Printing and Mailing Resumes

You’ve spent a considerable amount of time creating an effective resume. It is important to make sure your resume is printed and mailed in a professional manner. After you finished your resume, use a laser printer to get a professional quality document. If your own computer cannot adequately print your resume, you can use the laser printers in the Career Services library (BA 156) or use one of the computer labs on campus.

Resume Paper

• Use resume paper which can be purchased from Career Services, the Campus Book Store, local copy centers (e.g. Henle Printing, Kinko’s, Office Max), and discount retailers (e.g. Target and Wal-Mart). Resume paper is a higher grade paper. It can be smooth or textured—avoid watermarks as this may be a distraction to the reader of your resume.
• Choose conservative colors—white, ivory, beige or ecru are the best. Stay away from dark colors and pastels. These colors don’t convey a professional imagine and are difficult to scan and copy.

Mailing your Resume

Although it is acceptable to fold your cover letter and resume when mailing it to an employer, it is recommended that you send both documents, unfolded, in a 9 x 12 envelope. An unfolded document not only looks more professional, but also is easier to photocopy and reproduce. Additionally, depending on the paper stock you choose, folding can cause the print to crack. Appearances are important.

Cover Letters

Any time you send your resume, you also want to include a cover letter. If this is your first connection to the employer or if you’ve had several conversations with them, don’t assume that they know who you are, remember who you are or know why you are sending the resume. Employers are extremely busy and work with multiple candidates at one time. Make their jobs easier and send a cover letters.