The dumbest resume question ever
 

Ok- have you ever seen anyone staple a resume?? What about paperclip? Or put in a binder??

I have been applying for internships for weeks now, and I have to send in one tomorrow that I really really want. Badly. They are asking for a cover letter, resume, 3 writing samples, and a letter of recommendation. What do I do with all of it??

I think stapling is tacky, especially when there's a sealed envelope (rec.) attached. A paperclip looks useless, but do I just throw it all in a huge non-folding envelope???

One of those things I've been thinking about for too long, that is just killing me now- please help!!!

I'd say put it all in a 9x12 envelope (or one big enough so that you don't have to fold anything) without a staple/paperclip/etc. Let them decide what they want to do with it.

I think it would look funny stapling something like that, but I don't know the "official" rules for it.

PsychTau

Bless you.
It's one of those things you already know the answers to, but need someone else to look at, you know?

No, send them loose...I just did some recruiting, and I couldn't stand it when people stapled things, and then I wanted to fax them back to HQ, and had to take all the staples out.

I am a recruiter.

Completely agree--no staples.

I would be okay with you paper-clipping multiple items together (ie cover letter, resume, references) but not paper-clipping a two-page resume together all by itself.

Make sure the paper clip is old-fashioned metal. No pink or purple ones, please! THAT'S tacky.

Re: The dumbest resume question ever
 

No paper clips, no staples. Everyone on here but me is unemployed and on welfare. Only listen to me ok?

-Rudey
--OK?!?

Re: Re: The dumbest resume question ever
 

;) Rudey must be a recruiter too...

If its in a big envelope you don't need to connect the stuff they can just put it back in the envelope.

So it's a few pages?
 

What about a clear cover binder/report cover, maybe inside a manila envelope? Would that be alright? Were I a recruiter who recieved that resume, I would be magnanimous about it's contents.

"Gracious, what an organized and tasteful presentation this is! I can only assume that this resumé was submitted by the perfect canidate for whatever position they requested. Yowza!"

No staples, no paper clips, no report covers, nothing. It should be naked and in an envelope.

If you're afraid that the parts may become separated, make sure that you include your name and a page number (e.g., AXJules, Page 1 of 3) in the header or footer so that it can be matched up later.

What she said.

Speaking to all the recruiters out there, and this is a little off-topicish- but, do people really look at cover letters? I hate writting them and never know what to say, what do you look for in a cover letter to put it in the "possible people to consider" pile?

Thanks so much everyone. It's off in the mail today!
As far as cover letters go- keep it simple and to the point.
Hi. My name is XXX. This is what I want from you (a job, an internship).
Next p- I'd be good for your job because...
np- call to action: I'll be calling you in one business week to follow up.
Thank you for your time,
XXXX


Obviously make it a little more polished, but one thing I do know is that recruiters don't want to put up with bullshit or vague empty phrases (I'm a people person, or I have been given an extensive amount of training and I'd like the opportunity to put these skills into action blah blah blah= Gheyness.)

While I am not a "recruiter" I have worked in HR, my boyfriend is a high-level HR person who used to do a lot of recruiting, and at the company I am currently at I do the initial scan of resumes so take this however you want...

We never look at cover letters. Never.

That being said, do not send a resume in the mail without a cover letter. But it just needs the basics, i.e "I saw the ______ position on/in _______. I'm sending my resume as I am interested, please let me know if you are interested in meeting with me. I can be reached at _______. Thank you" Short and simple. I can see your experience on your resume. I don't need to read through it on a cover letter, too. :rolleyes: I have known recruiters who WON'T look at a resume that has a page long cover letter attached.

Same for email. Don't just send a blank one with an attachement. At least say what job your interested in, but keep it SHORT!

Good luck!

I agree with Kathy. I may not read the entire cover letter (I do generally scan through it, though), but it looks bad if you don't even bother writing one. I figure if someone can't take the time to write even a short cover letter, they're not going to take the time to do a good job when they're working for me. Also, when you're writing a cover letter or resume, don't go crazy with the thesarus on your computer. Yes, we can tell when you're doing that and it makes you look ridiculous.


Also, never ever use the phrase "I am a motivated team player." It is, as Jules says, GHEY.


(BTW, I'm not a recruiter, but my department has a very high turnover rate—we're hiring once every 6 months or so—and I've seen tons of resumes.)

Jules, go to vault.com or wetfeet.com.

And for coverletters. You should indeed write one. And while it shouldn't run on and on, it should also be specific to the position and job.

-Rudey

DO NOT FORGET to sign the cover letter!

And: address the letter and resume as accurately as the information you have. I have gotten too many letters/resumes addressed to "Library Director" or "To Whom It May Concern." If the applicant can find my library, s/he can find my name. (Librarians know how to find out stuff; that's the job!) But even if you're not a librarian, you can investigate. Call the company and ask.

Another note:
To you folks just graduating. DO NOT have a 2 page resume! Yes, you need to try to fill up the one page, but if you graduated in December, don't put every library aide, waitress, shoe salesman etc position you had since you were of legal working age. Take your experience that is pertinent to the job you are applying for and expand on those. If you have been in the work force a while and have tons of pertinent experience, then of course more than one page is fine.

I would say to seal it in a large 8 X 11 envelope and stay away from the staples. Stay away from fancy background paper. That's one way of eliminating excess resumes as a hiring manager. I'd stick to black and white, post only what pertains to the job or may help, and try to keep it to no more than a page and 1/2. Regards, Boodleboy322

I am the daughter of a recruiter and the best friend of a casting director. The only people who should staple their resumes are actors. Staple the resume to the headshot.

I can't agree enough with teh coverletter advice. Especially the signing the cover letter part. I hired a new attorney this time last year and had to read a million cover letters (and yes, I read each one). Let's just say that people who didn't sign their cover letters didn't make the best impression.

I had to work my way through college AND I was very active in my house and on campus so I have a cumulative 5 page resume.

Of course I would NEVER send anyone a resume over a page long...I just include the recent, relevant experience.

Recently I interviewed at a very well respected media company here in Chicago (think "bunny") and the HR Recruiter was confused by my resume becuase my relevant experience looked like I had not done any work since early 2003...but...I did not think it was necessary to include that I waited tables or worked at a retail store because that would take space away from more relevant experiences like managing projects, maintaining websites or planning events.

My question is...how do you work around that? Would a recruiter rather see that you have had a stable job history while working a non-relevant part time job or would they rather see that you have the skills to do the job?

Yes I realize both would be ideal and yes I realize that there are transferrable skills in all jobs.

e-Cover letter signing
 

Also....

I always sign cover letters when I mail them...

...but how do you sign them when you e-mail them?

(sorry about the overuse of the elipses)

I just had to send in a packet of info to apply for a special program. If you are required to send lots of pages of info such as an application, a scholarship application, an essay, your resume, your transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc., I would group things together. With lots of pages like that, even in a large mailing envelope things will be neater and more organized for them if they don't reach in and grab a stack of papers that THEY have to sort. When it is just a resume though, I would not clip it. And I would never staple unless they specifically asked.

Re: e-Cover letter signing
 

Great question. I would love to know the answer too.

I'm in the process of job hunting. I have my resume online but I'm in the process of writing my cover letters, how do I sign them when I'm doing it online?

Also, what is the procedure for online cover letters? I've read that you should address the cover letter to the individual, what if I don't know who the hiring manager is? Should I put "To Whom It May Concern" or not?

God I hate job hunting :)

Re: Re: e-Cover letter signing
 

You don't need to sign it, but if you want to go one step further scan your signature and insert it as a picture.

-Rudey

ok, here is another question- what about listing you organization? Is it a do or a don't. I have heard both sides. The no's say because it's a partying connotation. the yes's say it could get you in the door.
discuss....

I have a question myself. I am applying for a new, different job. The employer already has an application to fill out and requests that you fill it out whether you send in a resume or not. The application can be filled out and printed off the Internet to be sent to the employer. Well, the application is 6 pages long. Should I staple the application together? I am sending in my resume with it on the same kind of paper. I will be sending the resume and the application in together in the same envelope. I didn't see much of a reason to send them seperately because they might get seperated or what not.

Can you paperclip it? That way it keeps together and if they want to staple it to hold it togther more securely then they can. It'd also help in case they want to photocopy it (another reason forms filled out by hand require black ink as blue doesn't copy so well) and then would not have to tear off the staples.

I would only do it if it were relevant to your position. For example, I know an architect or structural engineer doesn't give a rat's crap about the fact that I was in a sorority but when I apply for student affairs jobs, the fact that I held leadership roles in my sorority and in Panhel is actually relevant to the field at hand. Ideally, you should have enough on your resume RELATED TO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO by the time you leave college (independent research, internships, jobs, or outside experience).