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The following past question attracted answers on what to put on a cover letter for postdoc positions advertised on mathjobs.org:

On mentioning recommenders' names in cover letter for postdoctoral applications

There, the consensus appears appears to be "not much," which was also what I was told when I was looking for postdoc jobs.

Now, my question is similar but for tenure-track positions, especially when the search is area agnostic. (Otherwise, I can write something to convince that my research fits their criterion.) What should I put on a cover letter for a generic tenure-track job advertised on mathjobs.org?

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    $\begingroup$ I think one can safely estimate the probability that this (mentioning names of references or not in the cover letter) will make a difference is $<10^{-10}$. What is slightly more important is that the letter feels professional and not put together in a great hurry. $\endgroup$
    – Christian Remling
    Commented Nov 3, 2023 at 14:53
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    $\begingroup$ I realize it is meant hyperbolically, but I chuckled a bit at the number you chose. Surely if all people currently living on earth apply with two different cover letters, it's going to make a difference for one of us ;) $\endgroup$
    – Achim Krause
    Commented Nov 3, 2023 at 20:58
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    $\begingroup$ @AchimKrause: The hyperbole goes the other way. I'm convinced the probability is $0$, but went up a bit just to play it safe. $\endgroup$
    – Christian Remling
    Commented Nov 3, 2023 at 21:48

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I am writing from a perspective of someone working at a PhD granting mathematics department in the US ranked as one of the top 50$\pm\varepsilon$ in research and graduate education, and my comments apply only to those who apply to one of such schools. I am also talking about the tenure track position, not a postdoctoral one. I have been on many search commitiees and the comments are based on my personal experience. I understand that for colleges that put more emphasis on teaching the perspective may be diferent.

In general cover letter is not important. You will be judged by:

  • Whether your research area fits into the profile of the department to which you apply and whether they want to hire someone working in that area.
  • Quality and number of your publications.
  • Letters of recommendation.
  • Evidence of good teaching is also important, but it never plays a major role. Committees want to know that you are a good teacher and that you care about teaching, but not more than that. Research is what matters the most.

If you know someone in the department and they know your research, you may send an email to them to let them know that you are applying. This is to make sure that the committee will look carefully at your application.

If you have some personal reasons to move to some particular geographic area (for example because of family or two body problem) you may mention that in the cover letter. For top candidates committees want to know what are the chances that the candidate will accept the job at the given place. If you are not a top candidate who will receive many offers it does not matter. However, never lie in the cover letter. It is easy to see if something is not honest.

Research statement is also important. Make it clear, but relatively short. Avoid technical statements. Remember that committee members who will read it don't work in your area. There are hundreds of applicants for one position and if you make the research statement long and technical, nobody will read it.

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    $\begingroup$ Is it heretical to mention that some places care about teaching as well as research :) $\endgroup$
    – Sam Hopkins
    Commented Nov 3, 2023 at 19:25
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I disagree strongly with Piotr Hajlasz's answer. I've been on a zillion searches for my US-based university.

At a liberal arts college, the cover letter is extremely important

The cover letter is where you get to showcase your passion for being a professor (teaching, research, service, undergrad research, etc.) and show that you're a good fit for the university. It's not a bad idea to quote from the mission statement, and to explain why you want to be at a place where you'll have the opportunity to shape students' lives, where developing deep and meaningful relationships with students and colleagues is encouraged, and also to communicate briefly about your teaching philosophy, experience, research experience, and research direction. Normally you start with why you want to be at this particular university, then do one paragraph about each of teaching and research, plus some mention of service.

It seems to me that even for a postdoc at an R1 university in the US, having a good cover letter helps, because passion, communication skills, collegiality, care about quality teaching, and expressing that you actually like all aspects of the job, can help put the search committee in a good mental frame of mind to read your file. It's also a chance to distinguish yourself from the hundreds of other applicants. Postdocs do need to teach and be good departmental citizens (maybe you want to help organize the seminar? Great! Put that in the cover letter), and places don't want to hire someone who is going to cause trouble.

I recommend writing a template cover letter for each different type of job you plan to apply for (e.g., postdoc, VAP, tenure track) and then tailoring the template to each place. Doing that is also a good way to learn a bit more about special programs these universities have that you might connect into (do they have a seminar in your area? Do they have a summer research program? Some program to incentivize interdisciplinary research?), and people you might work with. Maybe you find that by reading the website more carefully in order to write your cover letter, you don't actually want the job after all. Or, maybe reading that material makes you realize you're a perfect fit for this university, and you can express that in the cover letter.

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    $\begingroup$ You are right and I was wrong. I was writing froom the perspective of scholls like mine or better. I modified my answer. $\endgroup$
    – Piotr Hajlasz
    Commented Nov 3, 2023 at 23:43
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    $\begingroup$ @PiotrHajlasz: I would suggest that you edit your comment. (Though perhaps you can only delete it and write a new one.) $\endgroup$
    – Alexander Woo
    Commented Nov 4, 2023 at 0:17
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    $\begingroup$ @PiotrHajlasz I'm going to have to disagree with 'scholls like mine or better.' I don't think it's productive to pretend that the collection of universities is totally ordered. Instead, I think of it as being a collection of incomparable tracks. Many professors at good liberal arts colleges could have had jobs at R1 universities, but preferred to be at a place that cared about teaching, interdisciplinarity, and the life of the college (and, perhaps, had a better sabbatical policy and faculty happiness). If I had kids, I'd want them to go to a liberal arts college, not an R1 university. $\endgroup$
    – David White
    Commented Nov 4, 2023 at 4:11
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    $\begingroup$ As well, plenty of professors at R1 universities could not have gotten a job at a good liberal arts college. The two types of jobs are selecting for different criteria. There are lots of ways to conceive what makes a 'good job' or a 'good university.' Most strong liberal arts colleges have much better undergraduate students than R1 universities (e.g., better average SAT scores), bigger endowment per student, and arguably better working conditions for faculty. The US is lucky to have liberal arts colleges, as it means more jobs for mathematicians (vs R1 only), hence more overall research. $\endgroup$
    – David White
    Commented Nov 4, 2023 at 4:49
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    $\begingroup$ @DavidWhite "The two types of jobs are selecting for different criteria". Exactly. My answer was only from the persoective of my school and schools similar to mine. I agree that many of the liberal art colleges are excellent both for faculty and students. However, I was writing from my perspective pointing out to what is important in scholls like mine. $\endgroup$
    – Piotr Hajlasz
    Commented Nov 4, 2023 at 17:49

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