How to get a job

The end of the semester generally means we'll have a few new jobseekers out there. Archinect started asking how to go about getting a job in architecture (we'll have to settle for a close cousin on this) but they asked real designers instead of just synthesizing some sort of educated guess. The thing I like most about it is the variety within the answers they got.

Peter Marino focused on the resume:

Don't send resumes in weird/small formats, booklets etc. They may look graphically interesting, but they are difficult to file and work with. They also are easy to lose.

Jubany NAC hit on one of the classic mistakes we see around here:

What are the most common mistakes potential employees make on their applications?
Bad grammar / spelling, being unaware of the requested qualifications (if responding to a particular ad), generic cover letters.

And Lettuce points out that you have to use your hard and digital copies differently:

Do you prefer to review applications (including portfolio) in digital or hard copy format?
Digital for inquiries, hard copies for f2f interviews. As long as the digital inquiries are not huge files are not readable on the screen. Do not want to open CDs. Will visit a website.