Credentials File FAQs

1. WHAT IS A CREDENTIALS FILE?
   
   It is a collection of materials used to support you in your search for post-baccalaureate employment or admission to graduate or professional school. The file generally consists of a resume, course list and/or unofficial transcript and letters of recommendation.
    
   
2. WHY DO I HAVE TO HAVE A CREDENTIALS FILE?
   
   You don't; however, it is convenient both for you and employers to have everything in one place. It can be used to support your application for employment opportunities or graduate/professional school. It is also helpful to the authors of your reference letters because they only need to write one letter even though you may be making multiple applications. Should you decide that you do not wish to open a credentials file through our office, consider the importance of collecting similar materials for your personal file.
    
   
3. WHEN CAN I ESTABLISH MY FILE?
   
   Any student who is about to graduate or complete a certification program is eligible for the credentials file service. Try to give yourself at least two months to get your materials together before actually beginning your search for employment or admission to graduate school.
    
   
4. HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHAT IS IN MY FILE?
   
   Credential File Contents will tell you what documents a typical credentials file contains. You can access a listing of the contents of your file through your Quest account. You can also contact the CDO in person, by phone or by mail (not e-mail) to find out what is in your file.
    
   
5. HOW DO I START MY CREDENTIALS FILE?
   
   The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, a federal law, specifies that we cannot release the contents of your file without your written permission. To start your file, complete and return a Permanent Record Card and the Credentials Authorization and Release Form, both available on request from the CDO. These forms give us that permission.
    
   
6. WHAT DOES THIS SERVICE COST?
   
   There is a charge of $3.00 per request to have your file sent. If you expect to conduct an extensive job search and have your file sent frequently, you may choose to pay $40.00, which will cover up to a maximum of twenty (20) mail or fax requests until the end of the registration year, August 31. In emergencies, you can request that your file be sent overnight through an express delivery service; there will be a $15 fee. If an employer contacts the CDO to request your file without your knowledge, we will bill you for $3. Payment is expected at the time the request is made or received in the CDO within five business days. Requests from the candidate that require billing will be invoiced at a rate of $10 for each request. For scanning into online application systems, there is a $15 charge ($25 if invoiced). These various fees help us recover some of the costs associated with this service. There is no charge to establish and maintain your file.
    
   
7. HOW DO I MAKE OUT MY CHECK?
   
   Make your check payable to SUNY Fredonia.
    
   
8. WHO CAN REQUEST MY FILE?
   
   Only you or the employing organization can legally make the request for your credentials. Graduate/professional schools will generally ask you to make the request. Potential employers may wish to make the request themselves at various points in the selection process, depending on the employer, but most often it is your responsibility to have your credentials sent. Some organizations may refer to credentials as a "placement file" or a "reference file." In any event, before you ask to have your credentials sent, you should have applied to the organization and be certain that they wish to receive your recommendations.
   
   NOTE: It is illegal for us to accept requests from or discuss your file with a helpful parent, spouse or friend. We also cannot legally give you a copy of your file in a sealed envelope to take to an interview if your file contains confidential reference letters.
    
   
9. WHERE CAN MY FILE BE SENT?
   
   Credentials can be sent to employing organizations, admissions offices of educational institutions and third party organizations assisting you in finding employment. The name of the organization must be included in the request; credentials cannot be forwarded to blind ads or to post office box numbers.
    
   
10. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO PROCESS MY REQUEST?
    
    Most requests are processed in a maximum of three (3) business days from the day we receive them, often sooner. If there is a deadline for your application, please note it on the request. So that we will be able to serve all registrants and ensure that credentials are forwarded in a timely fashion, we reserve the right to limit the number of requests we will process in one day for an individual.
     
    
11. HOW DO I REQUEST TO HAVE MY FILE SENT?
    
    Requests to have your file sent should be made in writing, using either the Request for Credentials form or simply by writing us a note containing the appropriate information. Requests should be mailed to: Career Development Office, SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia NY 14063. DO NOT INCLUDE "GREGORY HALL" IN THE MAILING ADDRESS.
    
    If you have paid the $40 fee for a maximum of twenty (20) requests, you may fax your request to the Career Development Office at (716) 673-3593. If you did not pay the $40 fee but need to fax your request because of an immediate deadline, you should mail the payment the same day. If payment is not received within five (5) business days, we will invoice you at the rate of $10 per request.
    
    Request for Credentials Form This form can be used either by you or by the employing organization. It is not mandatory to use this form; it is provided as a convenience for you to use or to give to an employer with your application. All requests for sending credentials should include the following information:
    
    
    • your name and graduation year
       
      
    • employer's name and title
      (for graduate/professional schools, include name of person to receive materials and name of department or office)
       
      
    • organization name (or name of graduate institution)
       
      
    • street address
       
      
    • city, state and zip code
       
      
    
    
12. CAN I MAKE MY REQUEST BY PHONE OR E-MAIL?
    
    No. Legal counsel has advised us not to accept requests by phone or e-mail.
     
    
13. CAN I REQUEST TO HAVE MY CREDENTIALS FAXED?
    
    We can only fax your credentials if the employer requires that they be faxed and contacts the CDO directly to request them. We cannot take requests from the candidate to have credentials faxed.
     
    
14. DO I NEED TO SEND MY COVER LETTER, APPLICATION AND FILE TOGETHER?
    
    Usually you will send a resume and cover letter to the employing organization, and request that your file be sent at whatever point in the process the organization indicates that they would like to receive it. If, however, the organization specifically requires that all of your materials arrive in one envelope, please contact the CDO and we will work with you to make that happen.
     
    
15. HOW LONG IS MY FILE ACTIVE AFTER I GRADUATE?
    
    The file is the property of the university and is maintained for your use for thirty years from the date of your first degree from SUNY Fredonia. We reserve the right to destroy files that are older than 30 years that have not been active within five years, unless we hear from you by September 1st of the year the file is to be destroyed. File activity includes adding letters of reference, sending the file out, or correspondence regarding file contents.
     
    
To maintain and update your file, you may add new materials at any time. Reference letters may be removed by providing the Career Development Office with a signed and dated written request specifying the name of the author whose letter you wish to remove.