Sample cover letter for Full Time position at University

My main research area is social network theory. In particular, I am interested with the question how and why social networks are formed and effect of those networks on decisions and interactions of people. Social network is relatively new field in economics and I believe there are many open questions and interesting applications. I also believe my experience in social network studies would be complementary to existing research activities in your department.

In my job market paper we consider a model of friendship network that exhibits both selection and socialization. Selection refers deliberate choice of friendship based on similarities on some behaviour or characteristics and socialization refers the process that agents who are associated through a social network becomes similar in some behaviour or characteristics independent of their prior similarities. Both aspects of social networks are studied in the literature separately: socialization in the context of network games and selection as a part of strategic network formation literature and ignoring any of these two processes leads to an incomplete analysis of social networks.

Moreover, in my research project, agents are not homogeneous in observable characteristics and we showed that these differences plays a critical role on the structure of networks that may emerge. In particular, we showed that empty network emerges if people are not tolerant to differences in behaviours and complete network emerges if people are tolerant enough.

Social networks are increasing becoming an important parts of our lives. It is relatively new field of study in economics. I hope to continue my research on social networks and deepen my understanding of the effects of social networks on decisions of economic agents and how certain social networks emerges.