Job Discussion Forums

emilycharlotte · Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 7

hello,

my boyfriend and i are planning on applying for jobs as a couple, but are uncertain of how to go about doing it. should we each send off our own CVs individually and mention in our cover letters that we are applying together, or is it better to send both of our CVs from one of our email addresses only? if the latter is more appropriate, should we attach individual cover letters as well?

sorry if these seem like really obvious questions, but this is the first time either of us has done this before and we're really clueless!

thanks,
emily

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Perhaps it would help if we knew what country(ies) you were interested in.

Girl Scout · Joined: 13 Jan 2005 Posts: 525 Location: Inbetween worlds

Glenski is right, we will be able to give you more specific advice it you tell us where you are thinking of going. However, when we applied in Taiwan and China we sent our resumes from one e-mail address. There were four attachments, the individual resumes and individual cover letters. Even though most of the jobs requested further information, for example, copies of diplomas, passport and other offical documents, we waited until we knew they were interested in a couple and we were interested in working for them before we sent those documents.

Calories · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 361 Location: Chinese Food Hell

I wrote my cover letter and my lovers cover letter and in both of them I just mentioned that we were applying as a couple and that the others application was on it's way or attached. You could write a single cover letter for both of you or apply from a single email address with 2 seperate cover letters and resumes if you wanted to. I don't think it really matters how you do it as long as you make it very clear that you are applying as a couple and wouldn't have it any other way.

emilycharlotte · Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 7

well, for the moment, we're thinking of going to mexico, if that helps. but, seems like one email with all the attached files together is probably the way to go, huh?

thanks for the advice

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Lots of attached files can backfire on you. Many employers want resumes typed/pasted directly into the text of an email because they want to avoid viruses. It can also backfire simply because if they see a lot of files attached, they may not want to wade through them all, especially on an introductory email.

Personally, if I were doing the hiring, I would want to see a separate cover letter from each person so I could evaluate their writing skills and what they have to say about themselves. To read, "Oh, and my spouse/partner is also interested and very qualified" would turn me off.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I've not seen a lot of interest from schools on hiring couples in Mexico. Many schools here are smaller and see it is as riskier to hire a couple than two indidivuals. But, that's not to say it can't be done.

Since most employers in Mexico won't hire by telephone or via the net, you shouldn't expect much more than to obtain an interview anyway. On that, I think it would be better to apply or make contacts individually, and by hitting a number of schools in the same city, thereby hedging your bet. Since very few schools provide accommodations, there isn't really much benefit in working at the same place.

MELEE · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:44 pm Post subject:

I know of the one exception to Guy's very accurate statements.

Depending on your qualifications, there is a system of small universities in the state of Oaxaca that might perfer to hire a teaching couple. They are located in small fairly isolated towns around the state and have 2 to 15 English teachers. In the case of the ones that have 2 teachers, a couple is both attractive and unattractive. It is likely you get a long well and won't feel the same level of isolation that two mismatched single people might feel. But it is also likely that you will leave at the same time. Outside of the English departments, these universities actually hire quite a few couples, it has worked well for them. As someone who used to hire for one of these universities, I would want you to send completely separate applications, but mention in each cover letter that you are only interested if there are two positions available. Unfortunately, you've just missed the hiring time, there may be positions for the second semester in Feb-March, but more likely the hiring is done until next summer.

The other option is to choose one of the larger cities in Mexico and just turn up and both apply all over the place. It wouldn't matter in that case if you were both working for the same school. I knew lots of teaching couples in Japan (I was part of one myself) who didn't necessarily work for the same school.