If I want to apply for a postdoctoral job, can I mention the name of my recommenders in my cover letter just to bolster my application, particularly when I am sure that the people who will read my application will know the recommenders personally? I know that they will actually read the recommendation letter themselves, but 1) I don't know how the selection process for postdocs actually works (particularly in Europe) and 2) I am afraid that one of my recommenders' letter might be a bit later than deadline. These are the reasons why I am thinking about it.


It will be great to have your opinion. Thanks.


**Added by Theo JF:** In your response, please clearly state your background and knowledge — have you served on postdoc hiring committees in US? in Europe? Certainly the advise that graduate students pass on to each other can be correct and valuable, but it's important to distinguish between "here's what I did and it seemed to work, and here's what my friend did" and "here's what I know from having reviewed three hundred applications, having spoken with twenty other committee members over the years, and having been involved with seven postdoc hires".



On mentioning recommenders' names in cover letter for postdoctoral applications
I have made my answer CW, because I believe the question should be.


My answer should carry very little weight, because I have never served on a postdoc committee: I am in my final months as a graduate student, and my experience is only as a (successful, thankfully) postdoc applicant in the US.


What I did, and have seen my friends do, is to include in my cover letter: 


1. my name, current position, and contact information;
2. explicit mention of the position I am applying to in that application;
3. a very short (two sentences) description of my research;
4. names of two or three faculty at the institution I'm applying to who might be interested in my research
5. a list of the materials included in my application.


In item 5. above, I would certainly include a sentence of the form "I have arranged for letters of recommendation from ...".


Some examples of successful (and a few non-successful) applications have been collated by the Secret Blogging Seminar, e.g. <http://sbseminar.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/a-plea-for-putting-grant-applications-online/>, although a few of those links are no longer good.


