Ep 27 - Cover Letter Advice - Propelling Careers Podcast

In this episode, Jim and Lauren discuss cover letters, since so many people have questions on these.  Are they useful, does anyone read them, how do I tailor them, what if there is no space to include them, then how do I include it in the application, and so on and so on.  A few people have reached out to us with questions about this topic recently, including these below, so we decided to record a podcast to cover our thoughts.  We hope you enjoy listening!    Why have a cover letter  - what is the purpose?  Do people actually read cover letters? What to include in a cover letter? How long should a cover letter be? How do you tailor a cover letter?    Is there anything you should not include in a cover letter  Who do i address it to?  Are cover letters more important for certain types of roles  How do I include one, if there is no place in the application to include one What are some common or unforced errors? Effective strategies to develop your cover letter  Lauren Celano, CEO of Propel Careers and Jim Gould, the Director for Postdoctoral Affairs at Harvard Medical School, launched this podcast as a way for us to share our advice, insights, and reflections to help others navigate their careers. As we develop new episodes, this podcast will provide insights regarding career advice to help listeners navigate career choices and become more confident in their decisions. We look forward to busting myths and providing real life, timely, and accurate advice. Jim and Lauren work heavily with Ph.D. trained scientists, but the advice we provide can be applicable to other audiences. We hope you enjoy listening!