What Is Good Resume Paper

How To Choose The Right Resume Paper

• Resume paper size

One key aspect for creating a good impression for a job application is your choice of resume paper. When you apply for a job, its important to submit a quality resume since it is essentially a formal representation of yourself. This article explains how to choose the best resume paper to communicate your professionalism and personality.

Add In Your Work Experience

This section will most likely be the bulk of your resume. Even if youre changing careers, employers still want to see where youve worked, what youve done, and the impact of that work to get a sense of your background and expertise.

Your Work Experience might be one entire category, or you might choose to break it up into Relevant Experience and Additional Experience to highlight the jobs that are most important for hiring managers to focus on. Either way, youll almost always want to have your most recent experience at the top and your older experience down below.

Within your work experience, youll want to include each official job title, the company , and the years you worked there. Below that, youll add in two to four bullet points explaining what you did in that job, the skills you built and exercised, the tools you used, and the results of what you did. If you accomplished a lot during your time there, focus on the responsibilities that made the most impact or youre the most proud of, as well as the ones that best align you with the job youre applying for . Its key here to list, if relevant, quantitative as well as qualitative accomplishments.

For example, you might write:

Associate Accountant, Finances and Co., Ann Arbor, MI

If you have a ton of experience and this category is starting to run long , consider kicking out your oldest jobs unless theyre super relevant to the job youre applying for, or extra impressive for your field.

What Resume Paper Should I Use

Elles resume may have stood out from the crowd, but it can come off as unprofessional in the real world.

Even though the internship and job search has become increasingly digital, there are still scenarios where a physical copy of your resume is expected. Career fairs and interviews are two such times when a physical resume is necessary, and what is often overlooked is the very paper your resume is printed on. It is important to understand that the content of your resume is more important than the paper it is printed on. However, printing your resume on high-quality paper can make it stand out and is more durable than regular paper.

Well discuss below the different types of resume paper, but in case you are pressed for time heres our verdict:

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What Type Of Paper Should I Use To Print My Resume

Most career guidance sources, including Cornell Universitys College of Human Ecology Career Exploration Center, advise using 32-lb, cotton paper. This paper is durable and appears crisp and professional.

Youll have some other choices, as we will describe in greater detail below, but this is a good basic starting point.

You dont need to go anywhere special to find professional resume paper. For the most part, you can buy many different brands and types online or at an office supply store.

Resume Paper Weight: Worth Your Weight In Words

This may actually be your least weighty decision about the best resume paper for printing. Paper weight refers to thickness and density characteristics affecting the printed appearance, as well as the feel and durability. Thinner, lighter-bodied sheets of paper are more transparent and less crumple-proof.

Increases in paper weight come with improved product quality and professionalism real and perceived. A resume that looks and feels firmer and less flimsy will stand out in the stack with good reason, psychologically lending solidness to the job application.

Printing paper weight is measured in pounds per ream equal to a package of 500 sheets. With 20 lb. being the standard printing paper weight, resume paper is generally also available in two heavier weight options: 24 lb. and 32 lb..

Of the three resume paper weight options typically available 20 lb., 24 lb. and 32 lb. youll never regret splurging on 32 lb.

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Creating A Resume Skills Section

The skills section is an essential part of your resume. However, there are several different ways to approach creating yours.

Here are a few examples demonstrating the different ways you can format your resumes skills section:

Example 1

If you have many relevant hard and soft skills, add them to your resume skills section using separate bullet points, like this:

If youre a student or recent graduate and have no significant job skills yet, there are still plenty of things you can list in your resume skills section. Heres an example of a skills section written by a candidate with no work experience:

Example 2

Another way to organize your skills section is by using bars to provide employers a rough estimate of your proficiency.

This type of skills section is particularly popular with more creative professions, like graphic design or social media management:

What Resume Paper Weight Should I Choose

We recommend using a 24 lb or 32 lb paper for your resume.

For comparison, the most common paper weight used for regular printer paper is 20 lb. The heavier the paper weight, the thicker the paper.

A resume printed on 24 lb or 32 lb will feel slightly sturdier.

However, we don’t recommend choosing a paper over 32 lb, as you’ll start approaching cardboard territory.

Generally speaking, resume paper is less flimsy and will also stand out in a stack of resumes printed on regular paper. Its also less likely to get damaged when passed around the office.

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Finding The Best Resume Format Examples

Of course, reading about it is one thing, but seeing how these resumes look is another. If youre interested in seeing examples of how these resumes look in person, head on over to our How to Make a Resume 101 article. Just make sure, no matter which format you choose, that youre targeting it for the job youre applying to.

We also have to give some credit where credit is due. Our pals over at NovoResume have put together some really great content about resume format over on their site, along with a few great examples. This will be a great companion to the information we have already taught you here!

Spelling And Grammar Mistakes

Always proofread your resume before you send it out! This includes double checking your contact information. It wont do you any good if you have the perfect resume and employers who want to hire you if they keep calling the wrong number or emailing the wrong email. Double check! Thencheck again!

Similarly, dont forget about punctuation! According to the Cawley Career Education Center at Georgetown University, be consistent in your use of punctuation throughout the document. For instance, either use periods at the end of all your bullets or not. Great advice!

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What Is A Resume

A resume is a summary of your career, whether yours is just getting started or has been going on for years. Coming in at around one page in length , it showcases the jobs youve held and currently hold, the responsibilities youve taken on, the skills youve developed, and the qualities you bring to the table as an employee. Together, those things make it super easy for any hiring manager to see your qualifications and fit for a role.

For all the work you may put into writing one, hiring managers actually spend very little timemere seconds in many caseslooking at your resume. But despite this sad fact, its safe to say that creating a great resume still matters.

If you miss the mark, your resume may never be read. Even worse, you might be removed from the applicant pool by a computer before a human even knows you exist, says Muse career coach Heather Yurovsky, founder of Shatter & Shine. So you want to get it right because, as she explains, isnt the goal to spend less time looking for a job and more time in a role you love?

And although LinkedIn has plenty of benefits, a resume has one clear advantage: While your LinkedIn is usually a broader picture of your career trajectory, your resume gives you the opportunity to tailor your career story to a specific role or company .

Oh, and youve probably heard of something called a CV? Its slightly different from a resume, and usually more common with academics and job seekers outside the U.S.

What Are Employers Looking For In A Resume

Hiring managers look for three things on your resume, What did you do? Why did you do it? And what was the result? says Muse career coach , owner of Career Therapy. If you can answer all three of these questions in…your resume bullet points, youre going to be on the right track.

Clear, easy-to-understand language is key. The truth is that most resumes make no sense. They are stuffed with jargon, they are too technical, and they are filled with redundancies. Try to read a resume that isnt yours and you will quickly realize that it feels like an alien wrote it, McGovern adds. Put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter who has no idea how your role workshow can you make your resume accessible to them?

The hiring manager also cares about more than just you and you alonethey care about you in relation to them. Hiring managers want to see if a candidate matches the requirements of the role theyre hiring for, Yurovsky explains. Your resume should paint this picture so the hiring manager not only knows what day-to-day responsibilities you can handle, but why you, above other, bring value to their organization.

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Is Resume Paper Necessary White Or Ivory We Answer Faqs About Printing Your Resume

Although most of us now apply for jobs online, it is still best practice to bring a few paper copies of your resume to job interviews and career fairs.

Just as a well-designed, sturdy business card can speak volumes, a resume printed on high-quality paper demonstrates your professionalism.

Instead of using standard printer paper, we recommend taking the quality of your resume paper up a notch.

It’s a small touch that can give you yet another edge over other applications, which alone is worth investing in.

In this post, we discuss:

• The ideal resume paper weight
• Which resume paper color to choose
• Our favorite resume paper brand and where to buy it

Choose The Most Suitable Format

Before you start writing anything, the first step is to decide on the right format for your resume. There are three basic resume formats used by job seekers today: reverse-chronological, functional, and combination. Each format has advantages and disadvantages based on how the resume sections are arranged:

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About The Authormatt Glodz

Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents.

At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background – which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication – to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over eight years.

The Best Resume Format Guide For 2021

By now, as a seasoned job hunter and student of The Interview Guys, you should know there are a few essentials you should have in your arsenal: business cards, a solid cover letter, your elevator pitch, and your well-formatted resume.

Hang on, havent we already gone over all this in that other article, How to Make a Resume 101?

Yesand no.

In that article we did go over how to write a resume, but in this article, were going to take you to the next step and focus specifically on one seemingly small but massively huge part of resume building: resume format and how to select which one is right for you in 2021.

FREE BONUS PDF CHECKLIST: Get our “Perfect Resume CHECKLIST” that gives you a handy 38-point Checklist that will let you craft the perfect resume.

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When Do You Need A Physical Copy Of Your Resume

Its highly recommended that you bring one for an interview even if the hiring manager doesnt specifically ask for it. It might occur that they dont have a copy of your resume in front of them, and if you put it in front of the interviewers eyes, it will show your preparedness and stimulate the conversation.

Always have a paper resume with you when attending an industry event or a job fair. If you meet someone who works for your dream company, you can hand them a copy instantly. And if you happen to be one of the few people who bothered to hand their resume in person, you have every chance to get noticed.

Resume Paper Brands You Can Use

Now that you know which things you will need to take into consideration when choosing a resume paper. Here is a list of paper brands you can consider when picking a ream of paper:

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Why Is Resume Format So Important

As any good Interview Guys student will tell you, a resume is a document used by job seekers to quickly and easily let a hiring manager know what skills they have, what their work history is, and any accomplishments they might have.

Seems simple, right?

Well, it is, but only if you know what youre doing. The tricky part of writing your own resume is its a deceptive document.

No, not deceptive as in you use it to lie to an employer about what you can do , but deceptive in that it seems like it should be really easy to write.

Trust me, its much easier to write a bad resume than a good oneand there are a LOT of bad ones out there, which, believe it or not, is a good thing.

Wait. Its good that there are bad resumes out there? That doesnt make any sense!

Yes, and the reason is, when a recruiter or hiring manager has to slog through a mountain of bad resumes, seeing a good resume is like a breath of fresh air. It stands out!

And if you follow our guide, that breath of fresh air resume is going to be yours!

But first, we need to figure out what type of resume format you need.

Where To Print Your Resume

The most convenient and affordable option for printing on your own resume paper is probably your own printer.

However, be mindful about printing on different textures! Laid and linen textures can make your printer ink bleed and you dont want your resume ruined.

If you dont own a printer try one in your university campus or your local library. Bear in mind that it can be tricky to print on your own paper on public printers.

Other options include:

• Staples Cloud Printing
• OfficeDepot

If you want to support local businesses try finding a Copy and Print shop near you by typing: copy print shop

Christys word of advice

Christy Morgan, Resident HR Expert

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Avoid Gimmicks And Errors

Once in a while, you’ll read about a job candidate who successfully used a gimmicky resume to get the attention of a potential employer. Human resources professionals, however, overwhelmingly prefer resumes that communicate the candidate’s skills and qualifications clearly, honestly and professionally. According to a Harris Poll commissioned by the job website CareerBuilder, hiring managers identified mistakes that led them to dismiss a resume rather than schedule the candidate for an interview. At the top of the list: typographical and grammatical errors.

Best Resume Fonts To Use

Choosing the right resume font can seem like an impossible task, especially as there are hundreds of choices available. Making sure your resume is readable is step number one.

You want to make sure that a potential employer can easily read it regardless of if its printed out or on a computer screen. Speaking of computer screens, not everyone is on the same operating system which means a unique or quirky font on your screen might show up as code or nonsense on someone elses.

And nobodys hiring nonsense.

Your resume is a professional representation of who you are, and as such, should look professional.

Many companies these days use an automated applicant tracking software to first pre-qualify candidates and the last thing you want to do is get sorted to the bottom of the pile, or worse, rejected, because the computer program didnt recognize your font or had difficulty reading it.

Sans Serifs fonts are fonts which are clean, crisp, sleek, and most importantly, scanner-friendly! Theyre also eyeball-friendly which means a hiring manager reading it wont have any issues trying to figure out what theyre looking at or run into eye-strain.

Stick to fonts like Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS, Century Gothic, Gill Sans MT , Lucida Sans and Tahoma.

Of course, over here at The Interview Guys, well confess that were partial to Helvetica. Its a flawless blend of style and clarity.

Try to stay between 10.5 and 12 points. Any smaller and its hard to read.

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