The Final Frontier? The Abolition of the Print Resume

As I get ready for my first professional conference, the 2011 VRA + ARLIS/NA Joint Conference in Minneapolis, I am trying to prepare myself for the plethora of networking opportunities. This means having business cards, a sharp and up-to-date resume, and an amazing website. With everything being online and through email today, the idea of printing a business card and resume seem wildly antiquated.

I purchased my business cards from an awesome online printer. The business cards are clean and slick with just the right amount of personality (I have coined the term a professional amount of personality when referring to many of the traditional professional endeavors). Business cards still seem to be an appropriate networking tool, especially for conferences. They are small and provide just enough information to peak the receiver's interest into possibly contacting you later.

On the other hand, the Printed Resume. This form of the resume seems terribly old fashioned and frivolous. Possibly I feel this way because I have never been in the position in which handing out copies of my resume has ever been needed. Usually, every job (and internship) I have applied for has had either an online application or a request to email a resume and cover letter. I always bring copies of my resume to interviews, but only as a backup, the interviewers always have plenty of copies.

So, when it became time for me to consider my situation- handing out copies of my (awesome!) resume would probably be a good idea- I was faced with a strange situation: How do I print out my Resume? I know, it seems like a silly question, but I've never been faced with this type of situation. I did what any good librarian would do, I researched the matter. I checked out library career websites and general career websites alike. Every site typically recommend printing on some form of resume paper and getting a copy shop to print them. Resume paper seems so boring, clunky, and old. I don't want to seem to pretentious or weird if no one else has resume paper, right?

My resume is going to be the first thing that many important people are going to see. Perhaps it will be the only thing they will remember me by. Instead of my resume being used in conjunction with an interview, my resume will now have to stand as a surrogate me. Not to mention all of the other new professional vying for the same opportunities as myself.

I feel as if I need to constantly skate this fine line between old, traditional, and stuffy professional and new, edgy, personality laced professional. I've mastered it in my business cards, I'm almost mastered it in my wardrobe (J.Crew shopping trip this weekend!), but I can't seem to float the line in my printed resume.