Print This PostIn my last blog, I shared my journey to starting a PhD. Finding a position that you want to apply to is one thing, but writing a well-executed and memorable CV and personal statement for your application is a whole other challenge. In this blog, I’ll be shedding light on how to tailor your PhD application for your perfect project.
My PhD was a funded, advertised position, as were many of the roles I applied to. PhD projects like this can be found on the Dementia Researcher Website, University websites, findaphd.com, X.com or on a funder website like ARUK or Alzheimer’s Society (watch out for Alzheimer’s Society PhDs being advertised by their new Doctoral Training Centres). As with everything, requirements for PhD applications may differ depending on the country, university or even specific post. But often they will come down to two main parts: a CV and a personal statement/ cover letter.
When applying to a PhD, it is so important to carefully read the job description. As well as describing the lab or project, these will often list the requirements from you, both essential and desirable criteria. These can include your education background, degree grade, or specific research skills. As these requirements will not always be listed out in a clear bullet pointed way, it can be helpful to disentangle the job description by highlighting key works, and then writing out the exact characteristics that they are looking for. Sometimes these postings can have broader titles like “about us”, “about the role”, “about you”. Make a note of if and how you meet each requirement. It can be helpful to ask someone else to read the job description too, to ensure you haven’t missed an important point.
Once you are confident you have all the details from the job description, it’s time to write your application, starting with the CV. The CV is a way of demonstrating that you check all the boxes for the position. As the first requirement for a PhD is having a degree in a relevant subject area, starting with your education experience is paramount. Do this in reverse chronological order, with your most recent experience first. Ensure your grade, years of study and university name are easily visible. From there, it can be good to give the title of your dissertation project and the relevant research experience you gained from it, and any other relevant modules or skills. Other important sections are your work or employment experience; these can tick some of the research or team-work boxes. You can also include a relevant skills or achievements section. People will have varying preference, but I always advise to keep the CV in bullet-pointed easily legible format. You can highlight or underline important words. Where possible, only include things relevant to the position you are applying to. Keeping it short and to the point will be much appreciated, especially when many applications need to be considered. In terms of formatting styles, there are tonnes of resources online with excellent suggestions, so explore your options before settling on a style. From the perspective of academia, simple is best.
FindAPhD is a comprehensive guide to PhD studentships and postgraduate research degrees.
The other main part of your application, and where you can really shine, is in the personal statement or cover letter. The main difference between the two is that a cover letter is addressed directly to the person. Therefore, you may write “I am highly interested in your research…” in a cover letter, whereas in a personal statement you would say “I am highly interested in the research of Prof. X…”. If the CV is a demonstration that you tick the correct boxes, a cover letter is the place to show your depth of knowledge and curiosity about the position and lab. Importantly, the cover letter should demonstrate two things, what you can do for the lab, and what the lab can do for you.
The way I like to break this up when writing a cover letter is to have the first paragraphs discussing why I am right for the position – i.e. the skills I have that will make me good at this position and a good fit for the lab. This can be your experience working in a team environment, experience carrying out specific experiments or working with a specific model, a demonstration of your ability to learn new or complex skills quickly, or detailing your foundational knowledge in the subject topic. Where it makes sense to do so, state the skill you have, for example “I am very proficient in cell culture work”. Next, give evidence-based support for your statement, for example, “…as illustrated by my culturing of cell lines X and Y for a treatment dose response in my Bachelor’s thesis/ in a paper which I contributed to”. Using a statement and evidence-based approach will ensure you are giving well-thought examples of how you fit the job description. And don’t forget to emphasise non-research skills too, such as teamwork, communication and time management. These are just as important to demonstrate your suitability for a position.
The second part of the cover letter is to demonstrate why you want to do THAT specific position and join THAT specific lab. In this section, make it clear that you have a true understanding of what the project will entail, and what research the lab does. For this, you will need to read the recent research publications from the group. Also look on university websites for descriptions of the lab group, which will often include their broad goals. Framing why you are interested in their research in the context of their ongoing studies is important, and it doesn’t hurt to be complimentary. If you have questions about what the PhD project will entail beyond the job description, don’t be nervous to email the PI before writing your application. Almost all job descriptions will have an email address for “informal enquiries” – just make sure to do so well in advance of the application deadline.
Following these basic principles should help you construct a great cover letter which gives the reader real insight into who you are and why you want to do a PhD. As a word of caution, make sure to tailor every cover letter and CV for the specific position you are applying to. It is easy to spot a reused cover letter, and these are unlikely to make it through the application process. Finally, a single candidate is unlikely to meet every single requirement listed in the PhD description, so don’t let missing one skill stop you from applying. And always ask someone to proofread your applications before submitting – this can be a way to catch small errors that you might miss.
Best of luck in your applications! I hope this blogs makes the process slightly less intimidating!
Clíona Farrell
Author
Dr Clíona Farrell is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London. Her work focuses on understanding neuroinflammation in Down syndrome, both prior to, and in response to, Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Clíona completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience in Trinity College, and then worked as a research assistant in the Royal College of Surgeons studying ALS and Parkinson’s disease. She also knows the secret behind scopping the perfect 99 ice-cream cone.
Dementia Researcher
