What Paper to Print a Resume On (and Where to Print It)

Interview in the morning, no printer at home, and a nagging question about whether plain copy paper looks cheap.

Plain white printer paper works for most resumes. For a face-to-face interview, job fair, or mailed application, many career guides suggest resume paper instead: a heavier sheet in white, ivory, or cream. Indeed's resume paper FAQ says typical copy paper is 20 pound and suggests 24- or 32-pound paper. No printer? Bring the file on your phone, by email, or on a USB drive to a print counter. We stock resume paper at The Mail Station in Monroe — see our printing services.

That's the short version. The longer one matters, because the paper is the last thing that should cost you a job. The words on the page come first. Paper is the handshake.

It's a question we hear at our counter on Old Owen Road. A customer walks in with a phone in one hand and a job posting in the other. The resume is done. The home printer is out of ink, or it's been gone since the last move. And the question is always some version of: "Does it matter what I print this on?"

Sometimes. Here's how to tell.

What paper to print a resume on, by where it's going

If you only remember one row: paper matters most when a person will hold it. When a computer reads it, paper doesn't matter at all.

What is resume paper, exactly?

Resume paper is just a nicer sheet. Indeed describes it as thicker than standard printing or copy paper, sometimes in a different material and color. The extra thickness means fewer ink bleeds and smudges.

You'll see a few kinds on store shelves:

• Cotton. The classic. Indeed calls it crisp and formal, and says more cotton means a nicer feel.
• Linen. A light woven texture you can feel with your thumb.
• Parchment and granite (speckled) papers show up too. They're fine. They also draw more attention to the paper than to you, which is the wrong trade for most jobs.

Paper weight, in plain numbers

Paper weight is the thing people trip over. Indeed explains that everyday copy paper is 20 pound. It suggests 24 pound as a step up that still runs through most home printers, and 32 pound as heavier and more opaque, though many home printers struggle to feed it.

Those numbers are general paper guidance, not a list of what's on our shelf. When you come in, ask what we have that day and we'll show you.

What color?

Keep it quiet. UIUC suggests neutral colors like white or cream. Southwest Minnesota State lists white, ivory, beige, or ecru, and warns that dark colors and pastels are hard to scan and copy. It also says to skip watermarks, because they distract the reader.

Our take: white is never wrong. Ivory is a fine choice if your resume is plain black text. If your resume has a shaded sidebar or a colored header, print one test page on white first. Indeed notes that some design elements don't translate well onto ivory.

Can you print a resume on regular printer paper?

Yes, and you'd be in good company.

St. Olaf's career center tells students to use standard 20 lb printer paper. UIUC says buying special paper isn't necessary, as long as your copies look high quality. Those are two respected career offices saying the same thing: a clean, sharp print on white paper beats a smudgy print on expensive stock.

Where plain paper falls short:

• It's thin. Hold a 20-pound sheet up to a window and you can see light through it. That's fine for a form. It feels a bit flimsy in a folder at a panel interview.
• Inkjet ink can smear. Fresh ink on thin paper can smudge when the stack rubs together in a bag. That's an ink problem more than a paper problem, but thin paper makes it worse.
• It wrinkles. A resume that rode in a backpack next to a water bottle looks like it.

So the honest answer to "resume paper vs regular paper" is: regular paper is acceptable; resume paper is a small upgrade for the times someone holds it.

What about cardstock?

Skip it. People search "print resume cardstock" because they want something sturdy, and we get it. But cardstock is built for invitations, place cards, and signs. A resume on cardstock feels like a menu. It's also stiff, so it doesn't sit well in a folder with other papers. Even Indeed's heaviest suggestion, 32 pound, is still paper, and it already warns that home printers struggle with it.

If you want "sturdy," ask for resume paper. If you want "stands out," fix the top third of the page instead.

Paper vs screen: why your file matters more than the sheet

Here's the part people forget. Many resumes go into an online system before a person ever reads them.

St. Olaf explains that many organizations use automated application systems that search resumes for keywords from the job posting. UIUC warns that fancy fonts, unusual layouts, and graphics may not render properly and might be rejected by Applicant Tracking System scanners. Paper copies get scanned too. Indeed says to stick with the standard 8.5 x 11 inch size so hiring managers can easily file it, or scan it and send it to colleagues.

What that means for you:

• Keep a clean PDF. It's what you'll upload, and it's what we'll print from.
• Use a common font. St. Olaf suggests well-known fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Garamond, or Times New Roman at 10 to 14 points.
• Go easy on boxes and graphics. They look good on screen and confuse scanners.
• Two pages? St. Olaf says to put your name and phone number at the top of page two. If the pages get separated, both still have your name.

Where can you print your resume on resume paper?

Indeed's own answer is a public library, an office supply store, or a copy and print shop. Each one fits a different situation around Monroe.

The library. Great for cheap black-and-white pages. But Sno-Isle Libraries, which runs the Monroe Library, says in its printing FAQ that you can't bring your own paper — its printer lease requires library-supplied paper only. So the library is a plain-paper option. For library print costs and how they compare to a counter, see Need Copies Made in Monroe?.

WorkSource. If you're in an active job search, WorkSource Everett lists free access to computers, printers, and copiers, plus help with resume development and mock interviews. That's a real resource, and we'd point a friend there for resume feedback.

A walk-in print counter. This is where you go when you want the nicer paper and someone to help get the file off your phone. We stock resume paper. You bring the file, tell us how many copies, and we print it at the counter. For the full list of what we print, see printing services.

How to get your resume file to the counter

You don't need a laptop. The ways we accept files are covered step by step in Print From Your Phone Near Me?. For a resume, the short version:

1. Upload it at /print/. It takes PDF, Word (DOC or DOCX), and image files up to 5 MB each. You'll get a pickup code, and it's also texted to the phone number you used to send it. Show the code at the counter.
2. Email it to print@mailstationmonroe.com. Attach the actual file, not a Google Drive or iCloud link that asks us to sign in.
3. Bring a USB drive. Name the file something you'll recognize, like "Lastname-Resume.pdf."
4. Open it on your phone at the counter if you're stuck, and we'll help you get it to the printer.

One tip from the counter: send the PDF, not the Word file, when you can. Word documents sometimes shift on a different computer. A line wraps, a bullet jumps, and suddenly your one-page resume has a lonely last line on page two. A PDF holds its shape.

Before you print: a quick check in the parking lot

Do this in the car if you have to. We'd rather you catch a typo before it's on a stack of nice paper.

• Your phone number and email are right. Read them out loud.
• The file is the latest version (check the date you last saved it).
• It's a PDF if you can make one; Word or an image if that's what you have.
• If it's two pages, your name and phone are at the top of page two.
• You know how many copies you need: one per interviewer, plus a spare or two.
• You've decided: plain white, or resume paper in white or a light neutral.
• Your cover letter and reference page will go on the same paper as the resume (UIUC and St. Olaf both say to match).
• You have a folder to carry them flat.

Carrying and handing it over

A few small things that make the paper choice pay off:

• Carry it flat. A plain folder keeps corners sharp. Southwest Minnesota State also notes that folding can crack the print on some paper stocks.
• Paper clip, not staple, for a job fair. Your pages may get split up, copied, or scanned later, and a clip is easier to undo. (That's our opinion, not a rule.)
• Mailing it? Use a 9 x 12 envelope so it arrives unfolded, as SMSU suggests. Not sure how to send it? Ask at the counter and we'll help you pick an option.
• Don't laminate it. It sounds like protection. It isn't. A laminated resume is hard to write notes on, copy, or file. The same goes for your diploma, which makes our list of documents you should never laminate.

Frequently asked questions

What paper should I print my resume on?

For most job seekers, white or ivory resume paper is a safe choice for in-person interviews and job fairs. Indeed suggests 24- or 32-pound paper instead of standard 20-pound copy paper. For online applications, skip paper and send a PDF.

Where can I print my resume on resume paper?

At a print counter or office supply store that keeps resume paper on hand. The Mail Station in Monroe stocks resume paper. Bring the file on your phone, by email, on a USB drive, or upload it at /print/.

Can I print my resume on regular printer paper?

Yes. St. Olaf's career center recommends standard 20 lb paper, and UIUC says special paper isn't necessary as long as the copies look clean. Resume paper is a small upgrade for times when someone will hold it.

Can I print a resume from my phone?

Yes. Upload the file at /print/ and the pickup code is texted to your phone, or email the file to us and walk in. Full steps are in Print From Your Phone Near Me?.

How much does it cost to print a resume?

It depends on the paper and how many copies you need. Ask at the counter or call (360) 805-9250 for today's price. We don't list print prices in blog posts.

Need your resume printed in Monroe?

If the file is on your phone, in your inbox, or on a thumb drive, you're set. Bring it to The Mail Station on Old Owen Road, tell us how many copies and whether you want plain white or resume paper, and we'll print it at the counter. Job seekers from Monroe, Sultan, Gold Bar, and Snohomish stop in for exactly this kind of job.

The Mail Station Monroe
19916 Old Owen Road, Monroe, WA 98272
(360) 805-9250 · print@mailstationmonroe.com
Mon–Fri 9 AM–6 PM · Sat 9 AM–2 PM · Sun closed

Upload your resume · Printing and copy services · Contact us

Related Reading

• Print From Your Phone Near Me? 5 Ways to Do It in Monroe — upload, email, USB, or show us the phone
• Need Copies Made in Monroe? What to Bring to the Counter — copies of paper originals, plus library printing vs our counter
• What Can You Print at a Walk-In Counter in Monroe? — the wider walk-in printing overview
• What File and Paper to Bring to Print Flyers? — the same file-and-paper question for yard sales and school events
• Printer Died? How to Get Documents Printed Today — when the home printer quits before a deadline
• Can You Print USCIS Forms Double-Sided? No. — when the paperwork has strict print rules
• 5 Documents You Should Never Laminate (And Why) — diplomas are on that list too
• What Should a Monroe Small Business Print Locally? — business cards, menus, and marketing stacks

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Written by The Mail Station Team in Monroe, WA. Paper weights, colors, and file tips come from Indeed, the UIUC Career Center, St. Olaf's Piper Center, and Southwest Minnesota State career services; library paper rules from Sno-Isle Libraries; WorkSource details from WorkSource Online. All linked above and checked October 16, 2026. Upload limits come from our print page.