We’ve all seen the Vistaprint commercials or received their
emails in our junk mail. Most people
delete those emails but before doing that, consider this; all job seekers need
business cards. You’ll need a resume of course but what will you do if you
attend a networking event or what if a neighbor asks for a card so that he can pass
it along to a friend?
I am not a spokesperson for Vistaprint but I just placed my
second order for their business cards. I
was running low on the first bunch but more importantly, I wanted to change the
wording on my cards to better reflect my brand and services. Creating a card is easy and Vistaprint guides
you through the process. My advice
before moving forward is to think about what you stand for. What kind of work
do you do? If it is traditionally a “professional” position, stay away from
flashy fonts and pictures and stick with the traditional coloring for your
cards. If you are looking for a more “creative”
position, you may have more options in terms of colors and backgrounds. Regardless of the colors, pictures or fonts
that you use make sure your card holds the following details:
1. Your name and contact information. Include your phone number and a professional
email address. A professional email address
is your name or initials, not a flashy or cute email address (i.e. catlover.com
or momofacheerleader.com). Save those
email addresses for your personal accounts. You do not need to include your
address.
2. Any certifications if you have them.
3. Your job title or the name of the type of
position for which you are qualified (i.e. Project Manager, Customer Service
Specialist, Chef, Licensed Beautician).
4. A brand statement. To give you an idea, here’s what mine says, “Plan,
Prepare and Launch your Career Flight Plan”.
Write out a short sentence describing what you offer.
Right now Vistaprint
is offering 250 free cards (from 45 background options). If you don’t like any of these you can select
another background for a very low cost.
You’ll also have to pay for shipping.
I chose the cheapest delivery option and should expect my cards in 14
days.
One last hint, Vistaprint will guide you along in your
creative process by providing boxes where you can write your content. Just because a box says Address or Fax Number
doesn’t mean that you have to put that exact information in there. You can add your bog or website address or
even leave them blank.
