Welcome to the next edition of the Job Seeker's Tool Kit, a series of articles written for Austin's PMI chapter members to help prepare for the inaugural Austin PMI Job Fair, being held in October. To see the list of the articles in this series, go here.

It's often the little things that make the difference. A business card is one of them. Include one with a resume, when you send one in. Have one to give out when you meet new people, especially hiring managers and recruiters. It's a great means of having contact information at hand, and it sure beats a napkin, especially in allergy season. There is evidence that business cards go back to 17th Century Europe, and possibly a few centuries earlier in China. If the Sun King new they were a good idea, any professional in the Information Age should have one as part of his or her personal career toolkit.

Most everyone has a business card associated with their company. It’s a basic networking tool. As a job seeker, you may not want to be contacted at your current company, regardless of whether your searching, or if the search is confidential or not.

Create a personal business card which you can give out at job fairs that contains on the contact information you want: The most basic information should be included:

Name

Phone(s)

Email address

LinkedIn Profile

You can also include blog or website URLs, certifications, and even a slogan or graphic. It is not recommended to include an address unless it’s an PO Box. Keep them simple, like resumes, but you have more leeway with the fonts and formatting. However, keep in mind it’s being used as a professional tool, and represents you, so when in doubt, opt for conservative appearance.

There are three inexpensive ways to create your own business cards; local copying services (Kinko’s, Office Max, etc.), Vista Print (http://vistaprint.com), and printing your own, using word, and business card stock (such as Avery).

Tips:

Do not print your physical address on personal cards

Keep It Simple.

Leave plenty of white space to make the text stand out

If you print your own, make sure your printer does clean printing, and use a micro-perforated card stock. Suggested Sites:

Low cost business cards: vistaprint.com

The History of Business Cards: blog.jenn-brown.com/2007/06/14/the-history-of-business-cards.aspx

Sample Designs: www.designyourowncard.com/

 

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