Resumes choosing resume paper

When choosing resume paper, make sure you see and feel a sample of the paper stock prior to purchasing a sealed package of that paper. Finally, when printing your resumes and cover letters on a laser or high-quality ink-jet printer, make sure the paper you choose was designed for this equipment. 

When your resume is in an electronic file, it can be e-mailed to an employer, posted on a website, added to an online database, and imported into applicant-tracking software used by potential employers. Although you won t have to deal with issues like choosing resume paper, picking the perfect font or ink color, or formatting your resume to look perfect on the printed page, there are other issues to contend with when creating an electronic resume. If you created your printed resume on a PC, you already have an electronic file with which to work. If you had someone prepare your printed resume and don t have access to or can t use the electronic file, you will have to create your electronic resume from scratch. 

Instead of racing to your local office-supply superstore and grabbing the first package of paper you find suitable for your resume, shop around a bit. Visit a local print shop or copy shop and look at all of the different types of available paper. As long as you select a resume paper that conveys a professional image, the actual paper you choose is a matter of personal preference. 

Once you choose your resume paper, select an ink color. Avoid wild colors and mixing multiple colors. Black ink is the most popular and most traditional color. If you choose to print your resume using an alternate color ink, make sure your selection is professional looking. Brown or burgundy are good alternatives. Make sure the ink color and the paper you choose don t clash. Also, make sure the text is easily readable both to the human eye and to computer scanners. If faxing your resume to employers, your paper and ink color selections should be white paper with black ink. If your resume is difficult to read, people won t read it. 

Choose a high-quality resume paper in a neutral color like white, off-white, or pale gray. Avoid textured or brightly colored paper. Make sure to buy matching envelopes. 

When you are creating your resume and cover letter, how these documents look and feel are as important as what they say. When applying for most jobs, you want your cover letter and resume to convey a highly professional and somewhat conservative image. To achieve this, you will have to choose the right paper, select the right resume format, and decide whether or not to add a touch of color in order to make your resume stand out. Resumes that stand out in a positive way are the ones HR professionals and recruiters read first. 

As mentioned, black ink on white paper is the most common traditional printed resume. You can stray from this rule by using a dark blue (navy) or burgundy ink color. If you choose to incorporate an ink color other than black, and you do it tastefully, you could wind up with a resume package that grabs the reader s attention in an extremely positive way. 

Should you choose to incorporate colored ink or papers, it s an excellent strategy to work with a resume-preparation specialist or a graphic designer to ensure your selections will have the most positive impact possible. Using ink and paper colors that clash make you look foolish and unprofessional, and they could keep the content of your resume from getting read. 

WinWay Resume contains an incredible amount of multimedia content to help job seekers prepare for their job searches. There are numerous videos on topics from choosing the right paper and font to how to dress for an interview. There is also interview simulation in full-motion video with answers to more than 200 most commonly asked questions. We recommend that if job seekers can afford the time, they should watch all the videos first so they get first-hand understanding of what employers are looking for and how to best address the employer s needs in their resumes and cover letters. They... 

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