By Philip N. Howard
When you apply for an academic job, your cover letter helps a hiring committee interpret your curriculum vitae and conveys your excitement about and dedication to your work.
Your mission is to land an academic job. The immediate goal is to use the cover letter to get you on two shortlists—the shortlist of a dozen people who will be invited to submit more writing samples and have references checked, followed by the shortlist of three or four people who will be invited to visit the hiring department.
Cover letters should include 12 pieces of information that hiring committees are seeking.
Via ASEEES
This is a very long post with the recommendation for a very long "job application letter." While the setting is very different -- academic -- it's has some excellent structure for thinking about what a good application letter might contain.