Write an Assistant Professor Cover Letter – Tips and Template

If you are ready to mentor students and pursue a rewarding academic career, an assistant professor position could be perfect for you. Assistant professors perform an important function at any college or university. They teach, conduct research, and work with students. Daily tasks can include answering inquiries, hosting office hours, grading assignments and planning lessons. Unlike professors, assistant profs don’t have tenure and might not have much teaching experience. 

To land an assistant professor position, a cover letter for the application is essential. While your resume will list your experience, your assistant professor cover letter will elaborate on your specific skills and give the hiring committee an idea of why you are passionate about the position. Putting a little extra effort into your cover letter for an assistant professor job will help you to beat out your competition and land an interview.

✉️ Cover letter for assistant professor in English 

If you are applying for the post of assistant professor in English, you’ll need to customize your associate professor cover letter to the specific English department. This cover letter sample for assistant professors can act as a guide for your own application.

✉️ Cover letter for assistant professor in mathematics

If the faculty you are applying to is mathematics, make sure you demonstrate relatable skills in your cover letter for associate professors. Use this cover letter for a faculty position example to help inspire your writing.

Like any application letter, writing a good assistant professor cover letter takes some time, but don’t overthink it! Here are some simple steps to writing a great cover letter for an assistant professor job.  

✏️ Do proper research 

Before you write your assistant professor cover letter, do some research about the position and the school. Knowing more about the faculty or school you’ll be working for can help you incorporate some key details into your cover letter for a university staff job. If you understand what the school is looking for in their profs, you can use the assistant professor cover letter to demonstrate that you share their values and meet their needs. 

✏️ Include necessary elements

An associate professor cover letter should include all the standard components of any application letter. Use these tips to help you create an outline for your cover letter for an assistant professor job. 

• Information of the sender and recipient

The very first section of your assistant professor cover letter should be basic personal information. Include your name, address, email, and links to online profiles at the top of your associate professor cover letter. You should also write the name of the hiring manager, their position title, and the company name on a cover letter for an assistant professor job. 

• A clear subject line (for emails)

If you’re applying for the post of assistant professor by email, use a clear subject line. It should be specific but brief and include the position title. For example, use a subject line like ‘Assistant Professor Job Application’ or ‘Assistant Professor Cover Letter and Resume.’

• Greetings

The greeting of your associate professor cover letter should be polite and professional. Use ‘Dear’ and then the manager’s last name. 

• Body paragraphs

The body paragraphs of your cover letter for the assistant professor position should be tailored to the position. Be specific about your relevant skills and experience and use direct examples of times you’ve used those skills. Try not to fit too much of your work history into the associate professor cover letter, since this will already be laid out in your resume. 

• Closing

Use the closing paragraph of your assistant professor cover letter to let the manager know how they can contact you. Thank them for their time and attention and invite them to follow up with you. Be confident but polite when closing your cover letter for the post of assistant professor. 

• Sign-offs

The sign-off of your associate professor cover letter should be professional and polite. Words like ‘sincerely,’ or ‘best regards’ are safe choices. 

• Your contact information (for emails)

If you’re writing your cover letter for an associate professor post as an email, don’t forget to include your contact information at the end. List your email and phone number once more, so the manager has easy access to your information after they’ve read your assistant professor cover letter. 

✏️ Highlight assistant professor skills

When you are applying for the post of assistant professor, certain skills will make you stand out from your competition. Your assistant professor cover letter is a great opportunity to showcase these skills in action. 

• Communication 

One of the best skills you can demonstrate on your assistant professor cover letter is good written and verbal communication. Assistant professors must communicate with faculty and students both in-person and over email. They also need to write papers and get their ideas across clearly and concisely. In your associate professor cover letter, you can give examples of times that you’ve used communication skills.  

• Research

Assistant professors are often tasked with conducting research and submitting their findings to be published. Experience or training in research methods is a great skill to highlight on a cover letter for a university staff job. When you are applying for the post of assistant professor, you can mention any previous research projects you’ve worked on. 

• Analytical 

While writing a cover letter for the post of assistant professor, look for ways to demonstrate your analytical skills. Professors need to teach their students reasoning skills and be critical thinkers themselves. One way to demonstrate analytical skills on your assistant professor cover letter is by describing a challenge at work and your method of resolving it. 

• Writing

Keep in mind as you’re creating your assistant professor cover letter, that writing will be a big part of your job. Professors must write their research as well as email correspondence with students and faculty. A great way to demonstrate writing skills is with a well-written associate professor cover letter, but you can also indicate times that you’ve successfully used writing skills in your academic career. 

• Passion

If you’re applying for the post of assistant professor, you are likely passionate about academia and have dedicated a huge part of your life to your studies. Don’t be afraid to show your passion for your subject or the department in your associate professor cover letter. Passion will let the hiring manager know that you care and help your assistant professor cover letter stand out. 

• Patience

Educators have a challenging position and occasionally need patience when dealing with students and other faculty members. Patience is therefore a good skill to incorporate in your assistant professor cover letter. Try to give an example of a time when patience and thoughtfulness helped you in a work environment. 

• Leadership

Since assistant professors must lead a class of students, then leadership skills are essential to include in your assistant professor cover letter. You could be speaking in front of a large group at times and may need to take charge of different tasks in your department. Include examples of your leadership ability on your cover letter for an associate professor job to help your chances with the hiring committee.  

• Motivation

It will help you to show you’re a motivated person when applying for the post of assistant professor. Professors have a difficult job, and the hiring manager will want to know that you are enthusiastic. Look for ways to give examples of your tireless commitment to academia in your assistant professor cover letter. 

• Confidence

Since professors work independently, present their ideas, and speak publicly, confidence is a crucial skill to demonstrate in a cover letter for a university staff job. Give examples of times you’ve been self-assured in a previous position when applying to the post of assistant professor. 

• Organization

A professor has many duties they need to juggle, including countless administrative tasks. It may help your chances to show your organisation skills in a cover letter for an assistant professor position. Give specific examples of your organisation skills in action when you write your assistant professor cover letter. 

✏️  Proofread

The best thing you can do to perfect your associate professor cover letter is to proofread it. Wait some time after you’ve finished your assistant professor cover letter to reread it and check for grammatical errors or awkward sentences. You can improve your cover letter even further by asking a friend or colleague to proofread it for you. 

✏️  Highlight relevant experience

Whether you are applying for the post of assistant professor for the first time or have experience teaching at the university level, use your associate professor cover letter to elaborate on applicable experience. This can be anything from tutoring to camp counselling. Don’t go into your entire work history in your assistant professor cover letter but instead write about directly relevant experience and pick one or two positions you think will help you shine.

If you’re not sure how to start writing, try following an example of a cover letter for a faculty position as a jumping off point. Use this template of an assistant professor cover letter and fill it in with your own details. 

--- Originally written by Tiffany Quinn ---