Tiffany Said:

How effective do you think the cover letter/resume/interview process is at predicting future human behavior?

We Answered:

they help check the suitablility for da job

Duane Said:

do cover letters need to be stapled to the resume when sending them to an agent?

We Answered:

No, don't staple the cover letter to anything.
Yes, protect the headshot, if possible in one of those clear plastic envelops with a with a sticky strip to close it neatly.

Bessie Said:

Is it OK to send a 2nd cover letter+resume if u haven't heard anything from the employer regarding the 1st 1?

We Answered:

There is no easy answer to this question, as you have no idea how the company will react to you sending it in twice. Some may appreciate it, while others will get angry about it. When I was a hiring manager, I hated it when job-seekers harassed me.

Personally, I would advise against it unless you have some reason to think (beyond just hope) that you will get called. For example, if you already spoke to someone and they said they liked your resume and will contact you in a few days, then yes, after a week or so I would touch base again.

However, I wouldn't send in a second resume simply because you haven't heard anything from the first one. First of all, a week isn't very long at all - they may still be compiling resumes and making decisions about who to contact for interviews. If they feel like you're harassing them, they may decide not to interview you.

Second, you most likely have a lot of competition for the job and they may have reasons for preferring other people. They may not like your resume, your cover letter, your email address, what you wrote in your email - any number of things. And, as frustrating as it is, they have the right to interview who they want.

Hope that helps. Hang in there!

Michael Howard
Professional Resume Writer and Author of "Alternative Resumes"
www.alternativeresumes.com

Thomas Said:

When mailing out headshots and resumes does my cover letter & resume HAVE to be the same size as my headshot?

We Answered:

Your cover letter should be on normal letter-size paper, which, as you know, is slightly larger than an 8x10 headshot. You can enclose a resume on letter-size paper, but many people prefer that you trim your resume to fit and staple or tape it to the back of your photo.

Kay Said:

Do I bring a cover letter and resume to my job interview?

We Answered:

If you're applying for an associate position, a cover letter and resume are not necessary. They dont expect people applying for part-time positions to have much retail experience. Many young people are hired without any experience at all, so there's not going to be much on a resume. Just be prepared to answer the question why you want to work there - that's something that would normally appear in a cover letter -- just no need to bring that with you. Any of your job history was provided on the application when you filled it out online, so no need to replicate that data on a resume.