job search essay

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• Job Application Documents

How to Write a Job Application Essay

Last Updated: April 9, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Shannon O'Brien is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U. (a career and life strategy consultancy based in Boston, MA). Through advising, workshops and e-learning Whole U. empowers people to pursue their life's work and live a balanced, purposeful life. Shannon has been ranked as the #1 Career Coach and #1 Life Coach in Boston, MA by Yelp reviewers. She has been featured on Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. She received a Master's of Technology, Innovation, & Education from Harvard University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 201,030 times.

Many employers now require a writing sample, or job application essay , to accompany all applications or résumés — even if writing is not a significant part of the position. The goal of the job application essay is to ensure that applicants have the right communication skills for the position offered. Sometimes, potential employers will provide a specific topic or series of questions for your essay to respond to. However, you may also be asked to provide an essay with no guidance whatsoever. Either way, approach the essay seriously so that it highlights the skills and assets you could bring to the company. [1] X Research source

Outlining Your Essay

• If you don't know much about the company, do a little research on it before you start writing. You might look at their website or do a general internet search with the name of the company to see if any news articles or other reports come up. Go beyond the four corners of the job listing so that you understand who will likely be reading your essay.
• If there's anything in the job listing or essay requirements that you don't understand, contact the employer and ask about them. Employers are often impressed by applicants who clarify the employer's intent rather than making assumptions.

• For example, if you're applying for a position in sales, you might want to write an essay about your ability to tailor your pitch to specific clients and close the deal. If you have the ability to be more creative, you might tailor your essay to "sell" yourself directly to the employer.

• For each of your points, think of a specific example you can relate briefly that illustrates the point. For example, if you've described yourself as a "team player," you might include an example of how you came in on your day off to complete some of the more monotonous tasks that no one else wanted to do so a project could be completed ahead of schedule.
• It's a good idea to have more than one example in your outline for each point, even if you only end up using one. That way, if you start writing something and it ends up not working as well as you thought it would, you'll have a back-up handy.
• Brainstorming can be difficult. If you find yourself churning over the same thoughts, stand up and take a break for a few minutes. Step outside or go for a walk to clear your head, then come back to it.

• For example, if you want to describe how you increased sales in a specific quarter, you would want to state specifically how much you increased sales. Your former employer may have sales figures that you could ask them for. You might also have that information in your records.
• Wherever possible, use specific numbers and dates rather than making general statements. It's okay to estimate, but make sure your estimate is conservative. Saying you led your sales team to the highest sales in a quarter is impressive — but only if it's true.

Completing Your Rough Draft

• Think of this paragraph as telling the hiring manager what you're going to tell them in the essay. Outline the points you're going to elaborate on in the essay that back up your theme or thesis statement.
• Sometimes it's best to go back and write your introduction after you've written the body of your essay. That way, you can make sure the introduction provides an outline that matches the body.

• If the employer listed specifically what should be included in your essay, follow their order, since that's what they'll be looking for when they read the essay.
• Write in the first person and make yourself the star of any anecdote you include as an example. Use action verbs to focus on what you did rather than focusing on what happened and how you reacted to it. [7] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source

• For example, if you're writing about your skills as a team player, you might note that you discuss doing routine work that others found monotonous so they had time to work on other parts of a project. You could use that detail to move on to a section describing how you're detail-oriented.

• For example, you might write "My business school education, skills as a team player, and focus on detail make me the best candidate to lead your sales team."

Finalizing Your Essay

• For example, you might start by looking solely at punctuation, then read through again focusing on spelling.
• If you find that you tend to repeat a particular error, go through your essay looking for that error specifically.
• If your grammar isn't particularly strong or you're writing in a language other than your native language, have someone else read over your essay as well.

• If you find that you stumble over a sentence while reading aloud, that's a sign that your writing could be clearer. Work with your text until you have something that you can read aloud with ease.

• If the prospective employer did not specify a length, try to keep your essay under 2 double-spaced pages. Remember that hiring managers are busy and don't have a lot of time to read a long, rambling essay.
• Eliminate all unnecessary words or sentences that aren't relevant to the subject of your essay. The majority of your sentences should be short, declarative sentences with action verbs.
• Apps such as Hemingway ( http://www.hemingwayapp.com/ ) or Grammarly ( https://app.grammarly.com/ ) can help you identify portions of your essay that are more difficult to read. Both of these apps have a free version that you can use to edit your text.

• Working backward is particularly helpful for noticing spelling mistakes, especially hard-to-catch homophone errors, because you're seeing the word out of context.

• It may also help to print your essay in a different font or font size than what you used to type it. This breaks your brain's familiarity with the text, which can make typos and other errors more noticeable. Just remember to change the font back after you print it.

Job Application Essay

Expert Q&A

• Give yourself plenty of time to work on your essay. Ideally, you should plan to work on it over the course of at least two days, so you have the time to set it aside after writing before you move to the editing and proofreading stage. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Unless you're applying for a position in a political or religious organization, avoid including anything in your essay that identifies your political or religious preferences or beliefs. [16] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Avoid using humor, especially sarcasm or ironic humor, as it can be misconstrued in text. Additionally, humor may lead the hiring manager to believe that you aren't serious about the position. [17] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/writing-sample-job-application
• ↑ https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2012/04/30/essay-how-write-good-applications-jobs-or-grants
• ↑ Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM. Life & Career Coach. Expert Interview. 25 May 2021.
• ↑ https://www.govloop.com/community/blog/government-job-application-essays-made-easy/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/application-essays/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/proofreading-tips
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/career-transitions/200906/the-dreaded-writing-sample

About This Article

Job application essays can seem scary, but they’re really just an opportunity for you to highlight your skills and explain why you’re suitable for the role. Read the job listing to find out what traits and skills the company is looking for, like time management, working under pressure, and leadership. If you don’t know much about the company, read through its website and do an online search to find articles about its work. In your introduction, you’ll want to to describe yourself and introduce the main points you’ll be making. Then, write a paragraph for each trait or skill. Use real life examples from previous jobs, your recent studies, or extracurricular activities to support your points. For example, you could highlight your leadership skills by talking about a time you led a group project that exceeded your targets. For more tips, including how to write a compelling conclusion for your job application essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Job Search - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

Job search is the process of actively seeking employment opportunities in order to secure a job that is suitable to one’s skills, experience, and preferences. It involves researching potential employers, submitting resumes and job applications, attending job interviews, and negotiating salary and job requirements. Job search can be a challenging and time-consuming process, but it is necessary for individuals who want to make career advancements, change jobs, or enter the job market for the first time. It requires persistence, patience, and a positive attitude in order to successfully navigate the competitive job market.

• 📘 Free essay examples for your ideas about Job Search
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• Your Job Search
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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Job — Job Hunting: Ways to Success

Finding a Job: Ways to Success

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Words: 874 |

Published: May 7, 2019

Words: 874 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Looking for a job: essay, part 1: career development, part 2: job search, part 3: strategy, applying skills, director of marketing.

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Job Search for Graduates

Technological advancements have infiltrated every area of human life. Hence it has made each human process easier to handle. Most of the processes have been simplified, making it easier for companies and the whole human life. One of the heavy processes that have been simplified by technology is the job search for graduate students. Before, students had to buy newspapers and magazines to check for job advertisement, meaning they had to wait for well-known companies to advertise for them to make a job application.

The process was tiresome since they had to travel to the company premises and drop off their applications. This process was tiresome, and the cost was so high. However, technology has enabled potential employers to post job vacancies on job application websites. These websites have been developing targeting employers and employees. The employer should post a job vacancy and make the post public. Additionally, the employer should indicate the opening date and closing date when they allow employees to send their applications.

On the other hand, when the job is posted based on the employee’s resume and career interest, the website can send an email notification to notify the employee of the available jobs that suit them. In the following paragraphs, we will look at three most popular jobsites that graduate students can utilize and apply for jobs. Note that these three jobsites are popular in Canada and hence we are targeting to create awareness for Canadian graduate students. The three job sites include LinkedIn, Indeed.com and CareerBuilder.

Being one of the most suitable job sites worldwide, LinkedIn finds itself ranked among the top three Jobsite in Canada. It is a professional platform where companies and professional employees fill in their profiles. A company in LinkedIn provides the potential employee with information about the company, the years it has been operating and what they deal with. When a job post or vacancy arises, such a company can post on LinkedIn about the job vacancy, including all the job requirements and the optional salary range. On the other, an employee on LinkedIn will view the job vacancy based on their resume. Note that when an employee is filling in their profile, they are asked to upload their resume and update their skills and achievement in their field of specialization. LinkedIn is an automated job site that will pick a potential employer’s job specifications, match the job specifications with those of an employee’s resume, and notify the employee via email and LinkedIn profile. Currently, LinkedIn owns a mobile application compatible with available mobile phone operating systems. Hence making it easier for employees to access notifications on their mobile phones without visiting the site. Once the employee is matched with a potential employer, they can move to apply for the job either through LinkedIn, email or by visiting the employer’s company website. Once their application is successfully sent to the employer, the employee is notified of the next steps. LinkedIn also has an advanced job search where users can subscribe to the premium LinkedIn subscriptions. They are proposed to potential employers. Through the subscription, they are advised to make their resume stand out. Note LinkedIn operated with referrals where employees were recommended and verified to be competent by their colleagues or employers. Based on search referrals on the employee’s profile, a potential employer could build trust that the employee they are about to hire is competent. However, many employees used to fetch such referrals from their colleagues even if they were not competent enough. Hence, LinkedIn recently upgraded the competency level by asking employees to complete a skill test to be verified and potential employers to be notified that they can be competent based on their score in the skill test conducted.

This is another top job site where student can complete their profile and specify skills and what they are most competent in. Indeed.com is one of the sites that uses search engines and queries multiple credible sites, and notifies its users(potential employees) of the available jobs, job requirements, and salary range. Based on the employee’s profile, it also sends notifications to the potential employee of the available jobs, and then the employee can take an action step from there. Indeed.com searches for the job available in an individual local country and internationally. Additionally, your location shows your available potential employers looking for an employee who matches your skillset. It also provides an employer with a resume builder tool that they advise it can help boost an employee’s capability to be hired. They also provide a career blog where employees can view trending skillsets that an employee can acquire and boost their capability to be hired (Half, 2022).

CareerBuilder

Being one of the longest-lived job sites on the internet, CareerBuilder is also one of the top three job sites; Canadian students can look up to and build their profile and make job searches. This job site gives the employee the ability to filter jobs based on location, salary range and job title. CareerBuilder uses google Artificial Intelligence to match the employees with available job opportunities, resources for job candidates and career advice.

Based on the above-described job sites, I recommend that Canadian students build their resumes on LinkedIn. Install the LinkedIn mobile application on their mobile phones and ensure that they build a standing out resume that can attract the recruiter. Additionally, they should also consider having their resumes available on the other two platforms since this will help them enhance their job search and even optimize the chances of being hired as soon as possible. Also, the students should ensure that they are verified as potential employees by taking skill tests on LinkedIn since this will help them stand out and increase their chances of being hired. Ensure that they indicate the achievement they have made in their career and provide their social media links to show their work’s credibility (Beasley, 2022).

In conclusion, Job search is one of the most straightforward tasks in today’s society since both employers and employees have platforms where they can communicate. Hence it is the employee to play their role smart and ensure that they build credible resumes and make credible job achievements that they can submit to potential employees and increase their ability to get hired. Additionally, employees should ensure that they are continuously updated on the necessary skillset in their job field and indicate them on their resume to increase their chances of getting hired. Hence, an employee resume should include employee personal information, employee personal contacts, employee skillset or qualifications, employee career, and personal achievements. This will enable the employee to increase their chances of getting hired. Lastly, graduate students should also ensure that they join career platforms since they also help indicate available jobs and advise on the current trends on qualifications and what skillset an employee needs to equip themselves with to achieve a particular employment position.

Rycraft, S. (2022).  7 Benefits of using LinkedIn . Linkedin.com. Retrieved 8 April 2022, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-benefits-using-linkedin-sarah-rycraft/.

Half, R. (2022).  12 Best Job Sites in Canada for 2022 . Roberthalf.ca. Retrieved 8 April 2022, from https://www.roberthalf.ca/en/blog/job-market/canadas-10-best-job-search-websites.

Indeed Job Postings – Pros and Cons – Job Board Comparison | JOIN . JOIN. (2022). Retrieved 8 April 2022, from https://join.com/media-platform/indeed/.

Beasley, C. (2022).  Indeed vs. CareerBuilder: Price, Features & What’s Best . Fit Small Business. Retrieved 8 April 2022, from https://fitsmallbusiness.com/indeed-vs-careerbuilder/.

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07-30-2024 WORK LIFE

This may be the most frustrating part of applying for jobs online

HR experts and recruiters weigh in on the much-loathed practice of asking applicants to upload a résumé—and then manually input the same information.

[Source Photos: Getty Images and Craig Adderley /Pexels]

BY  Joe Berkowitz 4 minute read

Searching for the right job online can be like driving down a highway littered with speed bumps. You can forget about putting the pedal to the metal. Instead, it’s a journey fraught with abrupt, gear-grinding deceleration, whether that entails customizing a cover letter , answering improbable interview questions , or correctly calculating a salary range that won’t get you laughed at. One unfortunately common part of this process, however, is less a speed bump than a gigantic wall.

After prompting applicants to upload their résumés, a confounding abundance of companies also ask them to manually enter the information as well. Names of previous employers and institutes of education can be cut-and-pasted, which is tedious but simple enough; descriptions of tasks performed and other achievements, however, require careful summarization into even-more-concise bullet points to fit into the space allotted in the designated field. It’s more than just a hitch in the process, it’s a long and unnecessary detour. According to experts in recruiting and human resources, it’s also the kind of thing some applicants might consider a dealbreaker.

“Job searching is exhausting enough these days, and the last thing job seekers want to do is manually type their résumé over and over,” says Ashley Samson , chief of staff at National Business Capital. “It probably took them hours to perfect their résumé as it is, in this ultra-competitive job market.”

I will never understand why I have to enter my work experience manually if I’m also uploading my resume pic.twitter.com/sGzNpXuzGo — Giuseppe (@theJoeMichaell) June 4, 2024

when you upload your resume and it doesn’t ask you to enter your info manually pic.twitter.com/yoRuGWjZbF — Adam Karpiak (@Adam_Karpiak) March 31, 2023

During a year in which massive layoffs have hit a wide array of industries , any additional friction in the application process is especially unwelcome. Current job seekers are already doing the three-dimensional chess work of trying to fit in keywords to outsmart the AI résumé filters while also avoiding being flagged by those same filters for being too spammy. Too often, the reward for all this data entry and thoughtful consideration ends up being radio silence– 79% of job seekers report having applied to a job and not heard anything back whatsoever. Given what the rest of the job-hunting process is like, it’s no wonder frustrated candidates find the extra step of keying in data they’ve already uploaded not just an annoyance but an insulting disregard for their time and energy. Especially the ones who are most qualified.

“Within the HR community, there is a growing recognition that this practice can be a barrier to attracting quality candidates,” says Stephanie Alston , president at staffing agency BGG Enterprises. “The extra effort required can lead to negative perceptions of the employer’s recruitment process, potentially deterring top talent.”

Justin Marcus , cofounder and CEO at Big 4 Talent, has interviewed countless job seekers about their experiences applying for jobs. According to him, the number-one complaint among those he’s surveyed is how time-consuming the process can be. Between having to create accounts at various companies just to apply, and meeting each company’s specific demands, just the application part of hunting for jobs can be a part-time job in and of itself.

Making that process even more time-consuming is a massive mistake. 

Here’s why it happens. Many companies, especially the larger ones, use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) such as Workday to streamline the recruitment process by automatically parsing and sorting candidate information. In theory, these systems make the application process more efficient and consistent. Considering the variety of résumé formats that candidates tend to use, however, these systems struggle to sort data into the intended fields. Ideally, the ATS would just file only the most relevant data that helps ensure the candidate is qualified to move along to the next step, at which point a human being would parse the résumé for nuance. Instead, in far too many instances, employers either ask candidates to spend time fixing the missorted data and trying to fit it all into the allotted fields—or ask them to manually enter all of it.

According to Heather Doshay —partner, people + talent, at investment firm SignalFire—some companies see the manual upload request as more than a byproduct of poorly scraped data.

At a time when a crafty applicant can potentially mass-apply to hundreds of jobs with a click, this extra step is a signal of intent. It’s a hoop to jump through to prove that this is more than just another job listing coughed up by Indeed.

“An additional benefit to recruiting teams is that it serves as an extra verification layer,” Doshay adds, “if there are inconsistencies across résumé, cover letter, and LinkedIn profiles.”

The average applicant, however, will have no idea why they are being made to devote more time to data entry while applying for a job, and little to no empathy for the company’s motivations. In fact, some applicants try to circumvent the request, keying in phrases like “see résumé” into the field they’re supposed to manually enter their résumé. It’s a risky move.

“I have seen that strategy work only when the candidate was already moving through the steps with a hiring manager or a recruiter in the process,” says Marcus.

Some HR professionals are exploring more candidate-friendly solutions to the problem of data-standardization, including beefing up ATS tech to better sift through résumé data and reducing the amount of information that requires manual entry. Of course, the companies closer to the top of the Fortune 500 list will neither have any difficulty recruiting top talent nor any incentive for changing their application processes for random applicants.

The companies further down on the list, however, might do well to consider whether they can afford to make the task of applying for a job into an endurance test.

Apply to the Most Innovative Companies Awards and be recognized as an organization driving the world forward through innovation. Early-rate deadline: Friday, August 23.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joe Berkowitz is an opinion columnist at Fast Company. His latest book, American Cheese: An Indulgent Odyssey Through the Artisan Cheese World , is available from Harper Perennial.   More

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Online Social Networking in Job Search Essay

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Introduction

Benefits of online social networking in job search, challenges of online social networking in job search, works cited.

With the advent and development of technology, various technological applications have been adopted for individual use and organizational purposes. Social networking applications (SNAs) are part of the technological advancement whose popularity has rapidly increased in recent years with the rise of globalization. There is the urge for interconnectivity among individuals and organizations irrespective of the distances involved.

The social networking applications are mainly used for communication and disseminating valuable information for continuity of the organizations. Online social networking entails the utilization of various online social networks, for instance, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, among others, to share information from different fields of life ( O’Sullivan and McClure 99). This work examines the aspect of online social networking and how it has influenced the job search process.

Online social networks have been very influential in various social aspects, and they have mainly found significant application when it comes to the concept of job searching. In a great way, online social networks have changed the way individuals live and carry out their practices. The networking has been essential in various ways. Job searching is where people can access multiple job vacancies and find the ones that match their qualifications and experience.

The networking contributes mutual benefits to both the employers and the employees. The employer can access various employees’ profiles from the websites and make the process of selection and recruitment easier and faster. To the employee, the online social networking helps in easy identification of employment opportunities in different organizations in different parts of the world where the job vacancies and the qualifications and experience needed are stipulated in the websites.

Online social networks also have the advantage of having a global reach where an individual with specific qualifications can easily be identified by organizations worldwide, and an organization with job vacancies is as well effortlessly identified by jobseekers. Time-saving is also an essential factor that is achieved through the use of online social networks. This is because it eliminates the need to, for example, literary move from one organization to the other, asking for job opportunities or even sending job applications where opportunities could not be available.

This is because it only requires that one accesses the internet and searches for the available vacancies ( which takes a relatively short time) and then apply having been assured that the chances are there. Another crucial benefit associated with online social networking is that it allows for the establishment of long-term relationships, which could be very beneficial in terms of job searching even in the future.

The connections are strengthened by the fact that people involved in the networks are conversant with the qualifications and capabilities of each other, and in case an opportunity crops up, it is easy to notify one another. Organizations also keep databases of the individual profiles and can select and recruit quickly whenever there is a chance, even without the jobseeker having to apply (Levitt and Harwood 65).

Like any other aspect, the use of online social networks as a tool for seeking jobs or recruiting employees is also associated with some challenges despite having many benefits, as mentioned above. Some of the challenges involve the invasion of personal privacy. This is because a lot of personal information is disclosed in the individual profiles posted on various websites. Although this may help the particular person secure a job as many employers access his or her profile, there is no privacy, which is crucial to every individual.

Another drawback is that it is tough for a job seeker or even an employer to identify the right employer or employee, respectively, as there can be dummy individuals or organizations, making it difficult to pinpoint the genuine ones. This is mainly a negative aspect to the jobseeker as he or she could have wasted a lot of time and other resources in vain. Controlling one’s personal image is also a challenge when it comes to online social networking, as one may be implicated through various aspects like links and photos that may be inappropriate. Therefore, people should become careful about what they post on social networks, especially as links (Van de Graff par 2).

Online social networking has been an advancement of technology that has been very useful in various aspects of life. Online social networks were initially considered less severe and mostly associated with youngsters for social relationships. Still, the aspect has changed, and they are now used for more official practices like job search and recruitment. Online social networks have been of help to employers and employees as they help them find their right matches regarding jobs.

For instance, they have increased awareness levels of the jobseekers, hence maximizing the chances of securing the desired position. Despite the challenges associated with online social networks, it is evident that their benefits, especially regarding job search, surpass the drawbacks, and their significance should, therefore, never be underemphasized.

Levitt, Julie Griffin and Harwood, Lauri. Your Career: How to Make It Happen . 7 th Ed. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.

O’Sullivan, Ian and McClure, John. Get the Job You Want in IT: Insider Strategies for a Successful Job Search Campaign. Kissimmee, FL: Signalman Publishing, 2010. Print.

Van de Graff, Mathijs. Challenges of Online Social Networking to Job Seekers. Ehow. 2010. Web.

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Seeking Your First Job After College? Share Your Story.

The New York Times wants to hear from recent college graduates, other young job seekers and hiring managers about this year’s job market.

By Talmon Joseph Smith

The economy is growing. Unemployment is low. But the job market is not as hot as it used to be, and younger applicants, with or without college degrees, are feeling the pinch. Hiring projections for this year’s college graduating class are below last year’s, and the downturn is particularly notable in fields like finance, insurance, marketing and real estate.

I cover economics at The New York Times, and I would like to hear from recent college graduates and other young job seekers, as well as hiring managers, about what the job market has looked like to them this year.

Your responses will help us gain a fuller, more nuanced understanding of how the broader trends are being felt — or, in some cases, overcome.

We’ll read every response, and we’ll reach out to some people to learn more. We won’t publish your name or any part of your submission without hearing back from you and verifying your story. And we won’t share your contact information outside the Times newsroom. If you prefer to share tips or thoughts confidentially, you can do so here .

Our first set of questions are for job seekers, and then we have questions for hiring managers.

Tell us about your recent experience in seeking work — or workers.

Talmon Joseph Smith is a Times economics reporter, based in New York. More about Talmon Joseph Smith

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The Calculated Risk of a Cold Email

By  Robert D. Pearson

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Sending an unsolicited request for information over email, or what’s called a cold email, to a hiring manager is an effective way for Ph.D.s to be proactive in the job search and get an edge for a job they really want. Making personal contact with a hiring manager increases the chances that your application will carefully considered when you apply for a position. That personal contact also grows your network in an organization for which you want to work.

But some cold emails are much more effective than others. Before I applied for my current position working with graduate students at University of Texas at Arlington, I looked up my current boss and sent her an email to indicate my interest in the position. She never responded, but I was interviewed and hired about a month later. I assumed that my cold email must have worked. Fast-forward six months: while preparing materials for a workshop on networking, I decided to ask my boss if she recalled my email and whether it helped me land the job. In fact, she hardly remembered receiving the email, but she pulled it out of her saved mailbox and looked it over in front of me.

“Oh yeah, I remember receiving this,” she said.

Awkward pause.

“To be honest, I felt a little bit annoyed. I marked it as important, but I never looked at it again. Maybe if you had emailed me again, I might have responded.”

I was surprised. My email was short, focused, undemanding and earnest. I followed good advice for writing an introductory email . What went wrong? The conversation that followed was instructive. I overwhelmed her with too much information about myself and too many questions about the job. More important, she explained, I reached her during a very busy time of the day and year, when she just didn’t have the time to respond. There is no way I could have anticipated my bad timing, I thought. It boils down to luck.

Or does it?

Writing a cold email is an act of vulnerability for which there are no guarantees. You cannot direct how the recipient will feel or respond. Instead, it is best to approach the cold email as a calculated risk. The most a letter writer can do is maximize the chances for a positive impact and minimize the chances for a negative one. Here are some things to consider before sending that cold email about a job you really want.

Learn About the Organization’s Structure

The hiring process works differently in every organization. Applicants who are accustomed to applying for academic positions should note that hiring outside academe does not necessarily follow a predictable process. In some cases, a single boss is responsible for hiring the person who will report to him or her. In other circumstances, a recruiter in the human resources department may be the primary decision maker. The hiring manager may be someone who only goes through the hiring process once a year, or they may make hiring decisions all the time. Browse through the organization’s website to try to develop a big-picture view of how hiring decisions are made. This knowledge will help you to understand the kind of information you can request in your email.

It will also help you target the right person to contact. When you’re reading through a job advertisement or browsing an organization’s website, it may not be immediately obvious to whom you should direct an inquiry about a job. Your goal is to reach someone who has a role in the decision-making process or who can share some insight with you about the position. Some simple detective work may help you identify this person. For example, the hiring manager or direct supervisor may be named in the job posting. If you are unsure, use language that does not make assumptions about the organization’s structure or culture, or use your email to ask to be put in touch with the person responsible for hiring.

Send Your Email at the Right Time

In academe, emails are often sent and received at all hours of the day or night, but many other organizations follow a much more predictable workflow. Although it is impossible to anticipate the best time to write a specific hiring manager, it is a good idea to avoid the times when busy professionals are likely to be preoccupied. For example, at lunchtime, people are not likely to be at their desks. On Monday mornings, they are busy catching up on emails, and on Friday afternoons, they are wrapping up last-minute business. Aim for midmorning, midafternoon and midweek.

Another aspect of timing is important to consider: in some cases, hiring managers are free to have general conversations about an open position but not with an active applicant. Once a person has applied for a job, organizational policies may severely restrict the kinds of communication that hiring managers can have. Send your email before you apply in order to maximize the chance that you will be able to ask more probing questions about the position that the recipient will be able to answer.

Keep It Short and Limited to One Action Item

You cannot know the ebb and flow of a hiring manager’s workload, but that person is probably understaffed and therefore overworked if there is an open position. Writing a long email may trigger negative feelings for someone in this circumstance, so it is best to limit your cold email to fewer than six sentences. If you’re coming from academe, where precision is valued over brevity, this may require some practice and drastic editing.

An effective cold email asks the recipient to take no more than one simple action. Most likely you will be asking for information about the position, perhaps in the form of an informational interview . Avoid asking specifically for written advice or insight over email. If the hiring manager does not have the time to write to you, they may either become annoyed or put off writing back altogether. Moreover, some hiring managers may be uncomfortable providing anything more than the most general information in writing. Instead suggest two or three possible times for a very short conversation on the phone or in person.

Do not be discouraged if you do not receive a reply to your cold email. The person you emailed may receive many emails per day, and responding to an outside inquiry may be a low priority. In that case, you should resend your email to the same person one or two weeks later. This will serve as a gentle reminder in case the recipient intended to respond but forgot.

The benefits of reaching out to a hiring manager generally outweigh the downside of not doing so. If you decide to send a cold email, take steps to maximize the chance that it will make a positive impact.

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What Research Says About Being a Stay-at-Home Parent

Ask people what they think about  stay-at-home moms  (SAHMs) and stay-at-home parents in general, and you'll likely get a variety of answers. Some might say they've got it easy, or that life at home with the kids would be boring. Some might think they're lazy or not contributing much to society. Others contend that stay-at-home parents are making the best decision of their lives and that they're making a noble, worthwhile sacrifice to stay home and nurture their kids day in and day out.

If you're contemplating whether or not to be a stay-at-home parent, what matters most is what works best for your family. So, first and foremost, consider your personal beliefs, priorities, finances, and lifestyle. However, there is also a wealth of research on the subject that you can consult when making your decision. The findings on life as a stay-at-home parent may surprise you.

Brianna Gilmartin

Pros and Cons of Staying at Home

There are, of course, many personal reasons for or against staying home with your kids. Benefits may include more opportunities for quality time with your children and having more direction over their learning and development. You may not want to miss a minute of their childhoods. You also might not trust others to care for your little loves. Drawbacks include the big hit to your family's income and the trajectory of your career as well as the big change to your lifestyle.

While there is no right or wrong answer, this research may help inform your choice. Remember that each of these benefits and drawbacks may or may not apply to you. There are many different factors, such as budget, lifestyle, priorities, social support, relationship status, spousal involvement, and your kids' specific needs, to consider before making your final decision.

Evidence-Based Benefits of Being a Stay-At-Home-Parent

There are many reasons that parents choose to stay at home with their children. Studies have shown that many people think this is the best option for kids when financially plausible. According to a Pew Research Center study, about 18% of American parents stayed home with their children in 2021.

According to Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends, 60% of Americans say a child is better off with at least one parent at home. While 35% of responders said that kids are just as well off with both parents working outside the home.

Benefits for Children of Stay-at-Home-Parents

A 2014 study found that the benefits of having a parent at home extend beyond the early years of a child's life. The study measured the educational performance of 68,000 children. Researchers found an increase in school performance to high school-aged children. However, the biggest educational impact was on kids ages 6 and 7.

Most  homeschooled students  also have an at-home parent instructing them. A compilation of studies provided by the National Home Education Research Institute supports the benefits of a parent at home for educational reasons. Some research has found homeschoolers generally score 15 to 30 percentile points above public school students on standardized tests and achieve above-average scores on the ACT and SATs.

Regardless of whether parents stay home or work outside the home, research shows that parent involvement in schools makes a difference in children's academic performance and how long they stay in school.  Some kids with learning differences and/or special needs may do better in a school (vs. homeschooling) to access any required services .

Decreased Stress and Aggression in Kids

Some studies link childcare with increased behavioral problems and suggest that being at home with your children offers benefits to their development compared with them being in  being in childcare  full-time.  This may be reassuring news for stay-at-home parents knee-deep in diapers and temper tantrums.

Studies have found that children who spend a large amount of their day in daycare experience high stress levels, particularly at times of transition, like drop-off and pick-up.

Subsequent studies also showed higher levels of stress in children in childcare settings compared with those who are cared for at home. But that doesn't mean you have to keep your children with you every minute until they're ready to go to school. Look for a nanny or babysitting co-op that allows your kids to play with others while giving you some time alone.

Greater Control of Children's Upbringing

The ability to directly protect, spend time with, and nurture their children each day is often cited as a primary benefit of not working outside the home. Studies show that some parents stay home specifically to have greater first-hand control over the influences their child is exposed to. Others simply see it as their duty to be the one who provides daily care to their little ones.

More Parents Want to Stay Home

According to the Pew Research Center, more people are becoming stay-at-home parents—and 60% of Americans believe that choice is best for children. The number of stay-at-home parents jumped from a low of 23% in 1999 to 29% in less than 15 years. However, today's rates don't match those of the 1970s and earlier when around 50% of women (and very few men) were stay-at-home parents.

While the number of men taking on this role is far lower than that of women (around 210,000 compared with over 5.2 million), the rate of men becoming stay-at-home dads is on an upswing, too. Between 2010 and 2014, the prevalence of men choosing to stay home increased by 37%.

Downsides of Being a Stay-at-Home Parent

Regardless of the increasing numbers and some important benefits, a decision to quit your job to become a stay-at-home parent shouldn't be made out of guilt or peer pressure. While there are many great reasons to be a stay-at-home parent, it's not necessarily right or beneficial (or financially plausible) for everyone. For some families, the drawbacks significantly outweigh any positives.

Some People Miss Working

Research shows that many stay-at-home parents miss working outside the home and think about  going back to work  someday.  It can be tough to leave behind the tangible rewards and results of a job, especially one you enjoyed and were good at.

If you stay home when your kids are little but plan to return to the workforce, you can take some steps to bridge that employment gap, such as taking classes, earning licenses or certificates that enhance your resume, or even taking a part-time job.  You might also consider at-home business opportunities as well as  remote jobs  that let you stay home while also earning money and reclaiming some of what you missed about your career.

Costs to Your Career and Wallet

The decision to stay at home with your kids means giving up income. Research shows that stay-at-home parents must contend with lost wages now and decreased wages when returning to work. This "wage penalty" often amounts to 40% less in earned income over time.

There is also a big hit to the stay-at-home parent's career trajectory. Some parents can regain their previous work roles upon reentering the workforce, while others struggle to get a foothold professionally after taking time off.

The direct impact on your family's finances will depend on your personal earning potential, skills, and career choices—as well as the income of your partner if you have one. However, studies show that mothers who reenter work after having children experience between a 5% and 10% pay gap compared with their childless peers. This is in addition to the gender pay gap.

Adverse Impacts on Physical and Mental Health

Studies show that stay-at-home parents experience poorer physical and mental health compared with parents who work outside the home. Effects include higher rates of mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, as well as higher rates of chronic illness. A 2012 Gallup poll surveyed 60,000 women including women with no children, working moms, and stay-at-home moms who were or were not looking for work, and found more negative feelings among SAHMs. There are likely several reasons for this, including experiencing more parental and financial stress. Working parents tend to have access to more robust health insurance plans than stay-at-home parents. They also tend to benefit from greater self-worth, personal control over their life, economic security, and more dynamic socio-economic support.

However, it's worth noting that significant research shows that whether they work outside the home or not, parents generally are less happy than their childless counterparts.  Of course, the joy you get from parenting (and staying home with the kids) is likely to be highly individual.

More Social Isolation

A 2015 study found that many moms are spending lots of time with their kids, more so than in years past. Researchers believe this extra kid-focus results in a higher potential for social isolation. Interestingly, the research found no scientifically proven difference in outcomes for the children with this additional parental attention.

Some stay-at-home parents may feel isolated or undervalued by what some call the " mommy wars, " which pit parents against each other. This social dynamic can create perceived judgments or pressures that leave some stay-at-home parents feeling like they're not respected as worthy members of society. On the flip side, some working parents may feel criticized for not spending as much time with their children. Both groups can end up feeling socially isolated.

A 2021 study found that around a third of all parents experience loneliness. That's why it's so important for all parents (whether they stay at home or work outside the home) to find the right balance of social activities, exercise, sleep, hobbies, and self-care. Additionally, it's helpful to make the most of your family time, including  creating gadget-free zones  and planning fun activities you can all enjoy.

It's also key to take care of your own emotional well-being and let your children spend some time away from you. Whether it's a date night with your spouse or scheduling a day off so you can have some alone time, you're not going to shortchange your child because you didn't spend every minute with them. Giving yourself parenting breaks and opportunities to socialize is important for your well-being, particularly during times of stress.

Parenthood and well-being: A decade in review .  J Marriage Fam .

Stay at home moms and dads account for about 1-in-5 U.S. parents . Pew Research Center. 

After decades of decline, a rise in stay-at-home mothers . Pew Research Center. 

Home with mom: The effects of stay-at-home parents on children’s long-run educational outcomes .  J Labor Econ. 

National Home Education Research Institute.  Research facts on homeschooling .

Effect of parental involvement on children’s academic achievement in chile .  Front Psychol.  

School performance among children and adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review .  Children (Basel) .

The NICHD study of early child care and youth development . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Toddlers’ stress during transition to childcare .  European Early Childhood Education Research Journal .

Examining change in cortisol patterns during the 10-week transition to a new child-care setting .  Child Dev .

7 key findings about stay-at-home moms . Pew Research Center. 

The mother's perspective: Factors considered when choosing to enter a stay-at-home father and working mother relationship .  Am J Mens Health .

The relationships between mothers' work pathways and physical and mental health .  J Health Soc Behav .

The motherhood penalty at midlife: Long-term effects of children on women's careers .  J Marriage Fam .

Parents' work schedules and time spent with children .  Community Work Fam .

Gallup.  Stay-at-home moms report more depression, sadness, anger .

Parenthood and happiness: Effects of work-family reconciliation policies in 22 OECD countries .  AJS .

Does the amount of time mothers spend with children or adolescents matter? .  J Marriage Fam.

Experiencing loneliness in parenthood: A scoping review .  Perspect Public Health .

  First things first: Parent psychological flexibility and self-compassion during COVID-19.   Behav Anal Pract .

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‘Thread that needle’: Kamala Harris’ criminal justice policies in California angered progressives and police 

As the new Democratic standard bearer, Vice President Kamala Harris has described her contest with former President Donald Trump in blunt terms — tough prosecutor versus civil and criminal defendant .

“I took on perpetrators of all kinds, predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own game,” Harris said at a rally in Wisconsin on Tuesday. “So hear me when I say I know Donald Trump’s type.”

But critics say that Harris’ record as a prosecutor, first as the district attorney in San Francisco and later as the California attorney general, reveals a political chameleon rather than a tough-on-crime top cop, according to interviews with current and former law enforcement leaders across the state, civil rights advocates and politicians.

In a statement, Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer said, “During her career in law enforcement, Kamala Harris was a pragmatic prosecutor who successfully took on predators, fraudsters, and cheaters like Donald Trump.”

Harris has written two books about her time as a prosecutor and attorney general. In her 2009 book, “Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor’s Plan to Make Us Safer,” published near the end of her tenure as DA, Harris described herself as a prosecutor who was “tough on crime by being Smart on Crime,” said she promoted programs to fix recidivism and made “improving my office’s felony conviction rates my number one priority.”

Five years later, after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, which vaulted the Black Lives Movement onto the national stage and made criminal justice reform a top issue, Harris embraced the calls for change.

In her 2019 memoir, “The Truths We Hold: An American Journey,” published while she was senator, Harris described herself as a “progressive prosecutor.”

“I knew I was there for the victims. Both the victims of crimes committed and the victims of a broken criminal justice system,” Harris wrote. “For me, to be a progressive prosecutor is to understand — and act on — this dichotomy.”

Trump and his allies are now trying to emphasize the “progressive” part of Harris’ identity. On Tuesday, the former president attacked Harris as a “radical left person” and blamed current crime in the city on her tenure as district attorney.

“Really, what you should do is take a look at San Francisco now compared to before she became the district attorney, and you’ll see what she’ll do to our country,” Trump said.

'Tough' and 'compassionate' 

Harris, the daughter of an economist and a scientist , was born in Oakland, grew up in Berkeley and graduated from Howard University in 1986. She then attended the University of California law school in San Francisco, then known as Hastings, graduating in 1989, according to her congressional biography , and immediately began working as a prosecutor. She first worked at the Alameda County District Attorney’s office, prosecuting child sexual assault cases and later moved to the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, which provides legal services to the city and represents it in civil claims; she served as head of the office’s division on children and families.

Louise Renne, who as San Francisco city attorney at the time was Harris’ boss, said she hired Harris because she was known for being “tough on the law” as well as “compassionate and kind,” Renne told NBC News in an interview this week.

In 2003, after working five years in San Francisco, Harris was elected the city’s first Black, South Asian and female district attorney.

During her seven years in that office, Harris began formulating a reputation of being a careful prosecutor committed to holding individuals who commit serious crimes accountable and helping nonviolent offenders turn their lives around.

Lateefah Simon, who started the office’s first youth offender re-entry division under Harris, praised her approach.

“She’s the only district attorney that I would ever work for to this day, because I believed the ethics that she put into the office,” said Simon, who is now running for Congress in the Bay Area as a Democrat. “She tried to create an office that was fair and balanced.” 

Four months after Harris was sworn in, a gang member shot and killed police Officer Isaac Espinoza in April 2004. She declined to charge the gunman with a capital offense, sparing him from the death penalty. Harris’ decision rankled California’s political leadership.

During Espinoza’s funeral, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., slammed Harris’ decision. “This is not only the definition of tragedy, it’s the special circumstance called for by the death penalty law,” Feinstein said at the time. 

Throughout her tenure as district attorney, Harris focused on securing convictions. Felony conviction rates rose from 52% to 71%, and gun crime convictions rose to 92% in the first five years she was in office, according to her book.

“We are sending three times as many offenders to state prison [as] we were in 2001, three years before I took office,” Harris wrote in her 2009 book.

She also increased convictions for drug sellers, from 56% in 2003 to 74% in 2008, Harris noted. At the same time, Harris also implemented the Back on Track program, which provided nonviolent offenders — many of whom were low-level drug dealers — with the chance to receive a high school diploma, job training and access to available work, instead of prison sentences.

“The imperative today is both to go after the worst criminals and also to redirect the future of lower level offenders,” wrote Harris in her 2009 book.

Her relationship with progressives grew strained. She pushed for the prosecution of truancy cases — which resulted in the parents of children who were habitually absent from school being prosecuted and forced to pay fines of up $2,500 and potentially serving up to a year in jail. Some critics said the policy disproportionately affected Black families.

A Harris campaign aide said the policy was effective: "Truancy dropped by 33 percent because of the policy and it also helped people in the community — this wasn’t one or two days; this was kids missing 60 to 80 days out of a 180-day school year."

Harris also clashed with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors over a policy related to undocumented immigrants . In 1989, the board made San Francisco a “sanctuary city,” which meant that local police were generally not allowed to share any information with federal immigration agencies that they had obtained from interactions with undocumented people.

Harris, along with then- San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom , later supported a policy that would require law enforcement to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if an undocumented juvenile immigrant was arrested under suspicion of committing a felony.  

David Campos, who has served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors as well as the Police Commission, said he and other progressives have not always agreed with Harris, but supports her bid for the presidency.

“She will be able to bring forward an experience, that perspective, that points to results where she was able to thread that needle between being tough on crime and also being reform-minded when it comes to criminal justice,” said Campos, who is now the vice-chair of the California Democratic Party.

A Harris campaign aide said, "If you’re angering the far left and the far right, you’re probably doing something right."

Prison reform

Several years after Harris was elected state attorney general in 2010, California voters passed a ballot measure that enacted sweeping sentencing reforms across the state. In an effort to relieve overcrowding in the state's prison, the proposition reclassified a list of felonies as misdemeanors, including certain drug crimes and theft — including shoplifting of property valued at less than $950.

The attorney general’s office under Harris released a summary of the law , called Proposition 47, which predicted that prison and jail populations would decrease while funding for truancy reduction programs and mental health services would rise. It also predicted that the state criminal justice system would save hundreds of millions of dollars due to the changes, and local prosecutors and sheriffs would have reduced workloads.

As of last week, prison officials reported, there were 92,480 people locked up in California’s prison systems, down from a height of more than 156,000 inmates during the early 2010s before the law was passed. But as NBC News reported last year , California’s reforms created a prison-to-homelessness pipeline, as counties were overwhelmed with an influx of returning inmates.

Violent crime, meanwhile, has increased across the state. The state attorney general’s office reported that from 2014 to 2023, violent crime had risen by more than 30% — including jumps in rapes, aggravated assaults and murders.

Although Harris didn’t take a formal position on the measure, Republicans accused her of misrepresenting Proposition 47 to the public. Steve Cooley, who served as the Los Angeles County district attorney from 2000 to 2012, blamed the rise in crime on Harris and the referendum.

“The damage has been untold and, in a sense, irreparable,” said Cooley, who ran as a Republican against Harris for attorney general. “It was beyond a bait and switch. It was fraud by misrepresentation.”

Critics also blame a rise in retail theft in California on Proposition 47. They say the reforms enable serial shoplifters to cycle in and out of police custody with little accountability. Even if they are repeatedly arrested, they are only charged with misdemeanors as long as the goods are valued at less than $950.

Frustration over shoplifting is now driving voters to try to amend the law. In November, California residents will decide whether to amend Proposition 47 to allow people with two theft convictions to be charged with a felony after being caught stealing a third time. It would also permit judges to sentence repeat “hard drug” offenders to prison instead of jail.

Douglas Eckenrod, a former deputy director of parole for the California prison system, who is now running for sheriff as a Republican in Sedona, Arizona, said Harris was too lenient on criminals. 

“Kamala Harris is not a hard-liner [on crime],” Eckenrod said. “Prop 47 couldn’t happen without the AG’s office support. Her support of it was literally critical.”

In 2017, Harris left her post as California’s attorney general after being elected to the U.S. Senate.

Police reform

Harris’ relationship with both police officers and police reform activists has been fraught. 

When she ran for attorney general in 2010, the San Francisco police union president did not back her, citing her refusal to seek the death penalty in the killing of Officer Espinoza. “That is a relationship that is never going to be OK,” union boss Gary Delagnes told SF Weekly at the time.

Harris also attracted criticism from those on the left. Civil rights attorneys and police reform advocates lambasted her for failing to charge police officers who they said had used excessive force in deadly confrontations. 

John Burris, an Oakland-based civil rights attorney who has sued police departments and officers across the state, said he couldn’t recall a police violence case that Harris, as San Francisco district attorney and later as California attorney general, chose to prosecute. But he added, prosecutors during that era rarely challenged police officers.

“It’s no secret that prosecuting police in shooting cases is an uphill battle for the most part,” Burris said. “I thought that she appreciated those issues, even though I didn’t necessarily agree with the ultimate decision.”

Harris also rarely used a state law, enacted in 2001, that allows the attorney general to investigate problematic local law enforcement agencies for widespread abuses. In December 2016, weeks before she was sworn in as senator, Harris announced that her office would investigate the Kern County Sheriff’s Office and the Bakersfield Police Department over allegations of excessive force and serious misconduct.

A spokesperson for California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, defended her record and said in a statement to NBC News that Harris also opened an investigation into the Stockton School District and its school police department. The California Department of Justice later found that the Stockton school district had referred a disproportionate number of Black, Latino and disabled students to law enforcement.

The spokesperson also noted that Harris launched an open data initiative that releases the number of law enforcement officers killed or assaulted on the job, the number of people who die in custody, and the number of arrests and bookings. She also announced new requirements for reporting officer-involved shootings and use of force incidents. 

Despite complaints that she failed to hold police accountable for abusive behavior, Harris said in her 2019 memoir that she supported the mission of Black Lives Matter. She credited the protests for motivating her to make several policy changes. 

Harris wrote that she required officers in California to attend anti-bias training and ordered some state-level officers to start to wear body cameras.

“I was able to do it because the Black Lives Matter movement had created intense pressure,” Harris wrote. “By forcing these issues onto the national agenda, the movement created an environment on the outside that helped give me the space to get it done on the inside.”

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misstated where Harris grew up. She grew up in Berkeley, not Oakland (where she was born).

Alexandra Chaidez is an associate producer with the NBC News Investigative Unit

Simone Weichselbaum is a national investigative reporter for NBC News, focusing on local and federal law enforcement issues. She previously was a police reporter for The Marshall Project, the New York Daily News and the Philadelphia Daily News. She holds a graduate degree in criminology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Andrew Blankstein is an investigative reporter for NBC News. He covers the Western U.S., specializing in crime, courts and homeland security. 

Harris campaign vetting at least 7 Dems for VP, including Whitmer, Cooper, Kelly, Shapiro

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. – Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign has requested vetting materials from at least seven Democrats under consideration to be her vice presidential running mate, USA TODAY has learned from a source familiar with the process.

Those being vetted for the job include North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

The Harris campaign has also requested vetting materials from one Democrat whose name has received much less attention as a vice-presidential contender: Cedric Richmond, a former congressman from Louisiana who served as a top aide in the Biden White House and on his campaign.

"I would color that doubtful," Richmond told a New Orleans TV station.

Whitmer also tried to take herself out of the running on Monday, telling a local TV station on Monday that she's "not leaving Michigan."

Notably missing from the Harris vice president vetting list that was shared by the source are Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Both have been speculated as running mate possibilities for Harris, with Beshear telling MSNBC on Monday that he had spoken with the vice president since Biden dropped out of the 2024 race.

The source familiar with the Harris vice president vetting process told USA TODAY other Democrats not included in the group of seven being vetted could still emerge as contenders but are not currently on the Harris campaign's radar.

Sure enough, ABC News reported on Tuesday that Beshear is indeed among those who has been asked for vetting material.

Former Obama-era Attorney General Eric Holder, who endorsed Harris this week, and Dana Remus with the law firm, Covington & Burling LLP, are leading the vetting process, according to the source familiar with the vetting effort.

Remus served as White House Counsel in the Biden administration, and led the vetting process for U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson ahead of her mid-2022 Senate confirmation.

The Harris campaign declined to comment.

Fast-paced 'veepstakes' underscores tiny window

Harris  is moving swiftly to build up a team that took shape after President Joe Biden's stunning departure from the 2024 campaign trail.

In less than 48 hours, she raked in more than the needed 1,976 delegates to become the party's presumptive presidential nominee ahead of the first round of voting at the August national convention in Chicago. Vice presidential candidates run separately, which means whoever Harris picks will receive a separate vote on the convention floor.

With roughly 100 days until the election, experts say the short timeframe means this group being vetted could be the only round of contenders.

"If we were in a normal situation, this would be a process that would play out over a couple of months," David Hopkins, a political science professor at Boston College, told USA TODAY.

"They don't really have that kind of time, because the convention is coming up in a few weeks," he added.

Critical choice to 'balance' ticket, contrast with Trump, Vance

All of the names being floated bring their own strengths and weaknesses, experts say, as they are auditioning to join the brand new Harris ticket. The choice will first center on who best complements Harris.

Hopkins said the vetting list suggests Harris' team is thinking about who would be best at helping the ticket appeal to a different segment of voters as it tries to cobble together a new coalition that can help them defeat Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in November.

"When you have a someone from California who's a woman of color and has experience in Washington, then the obvious way to sort of balance it is to think about someone from a different part of the country, or from a battleground state," he said.

The other thing a Harris running mate could be used for is serving as an attack dog against Trump, particularly in contrast with his running mate, Sen.  JD Vance , R-Ohio, who has championed his upbringing in rural Ohio.

During an appearance Tuesday on "Morning Joe," for instance, Walz, the Minnesota governor, took direct swings at Vance, who is thought to be a lunch pail messenger to working class voters.

"What I know is people like JD Vance know nothing about small-town America," Walz said.

"He gets it all wrong, it's not about hate, it's not about collapsing in," he added. "The golden rule there is mind your own damn business. Their policies are what destroyed rural America. They've divided us. They're in our exam rooms. They're telling us what books to read."

Other rumored Harris contenders, such as Buttigieg and Beshear, launched similar attacks aimed at Vance earlier in the week.

Michael Traugott, an emeritus research professor of political studies at the University of Michigan, said Harris' entry resets the 2024 race and that this represents her first major test as the Democratic standard bearer. Her pick also will signal to voters much about the vice president's thinking on the White House campaign that has a little more than 100 days to go.

"It's a little hard to figure precisely because we're short on the polling of assessing the actual Democratic team against Trump and Vance," he said. "But it's still a very closely contested race, and most of the action takes place in the battleground states, so I would probably consider at the top of that list governors of battleground states."