In the past months, I have been reading several hundred job application letters and research proposals. From these, I learned a few do’s and don’ts. And I now understand why my job applications were almost never successful :). A little thread:

When you write your application or proposal, bear in mind you’re writing to an audience that is hired to give you the job or the grant. They are truly interested in your letter, because you may be the one they’re looking for. So don’t be defense, but explain why you're the one.

Don’t start your application letter with a lengthy review of how the cv you enclosed came about. Instead, explain how you will fill in the job that is advertised. Come to the point: explain how the department/group will benefit from you and how you will benefit from them.

Metrics on cv’s are no longer given the weight that they once carried and cv’s alone don’t make you stand out. 70% of applicants have a cv shows they can do the job/research. Your application letter/proposal rationale has to make the difference. Not your cv, however stellar.

Don’t start a proposal with a lengthy review but explain in the first sentence what the general field is, in the second where a bottle neck is, and in the third sentence how you will overcome that. Background information comes later.

NEVER use the words ‘interdisciplinary’ or ‘multidisciplinary’ again in your lifetime :). Without exception, every single application letter and proposal I have read claimed to be inter/multidisciplinary, and barely any of them actually were.

Skip the sentence that describes how you will use an interdisciplinary/integrated/holistic/novel approach but go straight the steps that you will take to solve the problem. Explain exactly where you are novel.

Do not exaggerate the importance of your work or your field. Delete adjectives like ‘very’, ‘highly’, ‘extremely’, 'crucially' etc. Writing in understatement makes your proposal or letter stand out between the piles stressing the (often overstated) importance.

Don’t tell your reader that your question or field is the cornerstone of the science field you’re in. Your audience will likely disagree and get annoyed. Just indicate which questions you find important to solve, how you (plan to) do so, and how neighboring fields can benefit.

Don’t try to flatter by explaining how fantastic the department/group is you’re applying to. They either already know, or they know better. Just describe what you’d offer and what you’d take.

Don’t bluff. Every field has its hot topics – explaining how you make a real, constructive contribution to those will strengthen your application. Overstating your contribution will severely weaken your case – if you can’t really contribute, don’t bring it up.

Be personal, honest, real, to the point, succinct, and confident. Skip the buzz words, don’t overstate, don’t flatter, don’t stress. Be you. If they don’t want you, you probably wouldn’t want them either. Good luck!