I am in my third season of applying to faculty positions.  My first year, I went all out.  I used high quality paper stock for my applications and sent them by mail, I went to the AALS conference in DC in October, and I used my full laser beams* on landing that dream faculty job.  Got enough rejections to wallpaper my house.  Seriously.  Second year?  Same thing.  I wasn’t feeling so inclined to do it for a third season, but I finally got around to submitting a few today since my long-term goals haven’t changed, it’s only that I’m actually busier than I used to be so submitting applications to people who probably won’t read them has fallen a little lower on the priority list.

But while I was submitting my materials today, I realized the importance of cover letter communication.  Most people make cover letters that speak about them (the authors).  That’s fine, but it doesn’t quite meet the goal.  The goal of a cover letter is to make the person who reads it feel like they’ve had an authentic conversation with the author — you.  Maybe they’ve been through 200 cover letters, and they’re tired of it, so one little mis-step on your part gives them a darn good excuse to throw your letter away as rubbish. But make them feel like they’ve connected with an authentic, real person, and if you connect with them emotionally in some way, they won’t be able to do that.

This is where speaking to the audience comes into play.  If you speak to your audience, and create an authentic relationship with your reader, then you are 200% more likely to be able to connect with them, and *that* is the goal.

So put on your make-up (or beret, whatever), and dig deep into your charm skillz.  Make the reader feel like they know you, from the comfort of their home office, and you’ll have their heart quicker than if you baked them a creme brulee (not one of my creme brulees, mind you, but a creme brulee).

I’ll let you know when I land my dream faculty position and can prove that the foregoing is totally spot on. :)

Kimberly

* Laser beams.  Oh, man, this is a part of my core philosophy, so if I explain it to you, I’m loathe to get it wrong.  But certain people have “laser beams.”  They can direct their mental intention on one thing so intently, that only the gods can defy that intent.  It’s convenient to be an atheistic in this respect because no one is left to defy you when you employ laser beams.

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