Tips for New Immigrants: Printing Resumes and Other Important Documents
In this digital age, we hardly need to purchase and maintain a printer at home. However, there are times when we need to have physical copies of our resumes and important documents.
This post will give new immigrants tips on printing resumes and other possibly life-changing documents.
Immigrant serving organizations
When I was new to Canada I took part in a program that prepares new immigrants for the Canadian labour market. Aside from joining workshops and mentorship opportunities, I also took advantage of resources that were made available to us.
I remember updating and printing resumes using the organization’s office equipment. This option offers several advantages. First, it is free. Also, you can edit documents in a private setting. Lastly, a knowledgeable staff member may be available to help you. You may even edit your documents right after a mentor gives you feedback.
Not all immigrant-serving organizations may offer this service. So, the best way to know is to ask.
Cost: Free
Print quality: Excellent
File type: No known restriction
Public libraries
Public libraries in Canada are amazing. Their exemplary services go beyond lending books. One of the services they offer is low-cost printing.
Public libraries in Surrey, British Columbia charge 20 cents per page for blank and white and 40 cents a page for colour printing. You can upload or email your documents from the comfort of your home then pay and pick them up from the library within 24 hours. You may also follow the same steps using a library computer.
When I first printed documents in a Surrey library over a decade ago, the print quality was excellent. But when I returned recently, there were faint lines at the bottom of the page. I guess the print quality depends on the library’s printer and its condition at the time of printing. This may be an important consideration when printing resumes you want to submit.
I checked out Toronto Public Library online for comparison. The printing cost per page is $0.15 for black and white and $0.55 for colour. They also note that some fillable government forms and encrypted PDFs cannot be printed successfully using a mobile device or home computer. They recommend visiting a branch and using a library computer to print encrypted PDFs.
Cost: Low
Print quality: Good to excellent
File type: Check out the location’s website for possible file restrictions
Commercial establishments
I tried having my documents printed in a small print shop. Since it is a commercial establishment, the print quality was excellent. But, as expected, the cost is higher at $1.00 per page. I also encountered an unexpected challenge because they couldn’t print my pdf file with their Apple computer. This information was not on their website.
The UPS Store was another option that I tried. The printed documents were of excellent quality and they did not seem to have any file restrictions. However, they had an issue with my USB flash drive. Apparently, it wouldn’t plug into their computer due to its design. Fortunately, I have a copy of the documents on my phone, so I was able to send it via email. The store charged me $0.20 per page for my black-and-white document plus $3.00 for file processing. Tax is also an add-on.
Quality: Excellent
Cost: Higher cost; Possible fees for file processing from email or USB and tax
File types: File restrictions may apply
Due to high-technology and sustainability efforts, most employers no longer require the submission of printed documents. However, you may still need to print resumes and other documents to bring to an interview.
I hope this article helps you land your dream job in Canada. You may also find tips to enjoy your settlement journey from my YouTube channel. Please share the link to my blog and vlog with newcomers or potential immigrants. Thank you!
