When applying for a new job, you need to research the company, make sure the job is a right fit for your experience and skills, create your resume, write your cover letter and send in all your application materials. One step that you may forget about is choosing the paper to print your cover letter on. You want to make sure all your application materials, including your cover letter, are presentable when you send them out.

Use the paper you chose for your resume as a guide. Most resumes are printed on standard 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper. This is the size you should use for your resume and cover letter.

Think about the impression you want to make on the employer when choosing the type of paper to print your cover letter on. You can use standard computer paper, but professional resume paper looks and feels more professional. It's thicker and usually made from 100 percent cotton.

Decide whether or not you want to use standard white paper or a tinted paper. The cotton resume paper comes in a variety of colors, including a light tan, pink, gray and blue. Choosing paper that has a slight tint in color can help your cover letter stand out from the crowd.