to add to this: I got one today that touted the applicant as having a "bachelorette's degree".
This is stupid. This can only piss people off. It shows that you don't respect the actual official titles of things, and can be read as either feminist or ditzy. As a feminist, I read it as ditzy (the accompanying swirly shapes on the resume may have contributed to that). Who the heck says crap like that and expects to be seen as a professional?!
I know you have said a lot, sometimes its beginning to sound like ranting rather than casual advice. I have asked this before, can you post a sample of what you percieve as a 'perfect' format of cover letter, CV and Portfolio of an applicant?
"Out of State applicants...its a long shot. It is hard to make someone get on a plane for just an interview when there are so many good candiates already in our city out of work. Just being honest.."
Wow, really? You're saying it's a "long shot" for someone who is genuinly interested in working for you and your firm because he or she is from another state. I thought I've heard it all, but this is the lowest of low. And no offense but you sound like you're a complete and total arrogant schmuck. Just being honest. I feel bad for the people who have to work for you.
sublime, that's not really fair to the applicants to publish their resumes/information publicly without consent in a public forum. You're not likely to get many takers on that.
med - why is that arrogant? i think they're basically saying they're unlikely to hire someone out of state. no harm in that. you're equating your personal interest in the firm with some mandate to hold the broadest, most open and inclusive hiring process. doesn't always work that way. doesn't make them evil either. we see that a lot chasing work.
sublime, i agree with erin. i wouldn't post specific examples of someone else's material. personally, if the format is relatively clean, i don't think that matters as much as the information communicated.
a good cover letter, which i'll reiterate is the most important of the items you've listed, needs to convey the following (succinctly): why are you making an inquiry (full time job, responding to an ad, summer internship, etc.); why us? meaning, why our firm? a little about you and why you believe you're a good fit for the 'why us' question. a nice thank you for your time at the end, some wit and erudition in the transitions - you've probably gotten my attention.
does this sound like a lot of guesswork as to the 'why' part? of course. but it also helps me figure out who's done their homework on us vs. who's simply scanned our website vs. who's sending out a carpet bomb. we want people who can take enough initiative to find out something about us and make the case persuasively. because we have to do that with our clients. if that's considered jumping through too many hoops.... welcome to the new business reality....
I completely understand the comment one of the employers made about being annoyed that the portfolio shown in person was exactly the same as the work submitted for the application via email.
I've noticed though that many employers don't ask for work samples, they ask for a "portfolio". As an applicant this leads me to believe I should be sending more than several pages of samples. Then of course when i get the interview, I as an applicant am uncomfortable that there isn't much more in the print version of my book. I should add though that I always bring some CD sets with me, so there is more to see.
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on what to send when an office asks for a portfolio rather than samples.
Just getting an interview these days requires us applicants to pull out all the stops, and I personally have gotten a lot of interviews sending a 16 page pdf. But I do see how I could ultimately be shooting myself in the foot with this approach.
Of course you don't send them the whole 30 page portfolio. You send them a couple of pages showing your best work and leave them wondering about the rest. (I always give them a link to my online portfolio though I don't think most people will take the time to visit the link. ) It is like demonstrating food samples at Walmart hoping they will take a bite and purchase the whole thing.
Well, good news for you illiterates. They don't care about grammar. And, just an FYI: I have 16 years of experience. I have yet to see a job require more than 5 years of experience. I guess that explains why I can't get a job. And, to think someone that has more experience than their boss just won't do is just plain ignorant. I guess I'll retire early at the age of 48 -- which is unhireable according to this idiot. Like I'm going to put my graduation dates on my resume. Let me see... I show 15 years of jobs on my resume, yet I graduated in 1989. Tell me how can you tell when I graduated if I leave my graduation date off the resume, Mr. Genius. Then tell me why you need to know how old I am.
^ ^ Apparently doesn't know much about forums either. I'm sure the original participants of this 4-year-old thread are still waiting at home desperately hoping for that input.
Some resume and portfolio advice from someone who reviews them
to add to this: I got one today that touted the applicant as having a "bachelorette's degree".
This is stupid. This can only piss people off. It shows that you don't respect the actual official titles of things, and can be read as either feminist or ditzy. As a feminist, I read it as ditzy (the accompanying swirly shapes on the resume may have contributed to that). Who the heck says crap like that and expects to be seen as a professional?!
I know you have said a lot, sometimes its beginning to sound like ranting rather than casual advice. I have asked this before, can you post a sample of what you percieve as a 'perfect' format of cover letter, CV and Portfolio of an applicant?
"Out of State applicants...its a long shot. It is hard to make someone get on a plane for just an interview when there are so many good candiates already in our city out of work. Just being honest.."
Wow, really? You're saying it's a "long shot" for someone who is genuinly interested in working for you and your firm because he or she is from another state. I thought I've heard it all, but this is the lowest of low. And no offense but you sound like you're a complete and total arrogant schmuck. Just being honest. I feel bad for the people who have to work for you.
sublime, that's not really fair to the applicants to publish their resumes/information publicly without consent in a public forum. You're not likely to get many takers on that.
med - why is that arrogant? i think they're basically saying they're unlikely to hire someone out of state. no harm in that. you're equating your personal interest in the firm with some mandate to hold the broadest, most open and inclusive hiring process. doesn't always work that way. doesn't make them evil either. we see that a lot chasing work.
sublime, i agree with erin. i wouldn't post specific examples of someone else's material. personally, if the format is relatively clean, i don't think that matters as much as the information communicated.
a good cover letter, which i'll reiterate is the most important of the items you've listed, needs to convey the following (succinctly): why are you making an inquiry (full time job, responding to an ad, summer internship, etc.); why us? meaning, why our firm? a little about you and why you believe you're a good fit for the 'why us' question. a nice thank you for your time at the end, some wit and erudition in the transitions - you've probably gotten my attention.
does this sound like a lot of guesswork as to the 'why' part? of course. but it also helps me figure out who's done their homework on us vs. who's simply scanned our website vs. who's sending out a carpet bomb. we want people who can take enough initiative to find out something about us and make the case persuasively. because we have to do that with our clients. if that's considered jumping through too many hoops.... welcome to the new business reality....
this isn't 2007 - we all need to go the extra mile = then another 10 - just to be considered -
As Gregory walker says - welcome to the new business reality....
yeah sure, im asking just in case you got some takers out there willing to showcase their CVs.
"this isn't 2007 - we all need to go the extra mile = then another 10 - just to be considered "-
-zenakis, i think at this point , everyone knows that, most would have learned the hard way..so there's no point rubbing it in their faces...
to the rest of the applicants,
"May the odds be always on your favor.."
I completely understand the comment one of the employers made about being annoyed that the portfolio shown in person was exactly the same as the work submitted for the application via email.
I've noticed though that many employers don't ask for work samples, they ask for a "portfolio". As an applicant this leads me to believe I should be sending more than several pages of samples. Then of course when i get the interview, I as an applicant am uncomfortable that there isn't much more in the print version of my book. I should add though that I always bring some CD sets with me, so there is more to see.
Just wondering what people's thoughts are on what to send when an office asks for a portfolio rather than samples.
Just getting an interview these days requires us applicants to pull out all the stops, and I personally have gotten a lot of interviews sending a 16 page pdf. But I do see how I could ultimately be shooting myself in the foot with this approach.
Of course you don't send them the whole 30 page portfolio. You send them a couple of pages showing your best work and leave them wondering about the rest. (I always give them a link to my online portfolio though I don't think most people will take the time to visit the link. ) It is like demonstrating food samples at Walmart hoping they will take a bite and purchase the whole thing.
elinor, I agree 100%!
amen, elinor.
like get on my level said...
Well, good news for you illiterates. They don't care about grammar. And, just an FYI: I have 16 years of experience. I have yet to see a job require more than 5 years of experience. I guess that explains why I can't get a job. And, to think someone that has more experience than their boss just won't do is just plain ignorant. I guess I'll retire early at the age of 48 -- which is unhireable according to this idiot. Like I'm going to put my graduation dates on my resume. Let me see... I show 15 years of jobs on my resume, yet I graduated in 1989. Tell me how can you tell when I graduated if I leave my graduation date off the resume, Mr. Genius. Then tell me why you need to know how old I am.
^ ^ Apparently doesn't know much about forums either. I'm sure the original participants of this 4-year-old thread are still waiting at home desperately hoping for that input.
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