I know many of you are anxious to find out when a new search will be posted so I thought I would give you a sneak peek. We are tentatively scheduled to start a new search immediately after our current search ends. So, we should have our new criteria posted on/or about July 6th. The intended parents represented in our next search are very anxious to move forward with the process therefore they hope to have a short application period and make a quick selection. The compensation for the upcoming search will likely be $50,000. While the exact compensation amount has not yet been determined, it will not be any lower.
The intended parents are hopeful to find a Caucasian donor who has had a successful retrieval in the past and are open to donors who have donated multiple times. Please note however that we will not consider donors who have donated more than 5 times already. Intelligence is a big factor in the selection criteria and the intended parents are hopeful to find a donor with high test scores and a solid educational background. Ideally, a history of college education in the family will be present. The intended parents desire to find a donor in her mid twenties and will not consider any applicants under age 21. The couple is open to applicants of any eye color and hair color.
Please check our website after the 6th for the full search details!
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Extended Application Deadline
If you visit our application page you will note we have extended the application deadline for our current search from today until July 5th. The first thought of current applicants may be that we have not yet found any qualified applicants, but this could not be further from the truth. In fact, at this point, the intended parents have not had a chance to thoroughly review all the applications they have received. What has happened is that our office has started to receive a number of last minute inquires about the ad as well as a number of applications that are only about half way completed. Our intended parents would like to give all potential donors enough time to complete the application thoroughly and therefore extended the deadline a week. Now, you may be wondering why we did not set a longer deadline to begin with. While there are many factors that go into choosing a deadline, we generally try to keep each search around 3 weeks long. If an application deadline is set too far out from the start of a new search, many potential donors wait until the last minute to submit their paperwork and then the intended parents become overwhelmed with applications to review. We have found with a 3 week long application period that the profiles tend to arrive in a steady manner preventing a large rush of applications in the last few days. Also, with this particular search, we decided that accepting applications through the 4th of July holiday weekend may allow many potential applicants the extra time to apply that they needed so that they do not have to wait until our next search.
In summary, if you have already applied, please know that your application is still under consideration and that our extended deadline is no reflection as to the quality of applications we have received. On the other hand, if you still want to apply, please take this extra week to fill out the paperwork as thoroughly as possible and submit it at your convenience. As always, our office and the intended parents remain grateful for your participation in this search.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
In summary, if you have already applied, please know that your application is still under consideration and that our extended deadline is no reflection as to the quality of applications we have received. On the other hand, if you still want to apply, please take this extra week to fill out the paperwork as thoroughly as possible and submit it at your convenience. As always, our office and the intended parents remain grateful for your participation in this search.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Humor and Your Application
More often than you might think, we come across an application where the applicant has attempted to instill a sense of humor into her answers. Unfortunately, the humor rarely comes across well and actually can be detrimental to the applicant. While we do not want to stifle an applicant’s personality, this is a very personal, emotional and serious process for our intended parents. The intended parents look favorably on applicants who show a sense of sincerity and approach the application with honest, thorough and straight forward answers. An attempt at humor on the Personal Profile can make an applicant seem as if she is not taking the process seriously or as if she is filling out the application on a whim. This can be very unsettling to our intended parents.
Does this mean the intended parents aren’t interested in truly understanding the applicants and their personalities? Absolutely not! Often the intended parents are hopeful of finding donors who have similar personality characteristics as them which can often include a sense of humor. The key to a successful application is knowing when to share this side of your personality. There are two opportunities for an applicant’s personality to truly shine through and both are further into the process. The first opportunity is if we request for you to write a short bio about yourself. This gives the intended parents a quick glimpse into your life and what’s important to you. The second opportunity is when you are requested to complete a Supplemental Questionnaire. This is a follow-up application with a main goal of getting to know an applicant’s personality and character through a series of short answer questions. Both of these would be ideal times for your humor and real sense of who you are to shine through.
Remember, the Personal Profile is the intended parent’s first glimpse of you. If you approach the initial application in a straight forward manner, you are much more likely to make a good impression so that the intended parents become interested in knowing even more about you.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Does this mean the intended parents aren’t interested in truly understanding the applicants and their personalities? Absolutely not! Often the intended parents are hopeful of finding donors who have similar personality characteristics as them which can often include a sense of humor. The key to a successful application is knowing when to share this side of your personality. There are two opportunities for an applicant’s personality to truly shine through and both are further into the process. The first opportunity is if we request for you to write a short bio about yourself. This gives the intended parents a quick glimpse into your life and what’s important to you. The second opportunity is when you are requested to complete a Supplemental Questionnaire. This is a follow-up application with a main goal of getting to know an applicant’s personality and character through a series of short answer questions. Both of these would be ideal times for your humor and real sense of who you are to shine through.
Remember, the Personal Profile is the intended parent’s first glimpse of you. If you approach the initial application in a straight forward manner, you are much more likely to make a good impression so that the intended parents become interested in knowing even more about you.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Monday, June 22, 2009
How Often Do You Post New Searches?
I know it can be frustrating for potential donors to see criteria posted that they don't fit. This makes applicants wonder how long until a new search is posted. Unfortunately, we do not post new searches at regular intervals. The reason for this is two fold. The first is that our clients can specify how long they would like their ad campaign to run and how long they want to accept applications for. The second is that many clients like to wait for certain times of the year when they are more likely to catch the attention of a potential donor. For example, intended parents looking for a donor in college may not advertise during finals, midterms or spring break and may instead wait until after these times. Search postings also depend on demand. It may be possible that we simply do not have any intended parents who are actively advertising for a donor and instead we are spending our time helping current clients sort through the information they have already received.
We plan to always update this blog as well as our Twitter (@elitedonors) when we post new searches so that is one way to be alerted to potential new donor opportunities. Alternatively, for some exceptional candidates, we are willing to email them personally when new searches arise that we think they would be a good match for. What we require for this is for an initial application to be submitted with a photograph. We will review the profile and if we determine you are a candidate our upcoming or potential clients would be interested in, we will keep your email address on file. We will *not* keep your entire profile. Instead, we will email you when any new searches are posted that you would be a good fit for. Then, at that time, you can review the criteria and decide if you would like to apply. There is never any obligation to apply, this is just a convenience service for well qualified donors so they do not have to continue checking our website.
As we continue to expand our business to make it the most convenient, personalized and private service available to intended parents and donors, we always welcome any feedback or suggestions you may have.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
We plan to always update this blog as well as our Twitter (@elitedonors) when we post new searches so that is one way to be alerted to potential new donor opportunities. Alternatively, for some exceptional candidates, we are willing to email them personally when new searches arise that we think they would be a good match for. What we require for this is for an initial application to be submitted with a photograph. We will review the profile and if we determine you are a candidate our upcoming or potential clients would be interested in, we will keep your email address on file. We will *not* keep your entire profile. Instead, we will email you when any new searches are posted that you would be a good fit for. Then, at that time, you can review the criteria and decide if you would like to apply. There is never any obligation to apply, this is just a convenience service for well qualified donors so they do not have to continue checking our website.
As we continue to expand our business to make it the most convenient, personalized and private service available to intended parents and donors, we always welcome any feedback or suggestions you may have.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Office Visits
Periodically we get emails from potential donors who would like to stop by our office to fill out an application. Like many donor matching agencies, our office does not accept walk-in candidates. The reason for this is simply because our office deals with too many applicants at a time to accommodate such a request. Not to mention the fact that the application is rather lengthy and time consuming. Additionally, our application asks for a significant amount of detailed information which most applicants will not have available to them if they come in to our office.
That is not to say that we are never open to a potential donor visiting our office. Once our intended parents have narrowed down their choices significantly, if an applicant felt uncomfortable proceeding without visiting our office, we would be more than happy to arrange an in person meeting with our program manager. In the interim, our staff is always available to answer questions via telephone or email. We also hope to be continue this blog with more posts which shed light onto how our organization and the donor process works.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
That is not to say that we are never open to a potential donor visiting our office. Once our intended parents have narrowed down their choices significantly, if an applicant felt uncomfortable proceeding without visiting our office, we would be more than happy to arrange an in person meeting with our program manager. In the interim, our staff is always available to answer questions via telephone or email. We also hope to be continue this blog with more posts which shed light onto how our organization and the donor process works.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Protecting Applicant Privacy - Where Does Your Information Go?
It is natural to have concerns about providing your personal information to an agency over the Internet. To alleviate some potential concerns I thought I would address how your information is handled once it reaches our office.
Our first step is to check your submitted documentation to make sure all necessary parts of the application are present. We check to make sure your Profile is complete, your photos are clear and that your Authorization has an actual signature (not just a typed name). Once this is done we email you to let you know your information has been received and to provide you with a potential time line for hearing back from us. Please be advised that the time line given is only an estimate and the amount of time it takes us to get back to you may vary. Next, our program manager reviews and screens each application. She then forwards your photographs and Personal Profile to the Intended Parents. As mentioned in an earlier blog, the Authorization with all your contact information is not seen by our clients. Additionally, the Intended Parents do not see the signature line on the Personal Profile which discloses your last name. All Intended Parents sign a contract with a confidentiality clause, so they are not allowed to share any of the information they learn about you with anyone else.
If you are not selected by the Intended Parents, we will notify you of such and then the electronic version of your information is deleted and any hard copies our office has are shredded. We never, under any circumstance, sell or share your information. If you specifically request it, we may keep your email address and a few notes regarding your Profile on file so we can alert you to future searches you might be a good fit for. However, we do not keep your actual application or photos on file. While some donors find the need to reapply a bit frustrating, it provides a wonderful level of privacy that most programs do not offer. You never have to worry that your information will be passed around to multiple clients or other agencies. Additionally, our policies should alleviate any concerns you may have about the possibility of being contacted at a later date when you might not even be interested in donating.
All in all, we pride ourselves of the level of privacy afforded our applicants and feel it is one reason we attract such great candidates.
If you have any specific questions about the way our program works, please feel free to contact us.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Our first step is to check your submitted documentation to make sure all necessary parts of the application are present. We check to make sure your Profile is complete, your photos are clear and that your Authorization has an actual signature (not just a typed name). Once this is done we email you to let you know your information has been received and to provide you with a potential time line for hearing back from us. Please be advised that the time line given is only an estimate and the amount of time it takes us to get back to you may vary. Next, our program manager reviews and screens each application. She then forwards your photographs and Personal Profile to the Intended Parents. As mentioned in an earlier blog, the Authorization with all your contact information is not seen by our clients. Additionally, the Intended Parents do not see the signature line on the Personal Profile which discloses your last name. All Intended Parents sign a contract with a confidentiality clause, so they are not allowed to share any of the information they learn about you with anyone else.
If you are not selected by the Intended Parents, we will notify you of such and then the electronic version of your information is deleted and any hard copies our office has are shredded. We never, under any circumstance, sell or share your information. If you specifically request it, we may keep your email address and a few notes regarding your Profile on file so we can alert you to future searches you might be a good fit for. However, we do not keep your actual application or photos on file. While some donors find the need to reapply a bit frustrating, it provides a wonderful level of privacy that most programs do not offer. You never have to worry that your information will be passed around to multiple clients or other agencies. Additionally, our policies should alleviate any concerns you may have about the possibility of being contacted at a later date when you might not even be interested in donating.
All in all, we pride ourselves of the level of privacy afforded our applicants and feel it is one reason we attract such great candidates.
If you have any specific questions about the way our program works, please feel free to contact us.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Is This the Search for Me?
If you have decided you would like to donate your eggs and help a couple create a family you may be asking yourself, is this the search for me?
I would first suggest that you carefully read our criteria page which details exactly what our current clients are looking for. As of the writing of this blog the couple we are currently representing is looking for the following in a donor:
Caucasian
Attractive
Brunette
Height 5'3 to 5'6
18-28 years old
Proven Intelligence
No genetic medical problems
After reviewing the criteria you may feel like you are a good match in most areas but you are a bit taller than the range listed or you are not sure what proven intelligence means. You will see that many of the criteria listed on our search page link to more detailed descriptions. In the descriptions you will find which characteristics our clients are flexible on. For example, for this particular search the clients hope to find a donor who is no taller than 5'6 but they are flexible about this and will not let a donor's height keep them from considering an otherwise perfect candidate. On the other hand, you will learn from reading about the age criteria that our office does not work with donors over age 31. While we continually receive emails from donors who feel we are discriminating with this age limit or who ask us to make an exception, this is actually a medical issue and most of the doctors we work with set these or similar guidelines.
If you fall within the range of what our clients are looking for, we would strongly encourage you to apply. While you may not be selected for this search, you can easily save a copy of your application to your computer and you will be ready to submit your profile again the next time a promising search arises.
Sometimes potential donors read the compensation amount and decide they are going to apply even though they are not close to what the family is looking for. While you are welcome to do this, please consider that there are usually numerous qualified applicants applying for each search and factor that into your decision about whether or not to fill out the application.
That being said, I would definitely encourage those potential donors who match most of our criteria to submit an application. If you feel uncertain about whether or not any particular search would be a good match for you, you are always welcome to contact us with any questions. Please be assured that we represent wonderful clients who are extremely grateful to all the potential donors who take the time to apply to their search.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
I would first suggest that you carefully read our criteria page which details exactly what our current clients are looking for. As of the writing of this blog the couple we are currently representing is looking for the following in a donor:
Caucasian
Attractive
Brunette
Height 5'3 to 5'6
18-28 years old
Proven Intelligence
No genetic medical problems
After reviewing the criteria you may feel like you are a good match in most areas but you are a bit taller than the range listed or you are not sure what proven intelligence means. You will see that many of the criteria listed on our search page link to more detailed descriptions. In the descriptions you will find which characteristics our clients are flexible on. For example, for this particular search the clients hope to find a donor who is no taller than 5'6 but they are flexible about this and will not let a donor's height keep them from considering an otherwise perfect candidate. On the other hand, you will learn from reading about the age criteria that our office does not work with donors over age 31. While we continually receive emails from donors who feel we are discriminating with this age limit or who ask us to make an exception, this is actually a medical issue and most of the doctors we work with set these or similar guidelines.
If you fall within the range of what our clients are looking for, we would strongly encourage you to apply. While you may not be selected for this search, you can easily save a copy of your application to your computer and you will be ready to submit your profile again the next time a promising search arises.
Sometimes potential donors read the compensation amount and decide they are going to apply even though they are not close to what the family is looking for. While you are welcome to do this, please consider that there are usually numerous qualified applicants applying for each search and factor that into your decision about whether or not to fill out the application.
That being said, I would definitely encourage those potential donors who match most of our criteria to submit an application. If you feel uncertain about whether or not any particular search would be a good match for you, you are always welcome to contact us with any questions. Please be assured that we represent wonderful clients who are extremely grateful to all the potential donors who take the time to apply to their search.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Receiving Your Compensation
You’ve been selected as the donor for one of our clients and now you want to know, how can I insure I get paid?
How to collect your compensation is a very valid and important question. In the last year it seems there has been a rash of reports of agencies absconding with compensation funds. These situations leave all of the parties involved heartbroken and helpless. One reason this occurs is because there are no licensing or bonding requirements for starting an egg donor or surrogacy matching agency. Literally any person can say they are an egg donor/surrogacy agency and start offering their services.
To ensure the safety and legitimacy of our program for our clients and donors (and ultimately for our own agency) we simply do not handle the compensation funds. We require our clients to utilize a third party attorney to handle the compensation distribution. Attorneys have Rules of Professional Conduct which mandate how they must handle such funds for everyone’s protection. While there may be some unscrupulous attorneys, the chance of running into one of those seems much less likely then running into a fly by night agency. Attorneys also have licensing and educational requirements which give them much more to lose if they make poor decisions.
The attorney handling the compensation funds will confirm to the donor that he or she has received the entire agreed upon compensation amount and that those funds are ready and available to be paid out. This confirmation should take place before the donor signs any contract to donate. Upon the signing of the contract the donor should be paid a small pre-determined portion of the compensation and then the remainder is paid shortly after the retrieval. All compensation funds are paid directly from the attorney’s trust account to the donor.
Rest assured, just because we do not handle the compensation funds does not mean that the numerous agencies out there that do are dishonest. Just make sure any agency you deal with clearly explains to you how the compensation funds are handled and make sure you feel comfortable with what they tell you. The good thing about having multiple agencies available is that there are plenty of options for donors to choose from. If you don’t feel comfortable working with a particular agency, please go ahead and look for another.
Regardless of which agency you choose to work with, you are doing a wonderful deed for all of the intended parents out there, and for that, all of us in this industry thank you.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Don't You Offer $100,000 to All Your Donors?
I occasionally receive an email from a potential donor asking about the fluctuating compensation amounts advertised on our website. As we coordinate client specific searches and do not maintain a database of donors, the compensation offered usually varies from search to search. Elite Donors will help our clients decide on a compensation amount, but we never demand a certain number be offered. Please know that if you are selected to donate you will receive the compensation amount offered for the search you applied to.
In fact, we will never allow a client to lower their compensation offer. Each client who consults with our office is apprised of the total potential cost of utilizing an egg donor and the associated IVF fees, not just our agency fees. In a rare circumstance a client may choose to stop using our service and retain another agency to help them, but we would never allow a client to advertise one fee and then try to lower the advertised fee or offer a smaller compensation to the donor.
While it has never happened to date, we would consider allowing a client to increase the amount of compensation offered. If this is ever done during a search, this increased compensation amount would be available to all applicants of that search, not just the ones who applied after the increased compensation was advertised.
Because we still utilize print ads, it is possible to run across an old ad offering a different compensation amount then the one currently advertised on our website. The same can happen if a search ends early as our advertising contracts are always pre-booked. To avoid this, we are contemplating switching to a new ad format which lists a compensation range (such as "Compensation $50,000-$100,000") instead of a specific amount. The only problem with that is that most clients like to see their specific compensation amount stated in the ads. While we determine how to best deal with this issue, rest assured that our current compensation amount is always listed on our criteria page. As the compensation amounts fluctuate by client, you can continue checking back until you find the right circumstance under which you would like to apply.
Hopefully this addresses any concerns you may have. Please check back for our next blog which will address how the compensation funds are handled.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
In fact, we will never allow a client to lower their compensation offer. Each client who consults with our office is apprised of the total potential cost of utilizing an egg donor and the associated IVF fees, not just our agency fees. In a rare circumstance a client may choose to stop using our service and retain another agency to help them, but we would never allow a client to advertise one fee and then try to lower the advertised fee or offer a smaller compensation to the donor.
While it has never happened to date, we would consider allowing a client to increase the amount of compensation offered. If this is ever done during a search, this increased compensation amount would be available to all applicants of that search, not just the ones who applied after the increased compensation was advertised.
Because we still utilize print ads, it is possible to run across an old ad offering a different compensation amount then the one currently advertised on our website. The same can happen if a search ends early as our advertising contracts are always pre-booked. To avoid this, we are contemplating switching to a new ad format which lists a compensation range (such as "Compensation $50,000-$100,000") instead of a specific amount. The only problem with that is that most clients like to see their specific compensation amount stated in the ads. While we determine how to best deal with this issue, rest assured that our current compensation amount is always listed on our criteria page. As the compensation amounts fluctuate by client, you can continue checking back until you find the right circumstance under which you would like to apply.
Hopefully this addresses any concerns you may have. Please check back for our next blog which will address how the compensation funds are handled.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
New Search Posted
If you haven't visited our website lately please stop by and view our newest search that will be running through the end of the month.
One of the most exciting parts of my job is speaking with potential new clients. Making that connection and hearing the excitement and relief from a client when they realize that someone is out there who will help them find just what they are looking for brings such joy. I receive numerous emails and calls from intended parents who are frustrated and overwhelmed with the process of finding a donor. Many times, by the time the intended parents contact us, they are somewhat discouraged about finding a donor they feel would "fit in" with their family. Intended parents are happy to speak to us and realize that we are going to take the time to understand them. In addition to understanding their needs, we are going to set out specifically to search out a match for them that meets those needs. Of course, the best part of this process is when an intended parent comes across a donor and says "that is the person for me. I didn't think I would ever find such a perfect match; she reminds me of myself when I was her age."
The intended parents represented with our current search are a wonderful couple and I am excited for that day when they say, "yes, that's the perfect donor for us."
If you think you might be the perfect donor for someone, please keep our website bookmarked - we would love to receive an application from you if you fit our current criteria.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
One of the most exciting parts of my job is speaking with potential new clients. Making that connection and hearing the excitement and relief from a client when they realize that someone is out there who will help them find just what they are looking for brings such joy. I receive numerous emails and calls from intended parents who are frustrated and overwhelmed with the process of finding a donor. Many times, by the time the intended parents contact us, they are somewhat discouraged about finding a donor they feel would "fit in" with their family. Intended parents are happy to speak to us and realize that we are going to take the time to understand them. In addition to understanding their needs, we are going to set out specifically to search out a match for them that meets those needs. Of course, the best part of this process is when an intended parent comes across a donor and says "that is the person for me. I didn't think I would ever find such a perfect match; she reminds me of myself when I was her age."
The intended parents represented with our current search are a wonderful couple and I am excited for that day when they say, "yes, that's the perfect donor for us."
If you think you might be the perfect donor for someone, please keep our website bookmarked - we would love to receive an application from you if you fit our current criteria.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Application Tips - Part 2
THE PHOTOS
We ask all applicants to submit photos with their paperwork, including one close-up and one full length. I know many applicants often have a hard time choosing photos so here are some tips:
PLEASE DO:
Submit 2 - 4 photos.
Intended parents usually like to see more than 1 shot but many more than 4 is just not necessary.
Send quality photos that can be printed out in a 4x6 size.
If you have concerns about your photos, try uploading them to a photo printing site. Most sites will tell you if the quality of the photo will print well as a 4x6 photo. It is frustrating to receive tiny and/or low resolution photos.
Send candid shots showing you doing something you love.
Intended parents love to see candid photos of applicants involved in their hobbies or pastimes. Some examples are: photos of you playing a sport, relaxing outdoors, or playing with a family pet.
Send natural photos.
Applicants dressed casually and showing a great smile are always appealing.
PLEASE DO NOT:
Send photos where your face is obscured by hats, sunglasses, or other objects.
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
We ask all applicants to submit photos with their paperwork, including one close-up and one full length. I know many applicants often have a hard time choosing photos so here are some tips:
PLEASE DO:
Submit 2 - 4 photos.
Intended parents usually like to see more than 1 shot but many more than 4 is just not necessary.
Send quality photos that can be printed out in a 4x6 size.
If you have concerns about your photos, try uploading them to a photo printing site. Most sites will tell you if the quality of the photo will print well as a 4x6 photo. It is frustrating to receive tiny and/or low resolution photos.
Send candid shots showing you doing something you love.
Intended parents love to see candid photos of applicants involved in their hobbies or pastimes. Some examples are: photos of you playing a sport, relaxing outdoors, or playing with a family pet.
Send natural photos.
Applicants dressed casually and showing a great smile are always appealing.
PLEASE DO NOT:
Send photos where your face is obscured by hats, sunglasses, or other objects.
Send photos that are suggestive in nature. Please remember that our clients are looking for someone to help them create their family.
Send group photos with more than 5 people in the photo.
Send photos via facsimile – the quality is too poor.
Send photos that you would not feel comfortable showing your parents.
Frequently Asked Photo Questions:
Q) May I submit a bathing suit photo?
A) Bathing suit photos are fine as long as they are not suggestive in nature.
Q) I have had professional photos taken, may I submit those?
A) Professional photos are always welcome however please try and submit a candid photo as well.
Q) Is it appropriate to submit photos of my wedding?
A) Yes, wedding photos are fine.
Q) May I submit photos of my family (i.e., children, parents, siblings, etc)?
A) We would prefer to simply receive photos of the applicant and later in the process we will request family photos from the applicants we are most interested in.
If you still have questions about the right type of photos to submit, please feel free to contact us, we are always happy to help.
Elite DonorsCreating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
How To Submit a Successful Application - Part 1
I am getting ready to send a batch of "thank you for applying but you have not been selected" letters to applicants that applied to searches ending in January and April of this year. While preparing to do this it occurred to me that potential donors may be looking for the key to submitting a successful application.
Now, I must be frank. Since we only handle one search at a time, it is often difficult to be chosen as the donor no matter how qualified and sincere you are. However, even if you are not chosen, you may strike me as such an outstanding applicant that if I see you apply again to another search, I will recommend that the intended parents look over your application first.
One key to being successful is to think of the process as if you are applying to a job. You want to present yourself in the best possible light. This means . . . follow the directions. Read our application page thoroughly and make sure you are submitting all of the requested documentation. When we have an active search our “Apply Now” page gives clear instructions on what to submit and which email to submit it to. It also directs you to the page with our contact information where you have access to our mailing address and fax number.
Next, check your spelling. It is frightening how many emails I get where people are misspelling the word "donor." You should also remember that the first impression you make on me is going to be the impression I share with the intended parents. It is never proper to communicate in text or instant message speak.
Finally, be thorough. While we do not expect applicants to know all the details requested on the application, answer as much as you can. Make sure you do not miss any questions, and if you do not have information available to you, include a note to us indicating that you will gather the information if needed.
Those are the tips for today. Tomorrow I will talk about the best photographs to submit with your application. Until then, thank you for your interest in helping to make our clients’ dreams come true.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Now, I must be frank. Since we only handle one search at a time, it is often difficult to be chosen as the donor no matter how qualified and sincere you are. However, even if you are not chosen, you may strike me as such an outstanding applicant that if I see you apply again to another search, I will recommend that the intended parents look over your application first.
One key to being successful is to think of the process as if you are applying to a job. You want to present yourself in the best possible light. This means . . . follow the directions. Read our application page thoroughly and make sure you are submitting all of the requested documentation. When we have an active search our “Apply Now” page gives clear instructions on what to submit and which email to submit it to. It also directs you to the page with our contact information where you have access to our mailing address and fax number.
Next, check your spelling. It is frightening how many emails I get where people are misspelling the word "donor." You should also remember that the first impression you make on me is going to be the impression I share with the intended parents. It is never proper to communicate in text or instant message speak.
Finally, be thorough. While we do not expect applicants to know all the details requested on the application, answer as much as you can. Make sure you do not miss any questions, and if you do not have information available to you, include a note to us indicating that you will gather the information if needed.
Those are the tips for today. Tomorrow I will talk about the best photographs to submit with your application. Until then, thank you for your interest in helping to make our clients’ dreams come true.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Identity Theft and our Authorization Form
I know many applicants have concerns about filling out the Authorization form however this document is required. The Authorization protects both parties, the applicants and the intended parents. If you read the Authorization closely you will see it allows our office to provide the information you supply us with to the "Intended Parent(s), Attorney, Physician and Psychologist, or their authorized representative(s)." In writing you clearly have a list of the only people who will be allowed to see your information. Without this document, we have no record of the fact that you have agreed to let us share you information with the network of people who will be involved in the egg donor process. In the same respect, if you do not complete the Authorization you have no tangible proof that you have limited the people we can share your information with.
Previously, our Authorization contained sections for an applicant's Driver's License Number and Social Security Number. While we still require this information, we now only request it from applicants we send for medical or psychological screenings. The only information we request initially is your basic contact information and your birth date to confirm that you are eligible to apply for our program.
In terms of identity theft, you are not providing us with much more then we could get from the white pages. If you have that grave of a concern about your birth date, you are welcome to solely provide your month and year of birth until we express further interest in you. We are also open to suggestions as to how to present the Authorization form so that it is not such a concern to our applicants . . . please feel free to weigh in =)
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Previously, our Authorization contained sections for an applicant's Driver's License Number and Social Security Number. While we still require this information, we now only request it from applicants we send for medical or psychological screenings. The only information we request initially is your basic contact information and your birth date to confirm that you are eligible to apply for our program.
In terms of identity theft, you are not providing us with much more then we could get from the white pages. If you have that grave of a concern about your birth date, you are welcome to solely provide your month and year of birth until we express further interest in you. We are also open to suggestions as to how to present the Authorization form so that it is not such a concern to our applicants . . . please feel free to weigh in =)
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Thank You To All Our Applicants
Thank you to all who applied to our search. We are still working hard on acknowledging each application that has come in and verifying that all the pertinent information was included. It may take us through Tuesday to do this, but rest assured that we will let you know your application has been received. Once that is done, my assistants and I will prepare the information for forwarding to the intended parents. It will take us a week or two to do this as I like to check over all the applications personally. Since we received a large amount of applications, they will be forwarded to the intended parents in small batches in the order they arrived. As I hear back from the intended parents regarding each application my assistants or I will contact each applicant individually, generally through email. We will keep you updated here as to how the search is progressing.
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
Elite Donors
Creating Happy Families . . . One Match at a Time!
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