Application format

[JackPot]

Would it help to be "fancy" by binding all HSMP supporting documents into a bound book format (i.e. glued on the side, or dual ring-bound, or plastic multi-ring bound), or can one just staple related documents together, or can all docs be thrown loosely (but sequentially) into the envelope?

Maybe the HSMP team would not like to have holes in the side of all the docs...?

Thanks
Jackpot

[MWazir]

You can use folders, have a table on content, write a covering letter etc. No harm in doing them, I for one feel that it gives the case worker a better understanding of one's application.

I dont like stapling my documents, but I use clips instead to group documents. Also used punched plastic sheets to avoid punching my documents.

[lynn132]

FYI,
I put everything in a three ring bunder, and to avoid hole-punching everything, placed each document in a plastic sleeve. I know they must not have much expense for office supplies, cause they kept the binder, the tabs, and the plastic sleeves !

[bani]

I think anything you can do to make the application more organised will help. Table of contents/list of documents is the most useful, I think.

[Korben Dallas]

Guys, I think you are making the life of HO team hard. Imagine the HO officer extracting your documents from a ring bound or whatsoever and getting nervous of the process since he needs to put your docs into the relevant containers or drawers for appropriate officers to verify.
I think those guys thought in advance to make the entire process of getting the docs in and sorting/verifying them afterwards easier/faster.
Don't make their work harder.

[lynn132]

I think the more organized it is, the easier it is for them to check quickly during the pre-screening to ensure that it's complete. It's also easier for them to carry around if it's all ina binder - no worries about stuff falling out. I had a cover letter in the front pocket of the binder, the application on top, then a table of contents of supporting information organized by Qualifications, Experience, Income, Achievement, Career Continuation, and Assets/Funding info with tabs separating each one. That way they could go directly to what they needed to see. I also included a complete set of photocopies of everything so that they didn't have to make their own.

I thought of it as a presentation, like a business proposal, making my case as clear as possible.

[deborahCO]

I was much less organized, but I submitted mine using binder clips for the application with attachments, and paper-clipping the individual sections together. On each section, I handwrote a post-it note with a few quick words as to why I was submitting the attachments (i.e., tax documents, samples of flat rentals in my budget, samples of job openings, etc.). It wasn't as nicely presented as it could have been, but it seemed to work out OK - though Lynn's got processed VERY fast! If I had to do it over again, I'd follow her example.

[JackPot]

Thank you for all the useful tips. I emailed the HSMP team and they responded with:

"As long as the documents are enclosed in an easy to access manner it dosent <sic> matter."

Not very specific guidance from them, but I agree that transparent envelopes is a good place to start.

[lynn132]

The ones I used are called "document protectors" and it worked really well! Good luck!

[desiguy]

i used document protectors too. didn't want my original docs to get smudged or creased or accidentally torn. I then tabbed and labelled them into different requirements i.e. list of supporting evidence and at the end, had additional documents section.

[anka]

Hi All,

I have a quick question regarding presentation?

If you put all the docos in sequence based on cover page, how do you handle the degree certificates (mine is A3 psper). It will obviously not fit in the A4 folder. I was thinking of buying an A3 folfer that has plastic pocklets but it just looks huge.


What is your recommendation ? I am applying in 2 weeks.

thanks heaps,

Anna

[ec_applicant]

I got my approval by keeping Different documents in different Envelops.
I guess it is easy for the case worker to find the relevant doc

[goldfish]

I was in the same situation. For my HSMP, I put everything in a display book (the one with all the plastic pockets) with a table of contents and coloured tabs to mark each piece of evidence so they didn't miss any. They kept my display book! For my HSMP Extension, I didn't use a display book - I think they have to photocopy so maybe it annoyed them! - but I still marked the items with coloured tabs and put a table of contents.

I had a degree certificate too, so I just put a note in my table of contents that it was in a degree roll (cardboard cylinder thingy). That seemed to work fine.