In reviewing postdoctoral applications for next year, I saw opportunities for applicants to be clearer about what they want and potential fit.

I was doing a first pass to skim all applications to get a sense of the range of candidates, create a summary spreadsheet for my evaluation committee, and start thinking about strategies for interviewing and identifying potential mentors for applicants.

In the first pass, I skimmed CVs and cover letters in 5 minutes for information for my spreadsheet on:

• Candidate current training status (e.g. PhD complete or expected - they need to have finished before starting postdoc)

• What their first choice job might be for after the postdoc (this program is best suited to help people who want to apply for K awards and Assistant Prof jobs at Schools of Medicine - there are other programs that are better suited to support postdocs with other career goals)

• Areas of research focus/interest (to determine fit with our group and to start thinking about potential mentors or be impressed/grateful when the candidate identified potential mentors at our institution)

• Who they mention wanting to work with in our group (really helpful)

• Publication # or indication of NIH funding to date (indications of mentoring [& privilege], ability to bring projects to completion, and how much additional opportunity or training they may need to be a good faculty candidate at end of postdoc.

• indications of interesting life paths

This year I’ll remedy information gaps in application materials with short interviews; next year I’ll work with candidates who reach out early to improve their applications.

In summary, in cover letters, make it easy for the reviewing committee to find out:

• when you did/will graduate

• from what institution & program

• the area you do/want to study

• evidence of dissemination (# pubs is classic, conference abstracts or grey literature pubs helpful too)

• a few people you might want to work with at the institution

• what kind of job you think you are looking for after the postdoc

• why they might want to work with you

Make sure you have a good sense of what kind of candidates they are best at supporting. Look at the current fellows, and what graduates go on to do. These are reasonable questions to ask of program directors before you apply.