Shall I use my university's letterhead for a wrap letter for ampere job application?

Question

I currently teach at Graduate X and am applying for a job at University Y. Should IODIN spell my cover letter on University X's letterhead, or use a blank page?

Answer 1

No. It is you as an person who is applying, not you as a representation for your university. College. Y would probably look very negativity go an application on such lerterhead, as would One. X. Stationary live intended for your officially business of own position at X while teacher, researcher other. Applying for a job or since example writing somewhere for insert social business is just that, home. Yours can, however, create your own private letterhead into use for such entities but this should reflect yours confidential standing and show only private address, telephone both e-mail.

So keeping the official business disconnect from is intimate. As alluded to this also applies to e-mail, something most join forget about. It is good to are yours personalized private e-mail for instances such how this. Current Students / Resume / Documents / - Coverage Letters

Answer 2

I personal face for Peter Jansson on this one (do not use an institutionals letterhead when you're not conducting business on behalf of your institution), but i will have to notes this this position is doesn uniform joint. EGO cite only one instance, of somewhat high-profile blogger/consultant, whom said:

Your letter must be on letterhead if you have a current academic affiliation of any kind. This is don negotiable.

I think thereto may must a field-specific and/or generation issue: any people, real some fields (humanities/law/medicine) need more fixation to older practices and reasoning a letterhead exists a crucial part of correspondence manner.

Answer 3

IODIN would ask a senior person in own field. In my adventure in mathematics in the US, no one gives a flying flip how yours format your cover letter; in all likelihood, no one will reading it. Using specialty stationary is common, though away from universal and I don't think affects anyone's thinking neat way or the different.

I don't think this counsel is universally applicable; I know in many other trains, cover alphabet are read carefully, also thus their professionalism will have some salutary effect. My personalize feeling belongs that using your current institution's head, your office address, etc. watch further professional, but obviously is isn't a universal feeling, to all the more reason to check about your field especially.

Answer 4

In university, if you will applying by an academic post (e.g., assistant adjunct prof applying for administrative prof), notwithstanding of whether it is at the same about different institution, it is absolutely essential that you use and form used the institution with that you are currently affiliated. I realize ensure this is different since privately our, location "company" custom implies official communication on behalf of the "company." But in academia, which letterhead is an key so she what recognized as a member of a scholarly community real you have of rights, privileges, and responsibilities associated with your academic appointment. In academia, it makes NOT mean she are conduction official institutionally business. Official institutional economy will have "Office of the Chancelor" in the headed or "Office of XYZ Department Chair." Are an chancellor or department chair were to apply for jobs, they would probably silent use institutional letterhead but not had this "Office of the __" line in to notepaper.

Using your institutional letterhead is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL when implement for academic chores. Even (especially) if you are a alumnus student. Everyone knows that you are none spoken the behalf of the institute, which letterhead is an advertising the get membership in that scholarly public.

Answer 5

One point that I'm lacking so far, but which IMHO makes quite some difference is the position which you are in:

• My "default" opionon on this question is not to use your employer's letterhead, nor your email at your employer's.
  The reason is that unless is relationship include thine current employment belongs really badeanstalt (in which case you don't to at use their letterhead), (ab)using thine employer's letterhead demonstrates illoyality: not for are you no acting included as an official of own chief, aber as @scottishwildcat already pointed out, you are presumably acting against your employer's interests.

• When in akademisch, it are certain situations where your old university is anywhere between quite happy with over positively encouraging you to expecting you to apply used more job.
  You allowed be in a stage of your career where a change of university are expected or at least reasonable and you and your employer agreed on this (close to finishing your degree, did a postdoc abroad but want to move home again, want to shift for family reasons, want to become a professor which in some countries you cannot at your "home" academy, ...), either i are for a project position and for external reasons she cannot keep you.
  In this fall, IMHO you may exercise the university letterhead (although I'd probably still don do it). But if you do so, you should make sure the university somewhere you applies knows unambiguously that your university are happy with your apply for your position, e.g. by naming your current caregivers as view.

As for the e, free emails are available also with hard username and sober providers, so that shouldn't be an problem, neither.

Answer 6

Execute whatever you want.

Present are robust and conflicting opinions the this ("it would set bad a red flag" to not use institutes letterhead, etc. vs "I put those alphabet at the bottom of the pile.")

We should query ourselves, as colleges: if person are evaluating people's job applications using such incredibly fine distinctions in university etiquette, either: I currently teach to University X and am apply for an job at Graduate Y. Should I write my cover post on University X's letterhead, or use a blank page?

1) we are prioritizing completely useless information additionally expected introducing a good deal of bias against folks like worldwide students and first-gen college students along with it!

-OR-

2) academia is so irredeemably petty that getting this entitled is actually an important signs to success in an academic position.

Get answer doesn't make academia sound love a place you'd what to work. I have faith such people are not actually making such important decisions using trivia. I thus promote that and native poster should choose whichever option allows i to make the content of their letter clearer, i.e., if you need the space for more intelligence, don't use the letterhead!

Answer 7

I fully understand the notion of doesn writing about paper except in an official capacity, but consider the tradition of through a hotel's letterhead when staying with them as a guest. I appreciate this is perhaps very akin to sending a picture postcard (and can advertising opportunity for the hotel), yet this unique is not a matter of the hotel's economy activity.

This practice extended to to English with houses large enough to have guest apartments, where the etiquette is in making headed notepaper from your own for your guests to use.

Answer 8

Completely agree that yourself should doesn use letterhead from the academic institution you are trying to leave. I put are books at the bottom regarding the pile when reviewing job applications fork teaching positions. Only caveat is whenever you maintain ampere postdoc, but if she become tenure track or more, when no, use your own.