Monday

I've discovered that when forced to write about myself, it helps if I have someone to run my draft document by. Often another person is more willing to brag about me than I am.

Whenever I'm on a search committee, the main thing I look for in a cover letter is not so much self-aggrandisement but a very to the point relating of the candidate's qualifications to the very specific requirements in the job ad, ie. relating the experiences outlined in the CV to the position. If I'm looking at dozens of applications, don't make me draw the lines, draw them for me.

Just like an abstract for a grant application, it's a matter of framing. ;-)

OK, done, written and sent. Hwoosh! And I don't even think it is too bad and too self-congratulatory in the end.

Could it be a cultural thing? Having problems going on and on about yourself and your amazing talents? Where I come from it's considered rather rude and pretentious to do that. In the US you will never get a job if you can't write that you are the most worthy candidate they have and that they'd be losing out big time if they didn't hire *the* utmost expert in the field: yourself. Ugh, I'll never get used to it. I'm glad you managed.

A basic curriculum vitae where it concerns the subject of the article, and a brief precis of the article itself. All you really need. Start the cover letter with something like, "Enclosed you shall find my article on ..." and go on from there. If you have any space left (you should) provide information on your studies, interests and hobbies, and your work. Let them know what fields you are interested in covering in future submissions.

Finally, go ahead and fret and fuss. You're going to anyway, so I might as well give you permission. :)