Letters of Application

Previous posts here have correctly made a lot of making sure you are explicit about connecting your application to essential/desirable criteria specified in the job description/person spec.

I would add that this should be done in a letter of application which is tailored to the specifics of the place to which you are applying, and this might need to be above and beyond about what the criteria say - sometimes these can in themselves be rather general. So, speak about your connection to the research and teaching actually carried out in the dept in which you are interested.

This may seem obvious, but we have just completed a recruitment process where the decision whether or not to fly in US candidates stood or fell on whether there was a letter of application, and whether it read as a proforma cut and paste or as written for us. Do not assume, either, that because you have availed yourself of the "for informal discussions email or telephone the head of department" route to say all this that you need not also say it in a letter.

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