Use this skill whenever a user needs help preparing academic job application materials for anthropology positions. Triggers include: any mention of "academic CV," "curriculum vitae," "cover letter," "job application," "job talk," "academic job market," "tenure-track application," "postdoc application," "VAP application," "lecturer position," "how to write a cover letter," "CV formatting," "job talk preparation," "campus visit," "search committee," "application package," "tailoring applications," or "academic hiring." Covers academic CV design and formatting, cover letters tailored by position type, job talk design and delivery, and application strategy. Do NOT use for research/teaching/diversity statements (use career-statements skill), conference presentations (use conference-materials skill), or grant proposals (use grant-proposal skill).
Produce market-ready application materials -- CVs, cover letters, job talks, and strategic application plans -- for academic anthropology positions. Each document type has field-specific norms and expectations that vary by position type, institution, and career stage. This skill treats job materials as strategic communication: every element should demonstrate fit between the candidate and the specific position.
The academic job market is a genre system. CVs have expected sections in expected order. Cover letters have a known architecture. Job talks have conventions that differ from conference talks. This skill provides the genre knowledge so the candidate can focus on content.
Materials are never produced in isolation. A cover letter references what the CV demonstrates. A job talk previews the research program the cover letter describes. An application package is a coordinated rhetorical performance where every piece reinforces the others.
Position type drives everything. The same candidate should present themselves differently for an R1 tenure-track position than for a liberal arts college, a postdoc, or a visiting position. The underlying qualifications are the same, but the emphasis, framing, and even the ordering of information must change to match what each institution values and evaluates. Materials that do not reflect this awareness signal that the candidate does not understand the field they are entering.
| Task | Reference |
|---|---|
| CV structure, sections, formatting, career-stage norms | Read references/cv-design-guide.md |
| Cover letter architecture, position analysis, tailoring | Read references/cover-letter-guide.md |
| Job talk design, delivery, Q&A preparation, campus visit | Read references/job-talk-guide.md |
Determine which materials the user needs help with. Common requests fall into these categories:
Required information:
Important information:
Helpful information:
If the user provides a job ad, analyze it before generating any materials. The ad reveals what the department prioritizes and how to frame the candidate's profile. Key elements to extract from an ad: required vs. preferred qualifications, named courses, subfield or area focus, emphasis on research vs. teaching vs. service, language about diversity and inclusion, and any unusual requirements (e.g., joint appointments, administrative roles, center affiliations).
If the user does not have a specific job ad, work with the position type and career stage to produce materials that follow best practices for that category. Note that generic materials should still be high quality -- they serve as a strong starting template that the candidate will tailor for each application.
Based on the identified needs, load the appropriate reference guides:
references/cv-design-guide.mdreferences/cover-letter-guide.mdreferences/job-talk-guide.mdAlways confirm the reference content is loaded before generating materials. The reference guides contain the detailed genre knowledge, formatting conventions, and position-specific guidance that the generated output must follow.
All content must be tailored to the specific position type and institution. Key distinctions:
Produce the requested materials in clean, professional format. Output types include:
When generating a full package, ensure consistency across documents. The research program described in the cover letter should match what the CV demonstrates. The job talk should present work that the cover letter has contextualized. The teaching philosophy implied in the cover letter should be consistent with the courses listed on the CV. Contradictions or misalignments between documents are red flags for search committees.
Before delivering any output, verify:
| Parameter | Options | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Position type | tenure-track R1, tenure-track SLAC, tenure-track balanced, postdoc, VAP, lecturer, alt-ac | tenure-track R1 |
| Career stage | ABD, recent PhD, early career, mid-career | recent PhD |
| Subfield | cultural, biological, archaeological, linguistic, applied, medical, environmental, other | cultural |
| Material type | CV, cover letter, job talk, application checklist, full package | CV |
| Tailoring level | generic template, institution-specific, position-specific | position-specific |
Position type and career stage interact in important ways:
Subfield also affects conventions. Archaeological CVs feature fieldwork and technical skills more prominently. Biological anthropology may follow different publication norms. Linguistic anthropology emphasizes language proficiency. Applied anthropology values community partnerships and non-academic outputs. Always adapt the general guidance to the candidate's specific subfield.
For users seeking application strategy guidance, use the following general timeline for the North American academic job market:
| Month | Activity |
|---|---|
| June-July | Begin updating CV; draft research and teaching statements; identify target positions from preliminary job listings |
| August-September | Main job ads posted (AAA AnthroGuide, HigherEdJobs, H-Net, disciplinary listservs). Begin tailoring cover letters for early deadlines. |
| September-November | Peak application submission period. Most tenure-track deadlines fall in this window. |
| October-December | Postdoc deadlines vary widely; check individual program timelines. |
| November-January | First-round interviews (video or conference). Prepare for 20-30 minute interviews with search committees. |
| January-March | Campus visits for shortlisted candidates. Job talks, teaching demos, faculty meetings. |
| February-April | Offers extended. Negotiation period. |
| March-May | Late-cycle positions posted (VAPs, lecturers, unexpected lines). Second-round hiring. |
Key strategic considerations:
If a user mentions preparing for a first-round interview (often conducted via video call), this falls within the scope of this skill. First-round interviews typically last 20-30 minutes and cover:
Key preparation steps: prepare a concise research elevator pitch, review the job ad and department thoroughly, prepare 3-5 thoughtful questions to ask the committee, practice speaking about your work concisely and engagingly, test your video setup and internet connection.
| Failure | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Generic cover letter | Search committee sees no evidence of fit; letter could be sent anywhere | Analyze the job ad and department; reference specific courses, colleagues, initiatives |
| CV padding | Listing trivial items or inflating roles signals insecurity, not accomplishment | Remove weak items; let strong items stand without padding |
| Dissertation summary as research statement | Cover letter research section reads like an abstract, not a research program | Frame research as an ongoing program with past results, current projects, and future directions |
| Conference talk as job talk | Too narrow, too fast, too specialized; audience loses interest | Broaden framing, slow down, explain methods and terms, add future directions |
| Defensive Q&A responses | Treating questions as attacks rather than intellectual engagement | Prepare for common question types; practice brief, generous answers |
| Wrong institution type framing | Leading with research for a SLAC, or leading with teaching for an R1 | Match emphasis to what the institution actually values and evaluates |
| Inconsistent package | CV claims one thing, cover letter emphasizes another, job talk ignores both | Coordinate all materials; they should tell a consistent story from different angles |
| Ignoring the ad | Applying to a job in medical anthropology with materials focused on political ecology | Read the ad carefully; if the fit is marginal, either reframe honestly or do not apply |
Most tenure-track applications require some combination of: CV, cover letter, research statement, teaching statement, diversity statement, writing sample, and letters of recommendation. This skill covers the CV, cover letter, and job talk. For research/teaching/diversity statements, use the career-statements skill.
The package must tell a coherent story. Here is how the pieces relate:
When helping with a cover letter, ask whether the user is also preparing other statements. Consistency across documents is critical. If the cover letter describes a research program focused on digital labor, the research statement should not pivot to a different framing without explanation.
Although this skill does not produce writing samples, candidates often ask for advice on selection. The writing sample should:
If the ad asks for a writing sample "related to your research," send work that connects to the research program described in your cover letter. If the ad does not specify, choose the piece that best demonstrates your analytical strengths.
Context: ABD candidate finishing a dissertation on digital labor practices in Southeast Asia. Two peer-reviewed articles, one book chapter. Three years of teaching as a TA plus one course designed and taught independently. NSF DDRIG and Wenner-Gren dissertation fellowship.
Approach:
references/cv-design-guide.mdKey decisions:
Context: Recent PhD (2 years out) applying for an assistant professor position at a liberal arts college. The ad emphasizes teaching excellence, undergraduate mentoring, and the ability to teach Introduction to Cultural Anthropology and a course on globalization. The department has 4 faculty members and values interdisciplinary collaboration.
Approach:
references/cover-letter-guide.mdKey decisions:
Context: Early career candidate (3 years post-PhD) giving a job talk at a mid-sized research university. Research on water politics and infrastructure in South Asia. Book manuscript under contract. The department has strengths in environmental anthropology and political ecology.
Approach:
references/job-talk-guide.mdOutline:
Opening (5 minutes): Start with a vivid fieldwork moment that captures the central tension -- a community meeting about water access that reveals how infrastructure projects reconfigure political relationships. Establish the broad question: How do large-scale infrastructure projects reshape local politics and everyday life?
Framing and Literature (7 minutes): Position the work within political ecology, infrastructure studies, and the anthropology of the state. Define key terms clearly. Show how this work addresses a gap or advances a conversation that matters beyond the subfield.
Methods and Site (5 minutes): Describe the field site with maps and images. Explain your ethnographic approach -- multi-sited, combining participant observation with archival research and interviews. Make methods visible so the audience can evaluate your evidence.
Analytical Move 1 (8 minutes): First major argument with ethnographic evidence. Use a sustained example rather than multiple brief ones. Show your analytical process -- how you move from observation to interpretation.
Analytical Move 2 (8 minutes): Second major argument that extends or complicates the first. Introduce different actors or scales. Demonstrate range and intellectual flexibility.
Analytical Move 3 (5 minutes): Third point that ties the first two together or opens a new dimension. This is where you show the full scope of the project.
Contribution and Future Directions (5 minutes): State clearly what this research contributes to anthropology and adjacent fields. Then describe the next project or the next phase -- show that you have a research program, not just a book. Connect future work to the department's strengths where possible.
Closing (2 minutes): Return to the opening vignette or image. End with a clear, memorable statement of what is at stake.
Q&A Preparation:
Slide guidance:
Campus visit context:
The three examples above use cultural anthropology scenarios. For other subfields, the same principles apply with adjustments:
Archaeology: CVs should prominently feature fieldwork experience (excavation, survey, lab work), technical skills (GIS, remote sensing, lithic analysis), and CRM experience if applicable. Cover letters for archaeology positions often emphasize methodological range and field direction experience. Job talks in archaeology typically include more data visualization -- maps, stratigraphic profiles, artifact typologies, spatial analyses -- and may need to explain technical methods to non-archaeologist anthropologists in the department.
Biological/Physical Anthropology: CVs may follow slightly different publication conventions (contribution-based author ordering). Lab skills, datasets, and technical methods deserve prominent placement. Cover letters should articulate how biological anthropology research connects to the department's four-field or multi-subfield identity. Job talks should explain statistical methods and laboratory procedures clearly for the non-specialist audience.
Linguistic Anthropology: Language documentation projects, transcription and corpus analysis skills, and community-based language work are distinctive qualifications. Cover letters should demonstrate how linguistic anthropology courses serve the broader curriculum. Job talks may need to play audio or present transcripts, requiring additional technology preparation.
Applied Anthropology: Community partnerships, reports, and policy impact are significant credentials that differ from traditional academic metrics. Cover letters should frame applied work as both practically impactful and intellectually rigorous. Job talks at applied programs should demonstrate methodology and real-world outcomes alongside theoretical contribution.
Medical Anthropology: Increasingly interdisciplinary, with positions sometimes housed in public health or global health programs rather than anthropology departments. CVs may need to include clinical or public health experience. Cover letters should demonstrate ability to speak across disciplinary boundaries. Job talks should be accessible to health professionals who may not have anthropological training.
Environmental Anthropology: Often intersects with environmental studies, geography, or sustainability programs. Candidates should be prepared to articulate how their work contributes to environmental and climate conversations beyond anthropology. Multispecies ethnography, political ecology, and science and technology studies are common theoretical frameworks that should be explained for non-specialist audiences.