Cover letter for a job application

When you are applying for a job position (in academia or industry), you are often asked to submit a cover letter along with other required documents. A cover letter is typically considered as an introductory letter that clearly and succinctly informs the employer about your skills and suitability as a potential candidate for the job position. Oftentimes, cover letters serve as a screening tool for employers to decide whether to consider the application to the next level of evaluation. Therefore, it is essential to craft the cover letter for your applications carefully. The content and style of the letter must be appropriate for the application.

Below are resources that can help you write an effective cover letter. 

Articles:

• Tomaska L, Nosek J (2018) Ten simple rules for writing a cover letter to accompany a job application for an academic position. PLoS Comput Biol 14(5): e1006132. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006132
• Moustafa, K. (2015). Does the cover letter really matter?. Science and engineering ethics, 21(4), 839-841.
• Hafner, J. H. (Ed.) (2010). The art of the cover letter. ACS Nano, 4(5), 2487. https://doi.org/10.1021/nn100907e
• Smith, L. S. (2016). Writing a perfect cover letter. The Peer-Reviewed Journal of Clinical Excellence, 46(3), 47-49.

Videos:

• Michael Alley, Tutorial: Job Emails and Cover Letters, Penn State
• UC Berkeley Career Center. Crafting a Compelling cover letter. 
• Harvard Extension School. How to Write a Great Resume and Cover Letter.
• University of Birmingham, How to write a cover letter.

Books:

• Beatty, R. H. (1989). The perfect cover letter. Wiley. ISBN-13: 978-0471473749
• Wallace, R. J. (2006). Adams cover letter almanac. Adams Media; 2nd edition. ISBN-13: 978-1593376000

Websites:

• The Writing Center, University of Wisconsin (n.d.). Writing cover letters.
• MIT Career Advising & Professional Development (n.d.), Cover letters.
• University of Washington (n.d.). Writing the cover letter.
• National Careers Service Center, UK (n.d.). How to write cover letter.
• Amy Gallo (2020), How to write a cover letter.