Addressing academic cover letters

[Closetlibrarian]

Stupid question that I should really know the answer to and I think I'm overthinking this...

Can I submit a 'personal statement' when the job listing asked for a 'cover letter'? Surely they don't care about the address header and 'yours sincerely' stuff, it's the content that matters (that would be the same in either case). If the letter format is essential, then who do I address it to? HR person? Head of dept (although that's not entirely relevant for this post, which is across departments)? The person who's listed on the job advert as the person to whom to address informal enquiries (even though they seem to have no connection whatsoever to the actual departments the job is in)?

In case it matters, they simply ask for a CV and covering letter. No application form, etc.

Dear Selection committee,

Here’s why I am great.

Yours faithfully,
Dr Closetlibrarian

The cover letter is your application. It should explain how you meet the person spec and why you are the best person to do all the things listed in the job description. So, yes, it is a bit like a personal statement. But it should be in the form of a letter. I wouldn't write it as a list of points, but more as a biographical sketch covering all of the points. Address it to the person listed in the job advert, or to the HoD, or sir/madam.

Of course Callamia put it more succinctly than I did, but I was trying to say the same thing.

Thanks x

Selection Committee

or

'Dear Colleagues'

or

'Dear Dr/Professor/Ms X' if you know the name of the HoD

Dear Selection Committee is fine, or ring the HR contact and ask who to address it to. People do attach personal statements as well as a CV and covering letter for lectureships. Often there is a statement about teaching (always beginning "I am passionate about teaching" and going on to talk about student centred learning and flipping the classroom) and about research. For research plans there needs to be evidence of thought about funding and how you will move your research to a new place and become independent from your current group. I've been on loads of interview panels recently and two things that will make you stand out are:

1. A good, well proofread covering letter that addresses the specific requirements of the post and
2. A well prepared CV.

Don't attach papers unless asked to, don't send a picture of every certificate you've ever earned, don't send a picture of the cover of every journal you've ever published in, don't put a photo of yourself on the CV. Do identify links you may have and opportunities for collaboration in the new department. I've seen 60 + page applications which just say "I'm great, you'd be mad not to take me" which don't make it past the first screening because they don't address the things we have said we are looking for. One said in their letter "I'm passionate about teaching Civil Engineering" for a post in Chemical Engineering. If they had gone on to say how they could contribute in chemical engineering it would have been fine, but they made no attempt. I've more than once seen letters that say "I would be honoured to work at University X" when we are, in fact, University Y, that's not an automatic no, but it comes close, especially if they then claim good attention to detail!

I'm sure you know all this but I'm amazed at how poor some of the applications we get are.