Application letter reddit

"I led a team of 5" is much less impressive than "my team was able to complete project x, 10% under budget. Increased sales by y". These examples matter. Anyone can take the buzz words and inject them into a resume. Anyone can also completely bullshit that information because they know there's zero chance you can fact check something like that.

An application without letters would be quite suspect. Usually, you need three letters, and at least two should be from researchers (e.g., tenure-track faculty) in the area you are applying to work in. The third could be from someone who has relevant knowledge about you, but not of the subject, such as an employer.

A cover letter and a resume work together to prove how you are the best fit for the job. Think of the resume as the raw data and the cover letter as the explanation of how this experience has prepared you for the specific job that you are applying for.

I've been told by multiple people that the easiest way to guarantee your cover letter is never read is to fill the entire page. I understand that your goal is to capture the reader in the first paragraph and it may work for some but I hesitate at the length. I used this and had lots of good luck with it.