It is fascinating that some of our most critical professional moments - the ones that can alter the course of our professional careers - occur in the 30-minute interview setting. Despite all of the experience we have built over years, we are tasked with giving the strongest first impression in this short window to our potential future employers.
The importance of first impressions
Most of us learned growing up that we can only make a good first impression
once. This grade-school advice only grows in importance as we enter the workforce and move upward in our careers. As we march towards interviews and career fairs we know how important it is to make our best first impressions. We check all of our boxes prior to interview day: dry clean our suits, polish our shoes, have a list of good questions for the interviewer ready, and have enough have crisp prints of our resume on resume paper handy.
What is resume paper?
Resume paper is a specialty paper product designed specifically for resume printing. Resume paper offers premium quality, fit for a formal interview setting. Resume paper delivers premium weight, texture, composition, and color - separating it from traditional copy paper.
Why do we love resume paper?
Resume paper is one of the key ways that interviewees showcase their polish and preparation during an interview. Just like polished shoes and dry-cleaned suits, resume paper helps us subtly distinguish our personal brand in an interview.
Resume paper is also unique in that it is the only will be seen and held by your interviewer. Because of this, the most prepared interviewees know that resume paper packs a number of positive signals into our first impression: With a simple gesture we can signal that you thought ahead about the interviewer needing resume prints, that you take the opportunity seriously, and that you have elevated standards for taste and quality.
What do I look for in resume paper?
When compared to regular copy paper, resume paper has elevated composition, weight, texture, and color. Let's break down what this means and what to look for in your resume paper product.
Resume paper composition
Resume paper gets it's premium weight and feel because it is made differently than copy paper. The best resume paper is created from virgin wood fibers or cotton. Using these types of sources give the paper an elevated weight and feel.
Resume paper weight
Paper has a common unit of measurement in the U.S., and that unit of measurement is 'pounds'. You may know that regular copy paper is referred to as '20 lb' paper.
Resume paper should be heavier than your standard copy paper, around 28 lb. To give you an idea, 28 lb paper is 40% heavier than copy paper. A 32lb resume paper product would be 60% heavier than regular copy paper.
Resume paper texture
High quality resume paper should also be distinguishable from regular copy 
paper in its feel to the touch. Often resume paper will carry a linen or fiber texture that will give the product a very distinct and crisp feel - sort of like a crisp new $20 bill! Most resume paper brands will allow a small cutout in their packaging to see and feel the physical paper so that you can experience the product's texture. If purchasing online, look for product close-ups that illustrate good paper texture.
Resume paper color
Resume paper often offers a distinguished look and feel through professional off-white color tones. Ivory resume paper is the most common color that offers a professional and distinguished look. The second most popular resume paper color is simply white resume paper.
Ivory resume paper is perhaps a bit more more distinguished than white resume paper. An off-white paper immediately signals your professionalism and attention to detail. Special texture is also visible on ivory resume paper, making it more obvious that you are printing on premium paper. The old saying is that ivory resume paper helps your resume stand out in a stack at a career fair.
White resume paper offers elevated quality above your everyday copy paper because it has special paper texture, special cotton composition, and heavier paper weight. In terms of its style, white resume paper is clean and modern, if a bit less distinguishable from regular paper than ivory resume paper would be.
What and where to buy
We like Magnum Opus Resume Paper, which is often available for 1-day delivery 
via Amazon Prime. This paper offers a light, modern shade of ivory and at 28 lbs offers a perfect blend of substance and style. The virgin fibers offer a premium look and feel that we haven't seen with other resume paper products.
About Resumates
Resumates is an online resume printing service: we print your finished resume and deliver it to your door in two days, saving you precious hours to prepare for your upcoming interview or career fair. Our resume printing options are on premium paper, including multi-page resumes. Skip the copy shop and relying on that old dusty old printer - simply upload your resume, select your favorite paper, and receive 25 prints of your finished resume within two days.