your mentors should confirm this information in their letters.
• “I have well-developed drafts of several other chapters, and expect to defend in [month, year]. OR Having defended in [month, year], I plan to [turn it into a book-length manuscript for a major scholarly press / select key chapters for publication in disciplinary journals].” Your advisors will also confirm these things. Committees want to know that your defense will not take place while you are working on their coin. If any of your committee members are unwilling to commit to even a season of the year for your defense date, or you don’t have two substantive chapters to submit to the hiring committee, it’s too early for you to be on the academic job market.
• “Although my primary area of research is [disciplinary keyword here], I have additional expertise in [another disciplinary keyword here] and am eager to teach in both areas. I have [taught/served as a teaching assistant] in courses about [A, B and C]. In the next few years, I hope to develop courses in [X and Y].” Departments love hiring people who can teach several topics. Look up the courses offered in the department to which you are applying, and use their keywords. Although the hiring committee will take research fit as most important, teaching skills and interests will be taken seriously. Specify courses in which you served as a teaching assistant and those in which you were the instructor of record.
• “For the most part, my approach to research is through [social science or humanistic method keyword here], and I would be interested in developing a methods class on this approach to research.” Many departments struggle to find faculty who will teach methods classes, and signaling your interest likely will put you ahead. Job candidates are particularly valuable if they demonstrate how they cross methodological boundaries, appreciate diverse approaches to inquiry, and can contribute to advancing knowledge with different analytical frames.
• “Although I have been focused on my graduate research for several years, I have been actively involved in conversations with [scholars in the department you are applying to, or scholars at other universities/professional associations/conferences/other disciplines].” This can be the one paragraph about service, highlighting conferences you’ve attended, workshops you’ve organized, and other ways you’ve supported your discipline. If you are applying for work in a department that is different from the one that trained you, demonstrate how you already have affinities for the new discipline, such as showing that you are familiar with faculty interests.
• “In the next few years, I hope to be able to investigate [reasonably related problems or questions].” Address your research trajectory over the next five years. The department will be investing in the person they hire, so the hiring committee will look for the direction your research will take. Communicate future research possibilities eloquently; don’t leave the committee to assume you will be doing more of the same.
• “I am interested in this post for a variety of reasons: [something about the character of the department/university/community/city].” The committee will be happy that you know something about the place you want to work. This may be particularly true for colleges and universities with distinct liberal arts traditions or unique community programs, or are not located in major urban areas. A committee might not interview you if the members believe you would not seriously consider a job offer.
• “Because of my graduate training, my doctoral research, and my teaching [experience/interests], I am uniquely qualified for this job.” Within a few sentences address your general focus and course work, and point to your experience teaching in the domains mentioned in the job description. Write a brief statement on why you are uniquely qualified for the job.
• “In the next few months, I will be attending the [conference A] and [conference B]. If you or your colleagues are also planning to attend, I would be happy to meet for an informal conversation.” Many departments make their first short list phone interviews or informal conference visits. Alert the committee if you are giving a paper so they can see you in action.

These sentences are in roughly the order they should appear in for applications to jobs at research schools. Most of the content should be about research, followed by one or two paragraphs about teaching and perhaps one paragraph about service. If the job is mostly about teaching, expand the amount of space dedicated to that topic.

Shoot for two and a half pages of content: less than that and you might not seem like an advanced doctoral candidate well immersed in a project; more than that and committee members may stop reading. As you write, drop in the names of granting agencies that have supported you, or the journals that are publishing or reviewing your work. Ideally several faculty members will write letters on your behalf. If possible, at least one letter writer can come from a university other than yours. Hiring committees love reference letters on different university letterheads; it shows that you have social capital beyond your home department.

Address your letter to the person heading the search or the department head. A greeting such as “Dear Committee Members” shows you haven’t done enough research. Ask a friend proofread your document for grammar and spelling.

Finally, follow up with the department. Hiring committees do not always tell candidates whether they are on the short list. If you finish another dissertation chapter, or get an article published, a few weeks after submitting your letter, submit an update by e-mail and ask that this example be added to your file and where the committee is in the hiring process.

by Philip N. Howard, professor, Communication

• Career Advice

Understanding Cover Letters

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Recently, on a listserv in my field known for being welcoming to outsiders and newcomers but also for being rife with discussions that quickly turn ridiculous, a thread on cover letters followed the usual pattern: A new grad student asks what seems to be an innocuous question, a few professors offer semi-helpful responses without getting too sucked into the time-sink, the rogue academic contributes some tongue-in-cheek humor, a few more grad students take the jokes seriously and panic, the list erupts in false information and rumors. (See, e.g., the incident in writing studies that will henceforth be known as Godwin's Eternal Bedbugs).

The job application letter, or the cover letter, is the most important part of your application. It’s the first thing a search committee member sees. Typically, a search committee member will read your materials in the following order: cover letter, C.V., letters of recommendation, writing sample or other additional materials. Depending on the individual committee member and how large the candidate pool is, your materials may get as long as 30 minutes or as short as 5 minutes. Less if it’s obvious from your cover letter that you’re absolutely not qualified for the job ( see “Fit” column ). If you are a fit for the job ad’s basic qualifications, it’s not unusual for readers to spend the most time on your cover letter, as it should be the narrative that explains the rest of your materials and, frankly, your academic life.

This document is, next to the teaching philosophy (fodder for another column), the most difficult for students to write because it sums up, usually before the student has finished their degree, their Ph.D. trajectory and so it is like writing a proposal for employment. You have to pretend (if you’re not already defended, or close to it) that you know exactly how your research will turn out and be able to state it confidently and articulately to a group of non-experts. I say non-experts because, unless you’re applying to a research-intensive university or a school that has a Ph.D. program in your exact area of study, and that has an extremely large faculty of experts in and around your field already, you’re more likely to be applying to a college where you’re intended to be one of a handful, or maybe the only one in your field who will research in your specific area. In those cases, it’s unlikely that the search committee will comprise researchers who understand your confined set of academic jargon. This does not mean you should dumb things down, but that you should fully explain yourself, defining any specific terms you need to use and giving examples from your research and teaching.

The academic cover letter generally follows very strict genre conventions. It should be no more than two pages, but definitely more than one and a half. No glaring amounts of white space, because this means you don’t have enough qualifications to talk about yourself.

The tone of the letter is crucial. It must be thoroughly formal and professional; remember that you are speaking as a potential colleague, not as a (desperate) graduate student. Your cover letter should not repeat items from your C.V. without including some context for their inclusion here. While it’s true that few faculty will read all of your documents with care, just listing items to repeat them in multiple locations doesn’t tell the search committee why these C.V. lines are important to your own research and teaching trajectories, nor why these items should matter for the position at hand. This is why your cover letter should narrate your experiences and persuade the committee that your qualifications meet the needs of the job qualifications posted.

Two pages is a short amount of space to work within, which is another reason why this genre is difficult for students to write successfully. Most Ph.D. students I’ve worked with over the years write at least seven drafts of their letter before it is workable. And then they often write another three or four drafts to perfect it for one job.

I recommend students pick out a "dream" job posting early on (or from the previous year, perhaps) and write their letter toward that job. Doing this will get you in the right frame of mind to convince a committee that you’re the right person for the job, and then you will have a standard draft to work from and create alternate cover letters for each job you apply to. And you must tailor each cover letter to fit each job ad, which is why being on the market is so damned time-consuming. (In case no one has told you yet, you will not -- no matter how good a student and researcher you are -- have time to work on your dissertation while you’re on the job market. I’ve never met a student who isn’t so totally distracted by the job search that they can refocus on their dissertations in between sending letters out.)

Job letters typically follow a five-paragraph format, with the order of paragraphs switched depending upon the focus of the department (research or teaching):

1. The Introduction

The tradition for including the full name and position number, if there is one, and location where you discovered the job posting feels odd, but it’s a standard opening line to your letter. Also in this paragraph, you should state what your current status is (ABD, defending in April, assistant professor, etc.). If you have not finished your degree yet, be very specific about when you defend (not will defend: be more definitive than that) and make sure your adviser agrees with you, or she might write a different timeline in her letter of recommendation, which will make the search committee assume you have unrealistic expectations. It’s also common to include a sentence or two about why you are applying for this particular position. Sometimes these statements can come across as empty. Don’t BS, and don’t write it just to have filler; be honest and sincere. For instance, a colleague wanting to make the switch from a tenure-track position at an R2 (teaching-intensive institution with some Ph.D. programs) to a tenure-track position at an all-male, teaching-intensive SLAC (small liberal arts college) explained why -- in terms of leadership-based teaching that was part of the school’s mission -- in her introductory paragraph.

2. The Dissertation Paragraph

This is one of the hardest paragraphs to write for most students, because (at least in my field) it’s typical that people go on the job market before they’ve finished their dissertations. Many students start crafting their cover letters at the same time they start writing their dissertations, so they have a really hard time writing in the future abstract. But once students are able to craft their dissertation paragraph, I’ve found that it actually clarifies their understanding of their own dissertations and helps them move forward. So I’d recommend starting your draft by writing this paragraph. One paragraph should be enough, and it can be structured similarly to the organization of your whole dissertation: one sentence for each chapter, roughly. In four to six sentences you must show what your dissertation contributes to your field of research -- the “So what?” factor -- by explaining how it is situated within your field’s disciplinary conversations (but you don’t have to cite scholarship), why your topic is important and necessary, and what your outcomes are.

If methodologies and methods are an important part of your research and field, include them. If archival or corpus-based work is an important part of your research, name them. People from outside your specialty will be reading this description, so don’t assume everyone on the planet has read Frankenstein and would know why you’re writing yet another dissertation about it. Make sure you emphasize the aspects of the dissertation that fit the particular job ad. Finally, in some fields it is acceptable to include an added, longer (one- or two-page) dissertation abstract with your materials. With the increased use of online submission websites for job ads, which mandate what you can upload, I suspect we will begin to see less and less of this inclusion from job candidates. Do yourself a favor and make your diss paragraph awesome so you don’t have to include another document.

3. Related/Future Research

This paragraph is often about your research agenda; that is, what articles or books you have plans to work on after the dissertation is completed. Students early in their dissertation writing often panic at the thought of having to plan out their research trajectory for the next six years, but if you want a job with any research involved, you will need to have some idea of how you will get tenure, and the research agenda is that document. Indeed, you might start this paragraph as a separate research agenda document and then summarize it in your cover letter. Research-intensive schools may ask for the separate, longer document, which should include names of projects, brief outlines, journals or presses or funding agencies they will be submitted to, and your work plan for completing them before tenure.

If you’re stuck thinking of what your future projects might be, consider all of the threads of interesting or related findings you discovered as part of your diss research; each one of those might become an article or, if several are related, your next book or research project. Finally, other things you might mention in this paragraph -- as they relate to the job ad -- include previous articles you’ve published, grants you’ve received, and conference presentations you’ve given. The purpose of this paragraph is to show that you have a coherent research trajectory and that you are productive. It is most useful for applying to research-intensive universities, to convince them that you can work independently and will get tenure. If you’re applying to a teaching-intensive university, consider making this paragraph about undergraduate research, if you have any involvement (or want to) in that area of mentoring.

4. Teaching Paragraph(s)

This paragraph seems to be the most difficult for students to write, and I think it’s because it is such an unusual academic genre. Unless you’re applying for a research-only position that you are absolutely sure includes zero teaching, you’re going to have to include this paragraph, so start practicing. Like the dissertation paragraph, I recommend students start by writing a full, two-page teaching philosophy (coming soon to a column near you!) and then summarizing it in your cover letter. This paragraph — you can have one or two — typically begins by explaining your teaching philosophy in one or two sentences. If your teaching relates to your research, definitely make that connection here. Then you give a broad overview of how you bring your teaching philosophy to your classrooms. This might include discussing what teaching values and learning goals you use in your classes.

For instance, my teaching philosophy is called an editorial pedagogy, so I need to define this term, relate it to my research in digital publishing, explain that my goal is to professionalize students as designers and editors (given the kinds of classes I teach), and say that I do this by mentoring them through in-progress feedback on their client-based projects. This is a very short example. Yours might be 1-2 sentences longer, but hopefully it gives you a sense of the big-picture nature of these opening sentences. After that introduction, get specific. Tell the search committee the name of a class you’ve taught using this pedagogical approach, what the assignments are (and/or texts you assigned), and how you set students up to achieve the learning outcomes of the assignment. Make sure that you relate this description back to how it enacts your teaching philosophy.

If you haven’t yet taught but that’s part of the job you’re applying for, suggest that this is the way you’d like to approach teaching and, perhaps, describe a training or mentoring situation that was similar to teaching and what you learned (as a potential teacher) from it.

Include a second paragraph only if the job ad lists a bunch of different classes you might teach and two kinds are different enough from each other than you need to describe your approach in each.

Some advisers recommend students include information about the kinds of courses you hope to teach in the future, pulled from the course catalog of the institution you’re applying to. I have mixed feelings about this because, like the “Here’s why I’m applying to your department” sentence of the introductory paragraph, it can come across as cloying. So approach the “Here’s what I can teach” section with care, and if you have two teaching paragraphs already, they’ll get the idea without your help, unless what they want you to teach is not adequately represented by the kinds of classes you’ve described. In which case, make that connection for them by showing how what you’ve taught relates to what they’d want you to teach. In addition, for teaching-focused colleges, this paragraph will go before your dissertation paragraph, and you will have two paragraphs on teaching, to show your dedication to it and to undergraduate mentoring or advising. Talk specifically about any examples you may have advising undergraduates in teaching, clubs, etc.

5. Service Paragraph

Some folks' strategy here is to list all their service work, to show what a good colleague they can be. The point of this paragraph is to show that you are a hard-working, collaborative colleague, not just some holier-than-thou star who will only sit in her office and never contribute to the department. But listing all your service is for your C.V. This paragraph should be about giving a story to your service work so that the work you highlight here portrays your service as connected to your research and teaching and contributes to the department or field.

Service work will be especially important to teaching-intensive colleges where the faculties are smaller (and thus have to pitch in more to departmental administration) and where undergraduate student mentoring and advising is expected. As with all paragraphs in this letter, make sure you draw on key words from the job ad itself (but not in an obnoxious way) to persuade the committee that you’re the right fit for the job. Keep in mind that if you’re applying to alt-ac jobs or other types of administrative positions such as a program director, this paragraph may actually go after the introductory paragraph and will be much lengthier. In that case, it should include your specific qualifications for running the program, what your vision is for it over the next five (or 10) years, and (if a required part of the job) how you plan to creatively finance it.

6. Conclusion.

Because you’re not done yet. This paragraph, though, is rather perfunctory. You’re simply telling the committee how your dossier (your letters of recommendation, C.V., writing sample, and any other job materials) will arrive, if separate from your cover letter.

Or include your web address, if you have an online portfolio. If the job doesn’t require recommendation letters up front, you can list who your recommenders are, but it’s not required. In some fields, it is expected that you indicate your availability and contact information for an interview. But that’s about it. Do not, under any circumstances, make it seem like they’re doing you a favor and that you have nothing to give in return.

Other quick T\tips:

• Do your research on each college, but don’t go overboard. Thirty minutes is enough research. I spend two to three hours writing each cover letter, but I’m fairly slow.
• Use letterhead from your current institution, if you’re allowed. If not, use a memo or letter template in your word-processing program.
• Many people follow the formatting of a business letter and include the receiver’s address at the top. I don’t, and I don’t think it’s ever been counted against me. But ask around in your field. You might could use that extra six lines of space.
• Don’t push the margins out farther than one inch, and don’t use a typeface smaller than 11 point. Single space. Readability is as important as quality.

These conventions differ depending on what field you are in, so while a national, cover-your-bases advice column like this can serve as a starting point, you’re still going to have to do some research into how people in your field write cover letters (and organize their C.V.s, etc.), and -- most obviously -- review drafts of your letter with your adviser. One of the best pieces of advice I got my first time on the job market was from a faculty member outside my disciplinary specialty, whom I had asked to read a draft of my cover letter. She was notorious for being rather to-the-point, so I was expecting some harsh criticism, even though I’d already revised the letter a dozen times. I made an appointment to meet with her; she read the letter and simply said to me: It sounds like you’re a graduate student who wants a job, not a colleague who wants to join their faculty. It was the perfect bit of advice I needed to rewrite the cover letter yet again and frame my work as one of a future colleague rather than as an immature graduate student not yet finished with her Ph.D. It is that mindset that a cover letter needs to have to be convincing. Have multiple faculty members, including those outside your specialty, read a final draft, and then expect to revise more.

Not everyone will have excellent advice, but the more that advice begins to resonate across readers, the more you should pay attention to it and make some corrections. Because if your cover letter bombs on the market, no one will ever get past that to see how awesome your C.V. or writing sample is. You have roughly 30 seconds to sell someone on your entire academic career, so make it count.

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8 Professional Academic Cover Letter Examples for 2024

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.

All cover letter examples in this guide

Academic Advisor

High School Academic

College Academic

Grad School Academic

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.

• Making excellent use of job-winning real-life professional cover letters;
• Writing the first paragraphs of your academic cover letter to get attention and connect with the recruiters - immediately;
• Single out your most noteworthy achievement (even if it's outside your career);
• Get a better understanding of what you must include in your academic cover letter to land the job.

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:

• Academic resume guide and example
• Theatre Teacher cover letter example
• Teacher Assistant cover letter example
• Professor cover letter example
• Language Teacher cover letter example
• Transitioning Teacher cover letter example
• Lecturer cover letter example
• Kindergarten Teacher cover letter example
• Online Teacher cover letter example
• Retired Teacher cover letter example
• After School Teacher cover letter example

Academic cover letter example

Carter Andrade

+1-(234)-555-1234

[email protected]

• Highlighting Relevant Achievements: The cover letter effectively showcases past accomplishments, such as reducing billing processing time by 30% and billing errors by 20%, which directly relate to the Billing Manager role and demonstrate the candidate's relevant experience and success in process optimization.
• Focus on Process Improvement: By emphasizing a hands-on approach to revamping outdated procedures, the writer displays a commitment to enhancing financial workflows, an essential skill for a Billing Manager tasked with maintaining efficient billing operations.
• Leadership Skills: The candidate mentions leading a team during a cross-departmental initiative, pointing to strong leadership and team management abilities, which are crucial for a managerial position responsible for overseeing the billing department.

Five tips on formatting your academic cover letter

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:

• Header and Salutation;
• Introductory paragraph;
• Body paragraph;
• 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 .

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.

The top sections on a academic cover letter

• Header: This section includes your contact information, the date, and the recipient's details, ensuring that your cover letter appears professional and reaches the correct person.
• Opening Greeting: A formal salutation addresses the hiring committee or specific individual by name, demonstrating that you have researched the institution and are personalizing your application.
• Introduction: Briefly introduces who you are, your current academic status, and the position you are applying for, setting the stage for why you are a strong fit for the role.
• Academic Achievements and Experience: Highlights your relevant educational background, research accomplishments, teaching experience, and any publications, tailored to the academic position to showcase your qualifications and alignment with the job.
• Closing Paragraph: This is where you reiterate your interest in the position, mention your availability for an interview, and thank the recipient for considering your application, leaving a professional and respectful impression.

Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter

• Research expertise in the specified field: Demonstrates the ability to contribute to the academic community through original research.
• Teaching experience and pedagogical skills: Showcases the capability to educate and mentor students effectively.
• Publications and scholarly work: Indicates a track record of contributing to the body of knowledge in the field.
• Grants and funded research experience: Reflects success in obtaining financial support for research, which is crucial for many academic institutions.
• Collaboration and interdisciplinary work: Highlights the ability to work across disciplines, which is increasingly valued in academia for its potential to foster innovative research.
• Service to the academic community: Demonstrates a commitment to contributing to the functioning and governance of the institution through committee work, peer review, or other service roles.

How to personalize your academic cover letter greeting

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.

List of salutations you can use

• Dear Hiring Committee,
• Dear [Department] Selection Committee,
• Dear Professor [Last Name],
• Dear Dr. [Last Name],
• Dear Search Committee Chair,
• Dear [University/College] Faculty,

What to include in those first two sentences, or your academic cover letter introduction

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:

• congratulating the company - focusing on something impressive, whether that's an award, an industry-leading project, or a key event;
• aligning their passion for the field or industry with the job - if you're enthusiastic about what you do, you'd thus grow your skill set and value as a professional.

That one achievement in your academic cover letter body

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.

Finishing off your academic cover letter with what matters most

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).

The zero experience academic cover letter: shifting the focus to your unique value

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.

Key takeaways

Within this Enhancv guide, we've provided you with plenty of advice and inspiration on writing your academic cover letter:

• Always make sure your academic cover letter is tailored to the role you're applying for to make a good impression on recruiters;
• In your academic cover letter include a header (with your name, the role you're applying for, date, and contact details) and an introduction of up to two sentences that highlight your key accomplishment or why you'd fit the role;
• Focus your academic cover letter body on one sole achievement through your career and all the valuable lessons, skills, and know-how you've learned (that are relevant to the role);
• Ensure your academic cover letter closing statement isn't generic and includes either a call to action or a promise;
• If you lack professional experience, shift recruiters' focus to a relevant achievement (thanks to your academic or versatile experience) or toward your dreams and goals for professional growth.

Academic cover letter examples

Explore additional academic cover letter samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Cover letter examples by industry

AI cover letter writer, powered by ChatGPT

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.

• Content tailored to the job posting you're applying for
• ChatGPT model specifically trained by Enhancv
• Lightning-fast responses

Cover Letter Design: 5+ Tips & Examples for Success

How to write a letter of interest (with examples), should you use first person in a resume – a quick guide, how to write a military to civilian resume, how to answer "why should we hire you", the average length of a job interview: how long does it typically last.

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Who to address on the cover letter?

In the cover letter of an application to an academic job, should we write

Dear Search Committee Members,

Dear Professor A, Chair of the Search Committee Members,

Dear Professor A, Chair of the department

or what else?

In case we don't know who the chair of the Search Committee is, should we write the department to ask?

• application-cover-letter

• 4 And remember to close with "Sincerely Yours" if you addressed a specific person, but with "Faithfully Yours" if you did not. Do people still seriously care? –  Kallus Commented Oct 9, 2013 at 5:19
• 5 What about Dear Sir/Madam or To whom it may concern ? –  gerrit Commented Oct 9, 2013 at 15:14

3 Answers 3

I address all cover letters, letters of rec, etc. "Dear Committee Members:" Don't waste your time addressing it to an individual. The only thing you can achieve by doing that is embarrassing yourself and giving the search committee the chance to have a good laugh at your expense. If you do it correctly, it doesn't actually achieve anything; why give yourself one more thing to stress about?

The advertisement usually specifies to whom the application should be sent. In such cases, use the name that's listed in the advertisement. If no name is given, then I would vote for the first option, as it is the most inclusive.

• If they don't have any name in the main part of the advertisement but have name in the further information, what should we do? –  postdoc Commented Oct 9, 2013 at 0:37
• The further information is part of the announcement. You should probably go ahead and use that. –  aeismail Commented Oct 9, 2013 at 4:26
• 9 One catch though: sometimes the name in the advertisement is the name of a secretary who is responsible for filing the applications, but has no part in reading them. In that case, having your letter addressed to the secretary would look weird. It's not always easy to tell when this is the case, but one thing you can do is check the department's website and see if the person is listed as faculty or administrator. –  Nate Eldredge Commented Oct 9, 2013 at 13:21
• 1 Of course, the committee will be reading so many of these letters that it's doubtful they'll notice the salutation at all. –  Nate Eldredge Commented Oct 9, 2013 at 13:22
• I was instructed to send my application to [email protected] , without any specific name, so I addressed it to the professor I hope to be working with. –  gerrit Commented Oct 9, 2013 at 14:29

Following the advises published on How to write a killer cover letter for a postdoctoral application http://www.asbmb.org/asbmbtoday/asbmbtoday_article.aspx?id=48927

you should adress your Cover letter to future Principal investigator (PI) of the project:

Start off right. Address your potential future PI properly, as “Dr. (insert surname here).” If you begin your letter with “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern,” your application could be dismissed as generic and untailored for the position. A letter that appears to come off an assembly line is likely to ride directly into the trash bin. If you do not invest the time to learn about the PI and his or her research, then the PI is not likely to invest the time to read your application .

• In academia, we don't mind, unless it states "to who it may concern", then yeah you're in trouble. (please note the spelling) –  PatrickT Commented Mar 3, 2021 at 23:21

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• Does a publication similar to the American Mathematical Monthly exist in Theoretical Computer Science?
• Voronoi mesh of a circular image
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• What's the necessary and sufficient condition for a real sequence to be written as the self-convolution of another real sequence?

Cover letter for a faculty position

Criteria for success.

• You demonstrate scientific accomplishments and scholastic achievement.
• You clearly define the vision and impact of your future research program.
• You differentiate yourself from colleagues, g. advisors, as well as other faculty candidates.
• You establish what your niche will be in the department.
• Your excitement and passion are clearly displayed.

Structure Diagram

• Critical contact information: name, degree, current position, email, and phone number
• Your professional profile or webpage ( e.g ., LinkedIn, ResearchGate, Academia.edu)
• Date, department, and university name and address
• Salutation – “Dear [Faculty Search Committee / Department Head],”
• Brief introduction – Display excitement. State specific terms related to the faculty position, department and university. For example, if you are applying to a “cluster” hire that includes faculty across multiple departments, such as Systems and Synthetic Biology , then state this directly. State the position you are applying for (i.e., tenure-track appointment, assistant faculty position).
• Strong opening statement – Declare succinctly your targeted research areas. Establish your foundation on which you will base your research. Emphasize novel interfaces and applications within your proposed research.
• Scientific achievements – Summarize successes highlighted in your CV that demonstrate the breadth and depth of scientific expertise. Demonstrate your productivity, as well as key scientific or technical strengths with supporting details.
• Motivation & impact – State areas of expertise and indicate specific aims of your future research program. Clearly describe how these aims align with current research initiatives in the department or university.
• Teaching & mentorship – Highlight your experience in the classroom and as a research mentor, and service in the profession or community.
• Wrap-up – “Additional documents are enclosed. Please feel free to contact me if supplemental information is required. ”
• Follow-up & thank you – Be clear that you expect to hear back ( g., I look forward to your reply ). Thank the committee for their time and consideration.
• Closure – Maintain professionalism. Sincerely , Best regards , and Kindest regards are appropriate closing phrases. Include your electronic signature.

The faculty cover letter, as with cover letters for other positions , is the first part of your application to be read by the Faculty Search Committee. Your cover letter may be the only part anyone reads if the Search Committee doesn’t like what they see in your cover letter. Therefore, the primary purpose of a faculty cover letter is to capture attention and generate interest among members of the specific department for which you are applying.

If you make it over this first hurdle, the cover letter should then serve as a letter of introduction. The faculty cover letter connects all other application material, such as the Research and Teaching Statements, CV, and References. Brainstorm approaches to reiterate important points and themes between these documents in a complementary and cohesive manner.

Analyze your audience

Knowing what the Faculty Search Committee is looking for will help you tailor your application.

Searches for new hires may focus on specific research areas ( e.g., nanomaterials, systems engineering, therapeutic science, renewable energy). In this case, you should customize your application to highlight your work in the specified research area.

Alternatively, departments may concentrate solely on the best candidates regardless of pre-selected scientific disciplines, in which case you have more flexibility in how you present yourself.

In addition, academic employment opportunities differ based on whether positions are tenure-tracked or require teaching, and the type of institution (university, medical school, research institute). Research the responsibilities associated with each of these positions, and include only information relevant to the specific position – don’t waste valuable space on irrelevant experiences.

Advocate for yourself

The faculty cover letter emphasizes your past and present academic career, while promoting your future potential. For many of us, exuding confidence in an open letter of introduction is challenging, but you have to believe in yourself before you can convince others to believe in you.

State your pedigree

In academia, the institutions and departments you have attended and the advisors for whom you have worked do matter. State this information in Scientific Achievements . Inform your audience if you have co-taught classes with distinguished professors in Teaching & Mentorship or emphasize existing collaborations in the Motivation & Impact section.

Quantify your productivity

Academia identifies scientific contributions by the following conventions: number of publications, quality, and impact. In addition to research articles, noteworthy contributions may also include opinion articles, book chapters, or your role as a journal reviewer. Emphasize alternative sources of scientific communication (and funding) such as distinguished merit-based fellowships.

Engineering students are likely to be co-authors of patents; state this information.

Describe your future potential

Beyond reiterating your past accomplishments, you must also show you are prepared to handle the future challenges of being a Principal Investigator. By far, the most difficult paragraph to write in the faculty cover letter focuses on the Motivation & Impact of your future research program. Clearly articulate the vision of your future research program and describe how your leadership will facilitate an environment of scientific and teaching excellence. Demonstrate expert understanding of your field, and confidently state your qualifications as a leader in research, educator, and citizen of the university.

Define your niche

Your application will be one out of hundreds. You must differentiate yourself and your research program from other candidates, as well as previous or current advisor(s). Ask yourself what you will do that is unique compared to any of your past or future colleagues. How you will uniquely fit into the department; what is your niche?

The Motivation & Impact section provides an opportunity to concisely define your niche. State specific aims of your proposed research that expand upon the department’s core strengths while simultaneously diversifying the university’s research portfolio ( e.g., emerging research fields, state-of-the art technologies, novel applications). Carefully consider research centers, core facilities, affiliated institutes or medical centers at the university. In many cases, campus- or state-wide research initiatives may complement your research program.

Finally, take advantage of any experiences you’ve had outside of academia. Have you previously worked in industry or consulted? Would these former and future relationships lead to additional funding for your lab? If so, suggest more unusual avenues of additional funding. It may no longer suffice to focus primarily on traditional grants sponsored by government agencies. Think of creative alternatives and diversify your future financial portfolio. This, in turn, differentiates your research program from colleagues.

Finally, you will more than likely apply to multiple departments and universities. Therefore, modify your niche for every application!

Make important information concise and identifiable

Again, your application is one out of hundreds. Helping the Faculty Search Committee easily identify important information in your cover letter will only improve your chances of moving forward in the hiring process. A faculty cover letter should not exceed 1 page , so you must present your qualifications to the Faculty Search Committee in a concise manner.

Maximize impact of words. When it’s accurate, use verbs that illustrate impact (“led,” “developed,” “innovated”) over verbs that make you sound passive (“participated”). Aim for verbs that are more specific to the actual contribution you made.

Minimize redundancy and wordiness. For every sentence, challenge yourself to remove as many words as possible without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Use keywords. Keywords cited by grant-funding agencies, easily recognizable by any faculty member, should be included in relevant sections of your faculty cover letter. Using field-specific vocabulary may demonstrate your understanding of the field and the department’s needs, but be aware that Faculty Search Committees that are more mixed in expertise may require simpler vocabulary and/or explanations accessible to a broader audience.

Maintain abundant white space. In terms of formatting, inclusion of white space is easy on the eye while providing a precise transition from one section to the next.

Devote time!

Crafting your faculty application is a process that will continue indefinitely.

• Devote time to your faculty application, and work in consistent increments over the course of weeks not days.
• Take time to brainstorm, reflect, write, edit, critique, and revise accordingly.
• Seek guidance in terms of technical content, emphasis of soft skills, as well as grammatical improvements and aesthetics from colleagues and friends.

Above all else, remember that the faculty application is a creative process. Enjoy it!

Resources and Annotated Examples

Annotated example 1.

This cover letter resulted in an invitation to interview for the desired faculty position. 2 MB

Annotated Example 2

This cover letter resulted in an invitation to interview for the desired faculty position. 745 KB

Annotated Example 3

This cover letter resulted in an invitation to interview for the desired faculty position. 192 KB

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Economy | evacuations under way as crews battle brush fire near torrey pines state beach, economy | from start to finish, here’s how to get noticed in your job search, while including a cover letter and writing a thank-you note aren’t as much in vogue these days, both are essential opportunities that will set you apart.

While some may regard both as being antiquated, I disagree.

Let’s start with the cover letter, which isn’t meant to be a condensed version of your resume. Instead, it’s an opportunity to introduce yourself in a more personal way.

Some recruiters, including me, start by reading the cover letter.  If that catches my interest, I’ll go ahead and review the resume. Other decision-makers may do the reverse.

Whatever the case, I regard your cover letter as your invitation to get me to pay attention to who you are and what you’ve done so far. And I can tell whether you’ve customized your letter for each company and position, so it doesn’t sound like a form letter.

Typically, the length of a cover letter isn’t more than three mid-sized paragraphs.

The opening paragraph is where you mention the specific job you’re applying for, literally down to position #1234 or systems manager of global marketing.

You’d be surprised how many resumes are submitted in which the recruiter has no idea what position the candidate is applying for.

While it may be easier to submit a resume to a large company with no tie-in to a specific job opening, doing so is pretty much a waste of time.

But by including a job number or precise title, it’s more likely your resume will be forwarded to the most appropriate recruiter.

Also in the first paragraph, share how you heard about the position and mention the name of someone in the company who recommended that you apply.

Why you think you’re qualified

The second paragraph deals with why, briefly, you think you’re qualified for the job.

Something like, “I’m eager to put my 10 years of experience as a global marketing manager at ABC and XYZ to work for Qualcomm.”

Be specific and mention the company or companies by name.

The third and final paragraph talks about your availability to connect via call phone by “Monday through Wednesday of next week,” adding “before I travel” — even if you’re not planning to go anywhere.

I realize that the recruiter, if interested, will call, email or text at their own convenience, not yours, but that “travel” caveat conveys a certain sense of urgency.

Then thank the reader for their time, renew your strong interest in the position, or any other job that might be appropriate for your experience and skills.

Always convey an upbeat, positive attitude about that someone – you – they shouldn’t miss the opportunity to meet.

Now let’s move to the thank-you letter.

It’s easy to email a quick “Thank you for meeting with me” note, and that’s still okay to do.

But your email will likely get lost amid the hundreds that most people receive every day.

A longer-lasting effect

Instead, I suggest writing a handwritten thank-you note sent via old-fashioned mail. Although it won’t get there for a few days, such a note will have a longer-lasting effect.

After all, how many handwritten notes do any of us receive anymore? Not many, so when we do get one, it tends to make the letter-writer stand out.

Whether emailed or handwritten, be sure not to blow it with your thank-you note.

I recall a less-than-compelling note I got from a college student after I spoke to his class and then met with him – an example of networking at its best.

“Thank you, Mr. Blair, for meeting with me today,” his note said. “I enjoyed our conversation and learned a lot. Thank you again. Joe”

Thanks for the note, Joe, but you blew that one.

You should’ve referenced a few of the topics we discussed, maybe offered some input and, for good measure, tossed in a nugget or two that you got out of our meeting.

You did thank me, but I got the strong impression that you didn’t listen to anything I said.

While including a cover letter and writing a thank-you note aren’t as much in vogue these days, both are essential opportunities that will set you apart.

And your chances of success will be far better than Joe’s.

Blair is co-founder of Manpower Staffing and can be reached at [email protected]

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