Probably stupid mass mailing question Forum

[starstruck393]

Should you be sending a writing sample with the cover letter/resume? What do most people use? Also, if your SO is a tie, do you put that in the cover letter (instead of bringing it up during an interview)?

[stinger35]

If you attach the cover letter and resume to the email, what do you put in the body of the email?

[Anonymous User]

@SBL: Vel-kom to the nineties Mr. Bond. Seriously though, 100% of offices have upgraded to Office '07 or beyond, so there shouldn't be any compatibility issues. I just like to send PDFs so the text is unalterable and even dinosaur partners w/ Commodore PC's can open 'em.

This is entirely untrue. I know of, for certain and off the top of my head, at least 3 V50 firms that don't use .docx

Fortunately, I am out of contention for employment at V50 firms for reasons having more to do with my general mediocrity than the format of my electronic resume.

[Anonymous User]

Should you be sending a writing sample with the cover letter/resume? What do most people use? Also, if your SO is a tie, do you put that in the cover letter (instead of bringing it up during an interview)?

Look at the website for the firm's SA program. Some of them will spell out the documents which interested candidates are required to send, others don't. If they don't, just go with a resume and cover letter. If they do, send precisely what they require. Generally, if they get your resume/cover letter and are interested, they'll often write back asking for a transcript and/or writing sample.

As for the body of the email, I recommend a very brief email with a polite and cheery salutation, explaining that you're interested in a SA position for next year, and stating matter-of-factly what documents you've attached. I tend to end by wishing them well, saying I'd be delighted to provide any additional information, and then slapping on ye olde emal sig with my name and contact info. They're (at least hopefully) going to be giving a careful eye to your resume and cover letter, so it's unwise to make the email recipient sick of you before they even get to the attachments.

[paratactical]

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[Anonymous User]

When should we stop mass-mailing? I heard anything after the first/second week of September is too late.

[20160810]

When should we stop mass-mailing? I heard anything after the first/second week of September is too late.

This is probably correct. If you get absolutely amazing grades fall semester 2L it might be worth a few targeted mailings to smaller firms in Jan., but even that is likely to yield zilch.

[MrKappus]

@SBL: Vel-kom to the nineties Mr. Bond. Seriously though, 100% of offices have upgraded to Office '07 or beyond, so there shouldn't be any compatibility issues. I just like to send PDFs so the text is unalterable and even dinosaur partners w/ Commodore PC's can open 'em.

This is entirely untrue. I know of, for certain and off the top of my head, at least 3 V50 firms that don't use .docx

You know of 3 V50 firms that use a 7 year-old version of Microsoft Office? No. No you don't.

[paratactical]

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[MrKappus]

@SBL: Vel-kom to the nineties Mr. Bond. Seriously though, 100% of offices have upgraded to Office '07 or beyond, so there shouldn't be any compatibility issues. I just like to send PDFs so the text is unalterable and even dinosaur partners w/ Commodore PC's can open 'em.

This is entirely untrue. I know of, for certain and off the top of my head, at least 3 V50 firms that don't use .docx

You know of 3 V50 firms that use a 7 year-old version of Microsoft Office? No. No you don't.

Yes I do. One is planning to convert in two months, the other "next spring". The third hasn't said when. But yes, I do.

*Edited for combativeness (whoops)*
Which ones? I've had the chance to work with a lot of firms, usually large ones (e.g., processing capability assessments and RFPs) and have never seen a firm using nearly decade-old software. I know people at most V50s, from work or school, and would like to veryify.

[Anonymous User]

I know for a fact that S&C just upgraded from MS 03 to 07 within the last year and still has many computers that haven't been upgraded. They also still use IE6 "for security reasons" so half the internet doesn't work properly. They're V3 for anyone who's keeping score.

By the way, I just came across this convo now so I'm not the person you were talking to before.

[keg411]

At my old job, my boss couldn't open up .docx files. He used to have to send them to me, I would have to open them, convert them to .doc files and send them back. We used to get tons of resumes so I'm sure those in .docx format never made it past opening the e-mail.

My speculation of why big firms still have old software? ITE. Saves $$$.

[stinger35]

Should transcripts be sent with mass mail (whether electronic or snail)

[Anonymous User]

Should transcripts be sent with mass mail (whether electronic or snail)

Look at the website description of their summer program. If it requests that you send a transcript, send a transcript. If it is silent on the issue, just go with a cover letter and resume. If they're interested enough to care, they'll write back and ask for one. Otherwise, you're just wasting bandwidth.