Using Interfolio or similar service

[braaaaains]

Has anyone used Interfolio or a similar service for managing reference letters? I'm thinking I might next time around, when my fellowship is up in a couple of years. I used my university career services office during this last job search, but it was slow and laborious -- I had to pay by check, which meant a delay of a couple of days for the check to be mailed and received, I had to FAX signed requests rather than just email them, and then they only sent letters by fax or mail, not electronically. Soooo primitive!

Seems like with more places accepting applications electronically, it might make more sense to manage the whole process myself and cut out the middle man, so to speak.

Comments? Reviews? Anyone?... Bueller?

[interfoolio]

I used Interfolio for reference letters this year because my university no longer manages dossiers for its students. (Instead, it pays for a three-year subscription to Interfolio and underwrites the first $50 of usage.)

It's fairly convenient and quick, but it's expensive, IMO. I forget exactly how much I ended up paying Interfolio, but it was several hundred dollars to send out about 50 sets of letters at about 5 pages per set, even with my university's $50 subsidy.

I've heard that Interfolio is not great for sending whole portfolios because portfolios arrive on crappy paper without staples, paper clips, or any other divisions between, say, your CV and writing sample. But I can't verify that, as I've never actually seen the packets they send.

Overall, I'd give Interfolio 3 stars out of 5.

[braaaaains]

The prices on the website look similar to what my school charged -- $6 per mailed file. That certainly adds up, but what appeals to me is being able to manage it myself, and send electronically.


Are there other services like Interfolio?