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[Wondering]

I'm sitting on a hiring committee for a position seeking applications from mid-career faculty at the associate or full professor level. It's the first time I've served on a hiring comittee of any kind. I've noticed that a few of the applications include three-page cover letters. How unusual is this? I heard that cover letters should never exceed two pages, but for a senior position, can letters be three pages long?

[On the move]

Yes they can.

It is not unusual for cover letters to be two and three pages long for either assistant or associate positions. Oftentimes, announcements will also ask for teaching and research interests described within the cover letter, in addition to the usual information. When that happens, cover letters end up being a little longer than two pages. If a candidate is applying for an assistant position, it may be the case that they have quite a bit of experience to discuss, even a recent graduate who has been particularly active.

I personally feel that if an announcement asks for teaching and research interests, a candidate can hurt their chances by being too brief, but they also do not have to write a four-page philosophy either. I have never heard of any rule about cover letters being only two pages long as a standard.

[Northwest transplant]

I've seen 3- (or more) page cover letters from time to time and have always thought they were a mistake, even for senior positions. It's not that there is a hard and fast rule about length, but that the length and detail should be in the CV, not the cover letter. Long cover letters either duplicate a lot of material that's in the CV, which is a waste of everyone's time and effort, or seem to try to replace parts of the CV, which doesn't make sense, or include information that's irrelevant. From a well-crafted CV, a search committee should be able to understand the applicant's professional life. A cover letter, I think, should introduce the applicant and argue concisely and cogently why this person is a good match for the position. The CV is the supporting evidence for the argument.  

Rather than writing a lengthy cover letter, I think a better use of time is to customize one's CV for the particular position and institution. I've seen too many stock CV's that make the committee search for pertinent information or make me wonder if the applicant read the position posting very closely.    

That's not a good strategy. For a CV, one version does not fit all. The easier it is for committee members to see why applicant X's strengths match the position requirements, the more likely that applicant is to get an interview. In my experience, a 3-page cover letter generally works against the applicant.

[To Northwest transplant]

I'm curious: what is it in the CV that you alter? I could see tinkering with things like the AOS or AOC that you list, but other things, like education, past positions, etc. seem pretty standard. I could imagine a senior faculty member with so many papers and presentations that the person could pick and chose which to highlight, but suspect most of us on this board are glad to list any publications/conference papers we have, and the notion of removing one for a specific position makes no sense.

Just curious what you have in mind.

[helpful]

I have customized CV's in terms of order: i.e., for teaching positions, put that experience up front after education; for research positions put that up higher. I have also had new categories depending on the position. For example, for a position that involved working with the community, I included my community work experience. Etc. etc.

[Pippin]

Also, you may want to change some of the vocabulary to match what is used in the ad; that way it jumps out to members of the search committee. In other words, you are still describing the same qualification/experience, but you are describing it in their terms.

[helpful]

Thanks, Pippin. Great advice. I am about to apply for a job where the ad uses specialized lingo to describe their requirements. I don't use that lingo and was wondering how to incorporate it in the cover letter, as if I get an interview I won't use that lingo at all and then it will seem contradictory. So you have suggested a compromise ... use the lingo or part of it in the CV! Thanks again.

[Northwest transplant]

As both Pippen and Helpful note, it's not a question of leaving something out but of reordering what you have. If the position is at a teaching college, my teaching experience is highlighted. If it mentions service to the college, I make sure I list all the standing committees, task forces, search committees, accreditation self-studies I've been on, and student groups I've advised.  

Most especially I organize both the cover letter and CV to match exactly the order of the ad and rewrite to use the language the ad uses. This isn't distorting my credentials, just reordering them to put myself in the best light for this particular job. The easier it is for the search committee to see that an applicant has the required qualifications, the more likely an interview.

Having been on search committees that receive 80 to 200 applications, I can say that the more we had to work to discover the applicant’s strengths and skills, the less favorably inclined we were towards that person. The competition is fierce and your CV/cover letter is your only chance to make it to the second round. In my experience, customizing both can make a real difference.

[lightningstrike]

If it takes three pages to explain to me how great you are, then you must not be that great. I can tolerate two pages. But if you are really any good at what you do, you can do it in one page. The best "fit" for a job and the best qualifications for a job need less explaining.

[egilson]

If it takes three pages to explain to me how great you are, then you must not be that great. I can tolerate two pages. But if you are really any good at what you do, you can do it in one page. The best "fit" for a job and the best qualifications for a job need less explaining.

Explaining why you're replying to something six and a half years old may take a little more doing.

[lightningstrike]

If it takes three pages to explain to me how great you are, then you must not be that great. I can tolerate two pages. But if you are really any good at what you do, you can do it in one page. The best "fit" for a job and the best qualifications for a job need less explaining.

Explaining why you're replying to something six and a half years old may take a little more doing.

As of last night there were a couple of day-old posts before mine, the one that resurrected the thread and one follow-up. Why they were zapped is beyond me. However, those zapped posts were supporting the idea of a three-page cover letter, some of the worst advice I have ever seen on these boards.

[ellaminnow]

If it takes three pages to explain to me how great you are, then you must not be that great. I can tolerate two pages. But if you are really any good at what you do, you can do it in one page. The best "fit" for a job and the best qualifications for a job need less explaining.

Explaining why you're replying to something six and a half years old may take a little more doing.

As of last night there were a couple of day-old posts before mine, the one that resurrected the thread and one follow-up. Why they were zapped is beyond me. However, those zapped posts were supporting the idea of a three-page cover letter, some of the worst advice I have ever seen on these boards.

These were probably spam posts. 

[kron3007]

I know this is an old post, but it happens to be very relevant to me.

I just submitted a 3 page cover letter a week or two ago, which seems to be against the majority of the advice being given.  However, when the add asks for a cover letter with no statement of research or teaching, yet asks you to discuss your research and teaching ambitions, it is hard not to have a longer cover letter.

Maybe I should have made it shorter, but I think it would have been too brief given this specific situation.  I guess my feeling on this is that the length of the cover letter really depends on the requirements and specifications given by the search committee, but then, I just entered the job market so I could be just plain wrong.

[scampster]

I know this is an old post, but it happens to be very relevant to me.

I just submitted a 3 page cover letter a week or two ago, which seems to be against the majority of the advice being given.  However, when the add asks for a cover letter with no statement of research or teaching, yet asks you to discuss your research and teaching ambitions, it is hard not to have a longer cover letter.

Maybe I should have made it shorter, but I think it would have been too brief given this specific situation.  I guess my feeling on this is that the length of the cover letter really depends on the requirements and specifications given by the search committee, but then, I just entered the job market so I could be just plain wrong.

I always assumed that if they don't want a research and teaching statement that means they just want a brief one or two paragraph summary of each in the cover letter and they will delve deeper during the phone interview.

[oatmeal]

There is nothing wrong with a three page cover letter, especially for a senior position. I have submitted several applications with that length of letter (and always got an interview) and I have read many letters of that length. The more important point is what is in the letter and is it tailored to the position and the requirements. If it is, then three pages seems fine to me (and really is 2 1/2 pages if you include the greeting and the last part of a letter). I would not worry about that. A CV has a lot of information but it does not address areas that you have been successful or made a difference, or if you have a vision or leadership style. These things should be articulated in a letter along with details on research and teaching. I find short letters for senior positions more worrying because they tend to leave me with too many questions. Good luck.