While online job seekers appreciate the paperless digital age, in-person candidates are often toting around dozens of documents to their interviews. Helping with this, resume folders can tidy up documents while looking stylish in the process.

Resume folders, an often slept on tool in the interview scene, present your papers in a strategic way that shows you’ve put thought into which documents an employer will access first.

Employers typically see dozens of applicants during interview hours. Leaving a thoughtful resume folder behind, therefore, is an excellent way to lend yourself more exposure and minimize follow-up after the interview. Not only are resume folders practical, but they’re a strategic piece of personal branding that sets you apart from waves of other candidates.

It’s easy to talk the talk, so here are five bonafide benefits of resume folders.

Upgraded professional appearance

The perfect accompaniment to a suit and tie is a personalized resume folder, especially at a formal interview. Having a stylish folder under the crook of your arm while the candidate next to you is carrying their loose-leaf documents is one way to seriously boost your profile in the room.

This is because employers often look for silent traits that most candidates don’t know they’re giving off. For instance, a resume folder shows soft skills: an idea you’re conveying that points to strong organizational skills without having to outright say it.

If it’s true employers decide within five minutes of meeting a candidate, a resume folder can leave quite the first impression.

Highly customizable

Speaking of matching a folder to the occasion, customizable designs offer you a choice of color, texture, and overall shape.

Interviewing at an established joint? You’ll probably opt for something more basic and professional. A startup? Feel free to show some color and pop.

While folders without any text can stop there, for those with a personalized brand or logo to market, most folder designs allow for diverse fonts and imprint methods. Some of these include embossing, foil stamping, and full-color printing – essentially, there’s an imprint method for every logo.

Other ways to add pizzazz include adding die cut windows that showcase a tailored title page, allowing the applicant to customize each folder to its recipient.

You never know when a third-party at your company will pop in and join an interview on the spot, so preparing several folders in advance for a marketing manager or vice president can demonstrate higher foresight.

Each company has its own culture so it’s important to consider these vibes when deciding on a folder. You wouldn’t wear jeans and a flannel shirt to a business-professional interview. In the same way, a resume folder should match the occasion.

Extreme Versatility

As the Swiss army knife is to home construction, so too is the resume folder to bountiful storage options. Resume folders aren’t just great good at storing documents; they’re adaptable, depending on what your most pressing need is.

For instance, certain folders are tailored to accommodate specific tools, such as a flash drive presentation folder, which also serves as an organized storage solution for various mixed media, enhancing the professionalism of your presentation materials. Just think of all the work samples you can include.

Others include varied pocket sizes for business cards, certificates, and all sorts of differently sized paper.

Need room for your favorite writing utensil?

Whereas previously, bringing a pen or marker to an interview often meant awkwardly carrying it or stuffing it in a pocket, now you can opt for a specialized pocket folder with pen slot. These folders not only keep your writing instrument securely in place but also free up your hands for a confident handshake and ensure your attire remains neat and uncluttered.

Improved Organization

Most folders have plenty of pocket space on both sides for resumes, cover letters, and CVs—just to name a few.

While it technically doesn’t matter how you organize your folder, a thoughtful layout of documents can read almost like a story, as an employer flips through your life experience in a journey you set up.

Having a table of contents adds a finishing touch to the whole presentation. Both sophisticated and practical, it eliminates the need to search through papers while pulling out a document. This is only one layout idea, and of course there’ll be differences between a creative and formal portfolio. Organize your folder in a way that makes the most sense to you or the potential employer you envision opening it.

Guaranteed protection

In the daily grind, where your resume can quickly become a smudged testament to your journey, safeguarding it with a sturdy folder is wise. Whether you opt for the durability of cardboard or the sleekness of plastic, a folder with a hardcover or one that’s more flexible, your documents will remain fresh through transit, handshakes, or accidental drops.

Now, folders are also available with a reinforcement strip, providing solid protection against the daily wear and tear of interviewing life. This strip not only preserves the folder’s integrity, especially when toting thick stacks, but also adds a touch of sophistication. While they can’t shield your documents from extreme mishaps, for the typical scuffles of office environments, these reinforced edges are your resume’s most reliable ally.

Closing the Folder on Your Job Search

Job seekers have enough to worry about—with saturated markets and economic uncertainty being hot button issues. While developing your soft skills can give you an edge up, resume folders are a relatively easy (and cheap) commitment that can instantly improve your first impression at an interview.

Whether you’re a law student eyeing a position at a distinguished firm or an artist stepping into the dynamic world of photography, there’s undoubtedly a resume folder designed to complement your professional persona and highlight your unique value.