Even with Internet, paper still the best way to apply for jobs

It's funny that even though the Internet is making the world a paperless place, sending a paper resume is still the best way to get it in front of a potential employer.

Searching for a job online can lead to a black hole where resumes, letters, applications and anything else sent through e-mail or in an online application can get lost with thousands of other people looking for the same position.

Although many companies only want online applications and want everything sent through e-mail or an online form, it's a good idea to send a resume on paper as a backup and as a way to get attention, according to Mike Zaya, CEO of PrintRunner.com, an online printing company. (That sounds like an oxymoron, "online printing.")

You'd think that Zaya's company -- which prints business cards, letterhead and other things job seekers need -- would be doing lousy in a recession where business is done online. But with print shops closing left and right, an online print shop like his is doing fantastic, said Zaya, who bought the business three years ago.