Alternative to interfolio?

[guesty]

Is there a more cost efficient (read: less shamelessly greedy) alternative to interfolio for reference letters? 

Please don't suggest that my letter-writers simply send out their letters directly.  I need something like interfolio for two of them.

[No]

See guest name.

Caveat: if you go to a fancy school I've heard that administrative assistants will take care of this for you...

I would be nice if letters were only requested after the initial cut, would save people a ton of money. Or just eliminate them- few people actually take them seriously.

[Wrong]

Chronicle has a dossier service which is free. chroniclevitae.com/

[Why?]

I guess I don't really understand what the dossier does for you. Why can't your letter writers just send letters themselves as requests come in? Shouldn't each letter be tailored to the school for which you are applying?

[Ha]

I take it you haven't been on the market.

If you are applying to 50+ jobs (which I imagine most people are in this market) it can be pretty stressful to be continuously updating your letter writers on where they need to send letters, when they are due, and then checking up to make sure the letters arrived. A dossier service reduces some of that stress.

For me, my letter writers would occasionally do some tailoring if they knew enough about the program or had connections there, but 80% of the time I sent their generic letter. Was able to land a job and get several interviews so I don't think this hurt my candidacy. If you are applying more selectively I would expect more tailoring on their part, but if you are casting a wide net and expecting every letter to be tailored you're being a little unrealistic.

[Why?]

Actually, I have been on the market. I'm an advanced assistant prof, didn't use a dossier service last time, and have never had a student for whom I'm writing letters use one. Most of the schools ask for the contact info of references and send them their own requests when they want to do so (and don't advertise when that will be). Does a dossier service somehow know when every letter is requested, due, sent, and received?

[runner]

^yes, this is precisely what a dossier service knows, because the applicant tells it.

[why?]

So how is it helpful if I have to tell it if a letter was received? And how can I possibly know when a school requests letters via email from my writers, so that I can then tell the dossier service?

[thnx]

Thanks for the chronicle dossier service info, exactly the type of thing I was looking for.

[Guest111]

There's finally a service that does everything Interfolio does at half the price: www.privatefolio.com

Vitae is better (and free) for applications within their system, but if you need letters mailed or uploaded to other application site, PrivateFolio looks like the least expensive comprehensive solution.

[question]

Does Interfolio always charge for letter? I applied to one place using Interfolio. Entered the writers contact info and it just said the writers would need to make a free account. Nothing about fees.

[not always]

If the hiring university pays for the Interfolio application platform, it is free for candidates to submit their application. That's probably what happened to you. But very few places offer this option.

[Privatefolio]

Has anyone used Privatefolio? It looks great, but I don't want to bother letter writers if the system doesn't really work. The prices look much more reasonable though www.privatefolio.com/site/pricing

[nickel-and-dimed]

Sept 7, 2015 20:47:49 GMT -5 not always said:

If the hiring university pays for the Interfolio application platform, it is free for candidates to submit their application. That's probably what happened to you. But very few places offer this option.

Ah, okay. thank you. That makes sense. It's sad that we're being nickle-and-dimed like this... transcripts cost money and now letters cost money?

[TheRentsAreTooDamnHigh]

Yeah, I've used Privatefolio and it works well. The site is simple and straight forward and it will save me over $100 this application season compared to Interfolio.