Folding a CV - Do or don't?

Exo

Hey guys,

From what I've read over the internet, there seems to be some sort of stigma against people who mail & fold their CV's in tri-folds within envelopes.

I can't wrap my head around what could be the issue with it. Stapling pages, that's understandable - but slight creases to mail/hand in a CV - are people actually looking down upon that? I don't get it. Am I the only one? I have no access to A4-sized envelopes to begin with.. and these smaller letter-sized envelopes seem to be the craze in stores nowadays.

Creamy Goodness

Depending how your cv is laid out the folds could happen where text is. Folds become stressed the longer they are confined in a tight space e.g. An envelope. This could make your cv harder to read.

You're trying to give yourself the best possible chance of getting an interview. The excuse of "we'll the stationary shops don't seem to do A4 sized envelopes anymore" is a lame one.

Reads will do A4 envelopes if you're in Dublin.

I use A4 envelopes if I have them (though I did have to go to a specialist stationery shop to get some!), or the C5 size (A4 folded in half). I wouldn't go any smaller because having worked in HR a bit, any CVs folded more than once are a nightmare to get through the photocopier, stack in bundles etc. It's not snobbery, just practicality really.

Tesco do multipacks of the A5 envelopes for about €1.50

Ray Palmer

People send physical CVs still?

I would say folding is a no-no based on an unfolded one is awkward to stack and looks messy as a result. Electronic if you can, A4 envelope if not. I think if you buy 20 in a stationary shop they are quite cheap.

houbie

yes always fold it.. but perpendicular to the angle of the sun at that given point in the day

Ray Palmer

Ray Palmer wrote: »

People send physical CVs still?.

There seems to be an increasing trend towards it now, the last few jobs I've applied for have specified paper applications (CVs) only. I presume it's a cost cutting measure in a way, think of all the money they'll save not having to print off 50 CVs. It also helps weed out the people who apply for every job they see online just for the lolz.

SCOOP 64

Most are apply by email, but my last 2 were post only, didn't even dawn on me to put it in a A4 envelope, folded it twice, o 'well ill know next time.

tatli_lokma

ah here! are people seriously using the excuse that C4 envelopes are somehow specialist and difficult to source??? most newsagents, supermarkets etc will have them. Ebay have them. Tesco do them. They are hardly the holy grail of envelopes!

http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=252625687

As others have said, folded CVs are awkward when photocopying and filing. Plus, they tend to look messy when they come out of the envelope. Your CV is the very first impression you get to make - a crisp CV in a C4 envelope, with the name and address written or typed clearly on the front makes a much better impression than a CV folded tri-fold.

(by the way its C4 for envelopes that fit A4 pages, C5 for an A4 folded in half. maybe the difficulty in finding them is that you are looking for A4 envelopes which don't exist?)

SCOOP 64

Funny ,i have have 4 or 5 A4 in draw, just automatically when for the standard one and folded, now i know why i never get a reply, A4 (C4) from now on, full time employment here i come!

tatli_lokma

SCOOP 64 wrote: »

Funny ,i have have 4 or 5 A4 in draw, just automatically when for the standard one and folded, now i know why i never get a reply, A4 (C4) from now on, full time employment here i come!

yes it really is that simple lol

houbie

dont forget to take note of the suns position in the sky at time of folding

CruelCoin

Exo wrote: »

Hey guys,

From what I've read over the internet, there seems to be some sort of stigma against people who mail & fold their CV's in tri-folds within envelopes.

I can't wrap my head around what could be the issue with it. Stapling pages, that's understandable - but slight creases to mail/hand in a CV - are people actually looking down upon that? I don't get it. Am I the only one? I have no access to A4-sized envelopes to begin with.. and these smaller letter-sized envelopes seem to be the craze in stores nowadays.

The average employer has plenty of people to choose from, and will assume that the person who goes the extra mile out of work, will put that extra effort into their job.

Saying "I can't get A4 envelopes" falls flat when you could easily source them if you bothered.

ElleEm

I can't believe people are folding CVs and whacking them in any old envelope. I would never send my CV without putting it in some sort of folder or sleeve. I just think that the CV is the first impression an employer gets from you, so it should be clean, clear and crease free.

Neyite

ElleEm wrote: »

I can't believe people are folding CVs and whacking them in any old envelope. I would never send my CV without putting it in some sort of folder or sleeve. I just think that the CV is the first impression an employer gets from you, so it should be clean, clear and crease free.

Those folders are a pain in the ass. As soon as a cv comes in the door, its put in a lever arch file, so your pretty folder thingy gets binned. As soon as I see them I think that the author is trying to make a not-so-good CV look better. If you have a good CV that's the first impression an employer will have of you.

Staples are just as bad. When you have to scan in CV's the last thing you want is a heap of staples to have to remove in order to feed a cv through a photocopier or scanner.

A4 or A5 envelope preferably, with your cover letter attached to your CV with a paperclip is fine, though I'd add that you should have a page numbering system with your name on each page in small 8pt writing: "Cv of firstname surname, page 1 of 2."

tatli_lokma

Neyite wrote: »

Those folders are a pain in the ass. As soon as a cv comes in the door, its put in a lever arch file, so your pretty folder thingy gets binned.

this is true - save your money

Neyite wrote: »

As soon as I see them I think that the author is trying to make a not-so-good CV look better.

I wouldn't be so harsh as to think that, but I do think 'what a waste of time'.

bikermartin

What would be the best method of attaching CV and cover letter together ? I would hope that they would be kept as a unit for later viewing by the interviewer I would have used folders in the past mostly. Its almost all applications sent now by email with PDF attachment cv and cover letter:D

Creamy Goodness

bikermartin wrote: »

What would be the best method of attaching CV and cover letter together ? I would hope that they would be kept as a unit for later viewing by the interviewer I would have used folders in the past mostly. Its almost all applications sent now by email with PDF attachment cv and cover letter:D

The email itself would act as the cover letter, your cv being the PDF attached.