How to Customize an Academic Cover Letter

Yes, it's about doing a lot of homework.

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One of the most common mistakes in applying for jobs in academia and beyond is failing to tailor your application materials to the specific industry, institution, and position. This reality can be especially difficult for academic jobs, which frequently require lengthy documents such as research statements, teaching philosophies, cover letters, diversity statements, teaching portfolios, and so on.

However, customization is essential in demonstrating your genuine fit for a position, and it all begins with your cover letter. Customizing this document entails more than just changing a few sentences; you must tailor your approach to demonstrate how your skills, experiences, and values are relevant to the position you are applying for.

Why is customization so important? Because academic institutions, even those within the same field, have unique needs and priorities. Failing to customize sends the message that you might not be the right fit for them. A generic application may be overlooked, even if you have stellar qualifications.

A Tip to Make Customization Manageable

To make customization manageable, here’s one essential tip to begin: avoid casting your job search net too wide. It's tempting to apply to any job remotely related to your field, especially when the market is competitive. But spreading yourself too thin can lead to frustration and wasted effort.

For example, when I was on the job market, I applied for several positions labeled “digital media” because I had worked on some relevant projects. However, when I reflected on my broader research and teaching portfolio, it was obvious that digital media wasn’t my core area of expertise. As a result, I wasn’t competitive compared to candidates who had more robust experience in that sub-field, even though I held a tenure-track position at a top program in media studies.

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I wasted valuable time applying for jobs that were not a good fit out of sheer desperation because there are not many full-time academic positions available. In hindsight, I should have focused my time and energy on roles where my qualifications aligned more closely with what the institution sought.

Special note: Like all advice, there’s plenty of exceptions to my “narrow your focus” suggestion. So, as with everything we explore in PNP, don’t treat it as dogma. Consider the advice, then do what’s best for you.

Do Your Homework

Now that we’ve covered that, here are some practical tips on how to customize your cover letter. It all boils down to doing your homework. Even if you specialize in digital media and the job ad explicitly calls for a digital media expert, you still need to research what that means at that particular institution. Customization shows that you're not only qualified but also that you've taken the time to understand their specific needs.

Doing your homework means more than skimming the job ad. Start by reading it carefully to identify key qualifications and priorities. Then, explore the department’s website, review faculty bios and publications, and look at course descriptions and syllabi to understand the curriculum. Check for department news, events, or strategic initiatives to see if there are new projects or directions. Also, look for related centers or partnerships that align with your expertise. This research shows you’re invested and prepared, setting you apart from candidates who take a more generic approach.

Examples of Customization

1. Highlighting Unique Expertise: Perhaps you are an expert on podcasting, but the rest of the digital media faculty research and teach about platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This would be a point to emphasize in your cover letter as a value add. By bringing in podcasting expertise, you're offering something different that complements what the department already has, making you stand out as a candidate who can enrich the curriculum in a fresh way.

2. Potential for Collaboration: If you find that the faculty at a school recently received a major grant to study the effects of social media on politics and your research examines the intersection of digital media and political engagement from a complementary angle, highlight this connection in your letter. Demonstrating how your research aligns with their funded projects can position you as a valuable collaborator.

3. Pedagogical Approaches: Perhaps the department emphasizes experiential learning and project-based teaching in its digital media curriculum. In this case, share examples of how you’ve implemented hands-on, practical assignments in your courses, aligning your teaching style with their pedagogy.

4. Other Departmental Features: You may discover that the department has a strong commitment to community outreach through digital literacy programs. If you've led similar initiatives or engaged in outreach efforts, this is an excellent opportunity to mention your experience and explain how you can contribute to their service-oriented goals.

5. Around Campus. Are there centers or labs on campus that relate to your research? For example, if the institution has a digital media lab or a center focused on technology and society, you can highlight how your research aligns with their ongoing projects. Mentioning how you could collaborate with these centers shows that you’ve done your homework and that you’re eager to contribute to the broader research ecosystem at the institution.

Use Their Language

As you review the job ad, departmental website, and course descriptions, pay attention to the specific language they use. If they emphasize terms like "interdisciplinary collaboration" or "critical media studies," make sure those terms appear in your cover letter. This isn’t just about sounding like you belong—it’s about showing that you understand their institutional culture and priorities. When you use their language, you demonstrate that you’re aligned with their values and mission.

In Sum

Yes, the labor I am advocating for is extensive. This is why I began this post by arguing for a quality-over-quantity approach. You cannot write 100 highly customized cover letters in a job season while completing your dissertation or working full-time. It would be exhausting and impossible to complete everything well.

You can better convince the hiring committee of your fit by narrowing your job search to positions that truly align with your expertise, conducting thorough research on each institution, using the language they value, and demonstrating how your work complements the department.

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