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We Don’t Need Your New Perspective

By Karen Kelsky | September 19, 2014

If you have the words “a new perspective” in any of your job documents, get rid of it.

It’s the tritest and most hackneyed of all job document language (that is not in the hyper-emotional-passion vein.)

Who is not doing something from a new perspective? How would you have gotten a Ph.D. otherwise?

This is the problem of meso-level specificity. You think you’re being specific, but it’s just another kind of vague.

Instead of telling us you bring a “new perspective,” tell us what the damned perspective IS!

“New” is just another (stealth) cheap adjective. The kind I talk about in This Christmas, Don’t Be Cheap.

Think, people.  If anyone can say it, it’s meaningless.

Similar Posts:

  • When I Say ‘Be Specific,’ What Do I Mean?
  • Banish These Words, 2016 Edition
  • Adjectives Are Not Arguments, Part I
  • This Christmas, Don’t Be Cheap
  • Those 12 Sentences: Evaluating Cover Letter Advice

Filed Under: How To Write Academic Job Cover Letters, Landing Your Tenure Track Job, Major Job Market Mistakes, Strategizing Your Success in Academia, Writing

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. lil says

    September 19, 2014 at 8:35 pm

    Talk about strange things happening! Just about 10 minutes ago I wrote about my ‘new perspective’ and I pick up my iPad and thi entry shows up in my news feed. Wow, now that i’ve read through it I realize its back to the drawing board tomorrow. Thanks Karen for what u do.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 20, 2014 at 1:14 pm

      awesome! describe the nature/substance of the new perspective, instead.

      Reply
  2. Karen Cardozo says

    September 22, 2014 at 8:27 am

    Karen, thanks – I have a new perspective on job apps now 🙂

    [I just couldn’t resist that one]

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 23, 2014 at 10:10 am

      haha.

      Reply
  3. D says

    September 24, 2014 at 5:25 pm

    If you put “new perspective” you should back it up (like everything else in your CV) with… *drumroll*… results!

    Reply
  4. Daniel says

    November 6, 2014 at 5:37 am

    What if the objective of the research is to develop important and and innovative technologies? Then how do we mention them without being cheap.

    Again, thank for your advice

    Regards

    Reply
    • Karen says

      November 6, 2014 at 3:00 pm

      You need to describe the technologies and their uses/impacts, without reliance on pointless adjectives. Also read my posts, This Christmas Don’t Be Cheap, and Adjectives Are Not Arguments.

      Reply

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