The best laid plans in the world can crumble if you don't use the appropriate tools from start to finish. How often have you had to fix a household appliance or toy only to find out your traditional screwdriver doesn't work well on Phillips head screws?
Remember that when you are trying to do a credible job of attracting the attention of potential employers, you must use the proper writing and copying tools to address an envelope, compose the cover letter and present your resume.
MISCONCEPTION: Your eye-popping qualifications will get an employer's attention regardless of the vehicle you use to present them.
REALITY: Regardless of your qualifications, correspondence that is difficult to read will not get action.
So, when you're ready to prepare and start your presentation, a few items may need to be discarded from your workbench in favor of more reliable, state-of-the-art tools.
MISCONCEPTION: Colored stationery provides you with an excellent differentiating factor that will grab the attention of the readers.
REALITY: Over 40 percent of the job-hunting population uses colored stationery. So much for differentiation.
Colored Envelopes and Stationery Don't Differentiate
The problem here is that too many people have read books or listened to professionals who preach differentiation as the key to getting noticed in a job hunt.
One of the first ways inexperienced job seekers try to stand out from the pack is by using colored paper in the packaging of their qualifications. A quick survey of our files would reveal that over 40 percent of the job-seeking population uses colored stationery and envelopes. So much for differentiation!
The major problems posed by colored stationery are readability and reproducibility. Blues and grays, and some shades of ivory, create a screened background when copied or faxed. Imagine a personnel manager who has an ocean of resumes and letters to swim through. If yours is murky, forget it. Faxes and copiers don't do justice to colored paper.
Besides colors, heavily textured finishes, linens, and stamped stock above the 24-pound weight are difficult to fold, which results in wide creases that look terrible when unfolded. Also, stay away from erasable paper that looks and feels like onionskin. Save that for your children's book reports.
The safest bet with which to present your wares is a quality, bright white bond or lightly textured stock. Remember, there is a difference between cost and price, and the price you'll pay for cutting costs in your presentation materials could be significant.
Commercial Reproduction Machines Need to Be in Good Condition
Most candidates do not have access to state-of-the-art copiers and have to resort to the public machines found in drugstores, office-supply outlets, and libraries. Nothing's wrong with this provided the machines are maintained to deliver quality copies.
Also, there are many small printers in most towns that can provide assistance in selecting stationery and printing. If you shop around, you will find a printer that caters to the needs of the job seeker. These printers also have state-of-the-art copiers and fax machines that can be utilized if an employer or an agency requests an instant copy of your credentials.
Forwarding resumes that look too much like copies can send a signal that your search is the shotgun approach of mailing hundreds of cheaply reproduced resumes to anyone with an opening. Seek out a reliable copy machine that will make all of your correspondence look original.
Using letter-quality printers with neutral stationery is the best tool to minimize your chances of being knocked from the competition. Your first correspondence must project a progressive, professional image.
Take inventory of your tools and use the ones that make every piece of correspondence look custom-made and professional.
