The Academic Job Search Handbook

13. Job Hunting Correspondence

Chapter 13 Job Hunting Correspondence Always include a cover letter or letter of interest when you send your vita to an employer. It is your opportunity to highlight your experience and expertise relevant to the specific institution and position. Never send a form letter. Whether you will stress the potential of your research, the success of your teaching, or your enthusiasm for the mission of the institution will depend on the hiring priorities of the employer. The more you learn about the institution and department, the greater the chance that you can write a letter which will make you look like not only an outstanding candidate, but also one who will be a good ‘‘fit’’ for the position. It is essential that your letter be interesting and well written. How you write, as well as what you say, will be scrutinized carefully. Use simple, direct language and no unnecessary words or sentences. If you are an international scholar and English is not your first language, have a native speaker read your drafts to ensure that the diction sounds natural. Appropriate language may be somewhat less formal than that you would use in your home country. Proofread several times to be sure spelling and grammar are perfect. Your letter should be printed in a readable typeface. Use a high quality printer. If your department or laboratory encourages job candidates to use departmental stationery, do so. Cover Letters Salutation Use a formal title such as ‘‘Dr.’’ or ‘‘Professor’’ even if you know the individual , because the letter normally will be read by many people. If an advertisement indicates that you should respond to ‘‘Search Committee,’’ ‘‘Dear Committee Members’’ is an appropriate salutation. 154 Written Materials for the Search First Paragraph Explain why you are writing and indicate how you learned about the position , for example, ‘‘At the suggestion of Professor Jones . . .’’; ‘‘I would like to apply for the position of Assistant Professor which was advertised in the October 6 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education’’; or ‘‘Thank you for taking time to speak with me yesterday about your unexpected need for a Visiting Lecturer.’’ Middle Paragraph(s) This is the heart of your letter. Your vita describes your accomplishments up to the present. Your letter refers to these, but extends them into the future by demonstrating that you understand the requirements of the position and will be able to meet them. After reading your letter, ideally the search committee will be able to visualize you in the position and doing a great job. Discuss how your achievements and qualifications relate to the specific requirements of this position. Let the department chair or search committee know what you have to offer without repeating your vita word for word. Explain your interest in the institution/position. In general, at a major research university, it is most important to stress your interest in the research done by the members of the department; at a small college, it is also helpful to express an interest in the institution. If you are familiar with and enthusiastic about the kind of students a school attracts, say so. One easy way to organize the heart of your letter is to use the structure of the ad. For instance, if the ad discusses four desired qualities and mentions two main responsibilities, explain that you have those four qualities and how they relate to performing the two responsibilities successfully. If you use this approach, be subtle enough that your letter doesn’t sound mechanical. Don’t abandon complex sentence structure in favor of bulleted phrases, as hiring committees often look at a cover letter as an indication of a candidate’s ability to write. Final Paragraph Offer to provide extra materials or additional information, or give the URL if they’re posted to a Web site. Indicate how you can be reached and your availability for interviews at conferences or on campus. If you would be available for an interview at your own expense because you’ve already planned to travel to a particular location, mention that. Finally, thank the reader for his or her consideration. Letters in the humanities tend to be longer (up to three pages) than those in the sciences and social sciences (one or two pages). Have your Job Hunting Correspondence 155 advisor and others read your early letters to make sure that you are expressing yourself appropriately for your field...