Careers Now

By Joyce Lain Kennedy
Email: jlk@sunfeatures.com

DEAR JOYCE: I admit a commercial interest in suggesting that you discuss the difference the use of fine paper for résumés, cover letters and follow-up thank you notes can make in the mind of the interviewer between just another person and someone a company wants to hire. I enclose a press kit on behalf of my client, Southworth Company (southworth.com). -- Honora Horan.

Okay, you got me. You do mention a point now routinely overlooked since the electronic age chased out most hard copy résumés. People have forgotten the difference between copy- and cotton-fiber paper in the job search.

Readers, if you are a white-collar worker interacting face-to-face or mailing your self-marketing materials, putting your résumés on high quality cotton-fiber paper stands out and is worth the money and effort. And handwritten notes on fine business card stock are likely to engender an impression of quality in the writer.

E-mail career questions for possible use in this column to Joyce Lain Kennedy at jlk@sunfeatures.com, or mail her at Box 368, Cardiff, CA 92007. Sorry, the volume of mail makes personal replies impossible.

© 2004 Tribune Media Services, Inc.