Every Job Seeker Needs Business Cards

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.