Submitting a resume...

[MissWull]

So at this job fair I'm going to...I have to leave my resume at an information table...but I have some questions...

1. Is there anything that is professional that I could do to have my resume stand out? (Colored envelope/folder, etc...not sure what I'm looking for exactly)

2. I've heard to submit resume and cover letter inside an envelope (big enough to not have to fold the paper)...is this true? And where would I purchase such an envelope?

[MissFrizzle]

I would avoid anything flashy, I'd stick to neutral paper.... if you are leaving stuff at an info table, they may simply want the resume and cover letter w/o envelopes.. Otherwise a manilla envelope would be suitable I would think.

[Research_Parent]

Use a bright white paper (over 90)

Make sure you have your contact information as a header on everything. (Sort of like personal stationary)

Put your information in a 9x13 white envelope. They can be purchased at Staples, Office Max, or other office supply stores. Sometimes they can be found in the business supply section of Walmart, but not always. Put a return address label on the envelope.

And, if the district/school is one you definitely want to work at, ask in the cover letter to respond to you in the enclosed self-addressed stamped business envelope. Then, make sure its also in the 9x13 envelope addressed to you with the district name in the upper left corner.

Okay, I'm starting to give away some of my secrets to getting job offers, so I'm gonna stop now.

[MissFrizzle]

Thanks Research Parent,

I've been told that neutral paper is the way to go. I will be changing that to bright white.

[MissWull]

Research Parent:

Ok, got it. So I'm putting my name and address on the big envelope...nothing else? I just thought it would be odd leaving a huge blank envelope behind. Thanks for all the tips! Out of curiousity...what do you do in this field?

[snickydog]

Originally Posted by Research_Parent

Use a bright white paper (over 90)

So when you've gone to job fairs, you've used bright white paper instead of resume paper? (What a nice, less expensive option! )

[TeacherGroupie]

24-pound inkjet paper would be a good option. So would a nice slightly textured business paper - in any case, it's good to have a paper with a little more heft than ordinary copy paper. If there's a Kelly Paper store near you, or another store that caters to printers, see what they've got available by the ream (which really brings the price down per page, as opposed to the fifty-sheet resume sets).

[fireboat]

Originally Posted by MissWull

So at this job fair I'm going to...I have to leave my resume at an information table...but I have some questions...

1. Is there anything that is professional that I could do to have my resume stand out? (Colored envelope/folder, etc...not sure what I'm looking for exactly)

2. I've heard to submit resume and cover letter inside an envelope (big enough to not have to fold the paper)...is this true? And where would I purchase such an envelope?

I wouldn't do colored resume paper. I'd stick with bright white-- the heavier weight, the better.

As others here have said, the big manilla envelope is a good idea. I think folded paperwork seems less professional.

If you're looking for an idea to make it stand out, you might put a tiny bit of (tasteful) business-like color in your resume. WHen I did mine a few years back, I used dark blue for the headings (Objective / Education / Teaching Experience / etc.) and the rest of the text was in black. It was noticed and an interviewer even commented on how nice it was.

Another thing to add a bit of layout punch to your resume is add a thin-line border around it. If you're using Microsoft Word, just add a big, transparent box around the whole document. It gives it a clean, finished look.

Good luck.

- Tim