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If there’s one piece of paper that makes more impact than any other, it’s your résumé. Usually only a page or two, this document is one thing you want to make a great first impression.

By printing your résumé on specialty paper from PaperDirect, you can add a touch of professional sophistication that will always stand out from the pile of plain paper résumés.

To help you make sure the content on your résumé is as polished and attention-grabbing as the stationery, check out these dos and don’ts from the pros:

DO: Be Specific

It’s easy to list the duties you performed on your résumé, but try to think a little more about what you helped your employer accomplish when you performed those duties. Rather than mentioning you were “responsible for filing client records,” consider specifying the goal you accompished. Instead, try saying you “streamlined client database by developing and implementing a new filing system.” Now you’ve demonstrated how your work helped the business!

DON’T: Copy and Paste

Each applicant is different, as well as the employers and companies that are doing the hiring. Don’t use the same résumé (or cover letter, for that matter) for every application. Depending on the position, you may want to include certain skills and tailor your statement of purpose in order to more closely match the job description. Those details show the hiring manager that you paid close attention to the position requirements.

DO: Think Digital

In today’s world, when nearly everything can be done online, you should think the same way and give the hiring manager a way to learn more about you. Include a link to your LinkedIn profile or a portfolio of your work samples, if relevant. Make sure your LinkedIn profile matches your résumé by keeping all the information up-to-date.

DON’T: Cut Important Information

After listing specific job skills and responsibilities, many people forget to include non-work related activities that could give them an extra edge. Remember to include a brief summary of any organizations, clubs, volunteer projects, or other interesting extra-curricular activities to give the employer an idea of who you are as a person in and out of the office. Even a sport or hobby can make an interesting talking point, but keep the list short and still focus on the most relevant skills first.

DO: Make It Pretty

If you print on a high-quality paper from PaperDirect, make the résumé text just asvisually pleasing by keeping the layout simple, uncluttered, and of course, error-free. Try to keep the font and formatting similar, with just a few headers and sub headers for emphasis and organization.

Remember, With a stylish résumé paper from PaperDirect, you’ll get the right kind of attention! Good luck!

When it comes to writing cover letters, there’s simply no room for error. In this highly competitive marketplace, if you have a mistake on your cover letter, or if you have included information that does not belong in a cover letter, then you’re going to be quickly eliminated from the running. Your cover letter must not only be perfectly composed and error-free, it must stand out from the rest and get you noticed. But, most importantly, your cover letter has to be helpful to the person in charge of hiring. Check out these tips PaperDirect has compiled to help you.

Do’s and Don’ts of Cover Letters

Here are some cover letter do’s and don’ts and some of the most common mistakes people make.

• Do address your letter to a specific person; you must do everything you can to find out who will be reviewing your resume and cover letter and include that person’s name on the letter if at all possible.
• Do send an original letter for each position you apply for
• Do use a neutral salutation and avoid “Gentleman,” “Madam,” and other sexist salutations
• Do speak to the specific job requirements
• Do keep your cover letter brief and to the point
• Do quantify and give examples of why you are more qualified than the other applicants
• Do answer the question, “Why should I hire this person?”

Don’ts:

• Don’t use cliches like “Enclosed please find my resume”; the person reviewing the cover letter will see your resume
• Don’t send a cover letter with typos or other mistakes
• Don’t send a resume without a cover letter
• Don’t depend on the hiring manager or employer to act first. Request action such as an interview, and tell the employer that you’ll follow up to see if that’s a possibility. Then do so. Don’t promise to take action and then fail to do so.

Most Common Cover Letter Mistakes

Some of the most common cover letter mistakes are sending out a cookie cutter cover letter for numerous jobs and not addressing the cover letter to a certain individual. Starting off weakly with something like, “I am applying for…” will cause your reader to immediately lose interest. Instead, start your cover letter with something more dynamic like, “Your need for an experienced Web developer is a good match for my six years of experience in…”

Another common mistake is that people make their cover letters too long. Limit all cover letters to two short paragraphs for emails and 3-5 short paragraphs for a faxed cover letter. A very common cover letter mistake is that people summarize their resume. You don’t want to do this as it wastes the hiring manager’s time. Focus on the parts of your background that are directly related to the job and note any relevant accomplishments, classes or certifications.

Don’t forget to include your contact information and make sure it’s accurate. Inaccurate contact information is actually a common mistake on cover letters and resumes. Failing to proofread is the most common mistake.

And remember, if your cover letter has one typo, you will most likely be omitted from the pool of applicants.

Be sure to order resume paper from PaperDirect for all your cover letter needs this year.

In tough economic times, job hunting can be a daunting task because of the sense of urgency that accompanies the job search, but with the right “stuff” and a stellar resume, you will get noticed by employers. Printing your resume on the best resume paper in the business will show companies hiring that you have got what it takes to be an asset to the team.

Best Resume Paper–PaperDirect

With so much competition out there in the job market, you really do have to stand out and make sure your resume gets moved to the top of the pile and not the trash can. While the type of resume paper you choose may not seem like a big deal, when all employers have is the resume to decide who gets the interview, yours must be the very best. PaperDirect is your resume paper headquarters and provides a huge selection of colors and everything from plain linen to colored parchment.

Some of our best sellers are the Perfectly Plain 28 and 38 lb letter paper, Linen 32lb Letter Paper and Earth Tones Letterhead Stock.

PaperDirect has so much more than resume paper to help get you prepared for the job market. If you need high quality envelopes, we have those, and if you need business start-up tools like business cards and such, PaperDirect has a huge selection of professional business cards for all types of budgets.

In today’s tough job market, it takes a little creativity to stand out from all the rest of the applicants for a particular job. While a  professional-looking, neat, succinct resume will certainly get the job done (no pun intended), it may not really stand out from a stack of 200 or 300 other resumes.

One thing to keep in mind as you ponder creative resume ideas is that more is not always better. A resume that is too “busy” or has too many graphics may actually hurt your chances of being considered for the position. You can be creative without being excessive. Here are some unique resume ideas that my put yours on the top of the stack:

• 3-D resume
• Flyer resume
• Fabric resume
• Fold-up resume
• Infographic resume (indicate job history with colored pie chart or show education with a color-coded timeline)
• Magazine cover resume (set up your resume to resemble the cover of a magazine)
• Newspaper classified ad resume (design your resume to look like the classified ads section of a newspaper)

To make your resume unique, you can design it based on the job for which you’re applying. An example of this would be for an illustrator to build a resume that resembles a common type of illustration (a comic book, perhaps). Teachers could put their information into the shape of an apple or make their resume look like a chalkboard. As long as the resume is original and not cutesy or immature, the prospective employer will probably be impressed with your initiative and creativity. A poet or some other type of writer might consider putting his/her resume information into verse format or have the resume paper resemble a scroll.  Applying for a bartender position? Put your information in the shape of a martini glass. That will surely get the employer’s attention! When it comes to unique resume ideas, the possibilities are endless.

If you’d rather stick with a more traditional resume format, please view these resume samples, but if you’re looking for something more creative, you may want to try some of the ideas mentioned above (or maybe you have some unique resume ideas up your sleeve!).

Regardless of the type of resume you create, it’s important to use good quality resume paper and to include a business card if you have one. With so many people looking for work, you really must have e a unique resume to get noticed.

To land that next job, you’ll more than likely have to submit a resume. HR departments get flooded with resumes whenever a job opening is posted, so having a resume ready will save you from having to rush around to make one. But, you want to custom tailor each resume you send out, since some experiences will be more important than others to different employers. While the basic structure of a resume is relatively standard, there are different things you can do to stand out. Here are three sample resume examples you can base your own off of:

Regardless of how you do your resume, you want it on good rag bond paper. At the top, you’ll want your name and address in a clean, easy to read font. Centered is usually most effective, but to the left and right can work as well with a divider line. Here’s a couple of resume examples.

John Doe
123 Anystreet
Your Town, Your State     12345
Home: (123) 456-7890     Cell: (123) 456-7890
Email address: johndoe@emailaddress.com

John Doe
123 Anystreet
Your Town, Your State     12345
Home: (123) 456-7890     Cell: (123) 456-7890
Email address: johndoe@emailaddress.com

John Doe
123 Anystreet
Your Town, Your State     12345
Home: (123) 456-7890     Cell: (123) 456-7890
Email address: johndoe@emailaddress.com

While there are variations on this, different fonts and styles, this is the basic options. As for the main body, you’ll want to highlight the last couple of jobs as well as whatever specific highlights from your career that is pertinent to the new job. Custom tailor the resume to each job you’re applying for to emphasize skills.

For instance, say you’re a graphics designer with a lot of video experience. You’ll list your job experience, but tailor the duties for each job you’re looking at applying for. For a print job, a resume example would be:

“Has experience with Adobe Creative Suite with emphasis on Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign.”

Whereas a video based job may read:
“Has experience with Adobe Creative Suite with emphasis on Flash Catalyst, After Effects and Encore”

And for a web designer position the description in this resume example would read:
“Has experience with Adobe Creative Suite with emphasis on Dreamweaver, Flash Builder and Fireworks.”

All three statements are true, yet pointed directly at the job you’re applying for. Other skills are implied, but in the interest of saving valuable real estate on a resume, only the most pertinent details are emphasized.

Lastly, you’ll want to put your education and references on the second page. Limit your resume to 2 pages as the HR people won’t take the time to go through an extensive one. Put your education on top, with emphasis on degrees and activities that pertain specifically to the job. And tailor your references the same way. Those references who will attest to your skill set for the job you’re applying for will be the most effective.

Making a resume specific to the job is going to be the best way to get that next job. A generic resume may be acceptable, but customizing each resume will give you a much better chance of going for the interview and getting that next job.