In 1998, New York-based career research company Vault.com conducted a survey of 211 career center professionals, from both undergraduate schools and business schools in 35 states. The career professionals were asked questions ranging from when candidates should send a thank you note after interviews, to how effective it is to include standardized test scores on resumes. Among the survey's findings: 56 percent believe that 12 point is the best font size for cover letters and resume, and 62 percent believe white is the best color paper for them (35 percent think ecru-white/beige is best).

Here are some tips on making a professional impression with your resume.

Don't get creative. Really. What you want in a font is not a decorative design choice, but a simple, easily read font that shows you mean business. In other words, when looking for a font, think gray suit.

Unacceptable Fonts:

• Courier font: if you didn't have to write your cover letter on a 1930's travel typewriter, why make it look like you did? This font looks like the default font of a malfunctioning computer and is also notorious as the typeface that mediocre high school students use because of its massive, page-filling size. Do you really want such a dishonest font representing your words?

• Say no to anything that looks remotely like handwriting or hints at it, like italicized versions of regular fonts. This is a business document, not a thank you note to a neighbor. And these fonts are difficult to read.

• Avoid any font that looks like it would be more appropriate on a mediaeval manuscript or the label of a malt liquor bottle. No Ye Olde Fonts. No historical-period fonts at all, for that matter. No art-deco twenties, no early-eighties computer geekdom.

Whatever you choose, remember this: what impresses readers the most should not be the letters on the page but the words they spell.

Paper:

A stroll through most business supply stores will reveal a sea of paper choices, from traditional plain white to hot pink and purple. Outlandishly colored resumes are to be used by people whose jobs demand more dramatic visual statements: hairdressers, fashion designers, and clowns. The rest of us need to focus on the understated dignity of whites, light grays, and ecru. Says one career center professional: "White seems to have the most professional feel." Says another: "I like Ecru-White - it has a richness that adds a classy touch to resumes and cover letters." A helpful word advice: "No pastels - ever."

Finally, make sure to use the same paper that you use for your cover letter.