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Unemployed Need Business Cards
Calling card as important in unemployment as résumé
Even if you are not going the entrepreneurial route, you need a business card. The reason:
A business card means that you mean business!
That little card helps solidify this idea in your own mind. You will feel more professional and more useful. Your confidence will get a boost, and you will get results. Just being able to hand someone that stupid little card that cost you half a cent does wonders.
In the week since I got my cards, I have talked to more people and rustled up more business than I did in the prior month. Having a card makes it a lot easier to talk to people. Give your card to everyone you meet. Watch what happens. Don't take my word for it.
Here are some ideas on
Ideas on effective business cards for the unemployed:
- Put your resume on the web. Use your business cards to direct people to it.
- Tell people what you do. Make a few bullet points on your card. (e.g., "*Sales, *Marketing, *Promotions")
- Puff yourself up. Spend five bucks and get the nicer paper. Give yourself a title like "Proprietor," "Marketing Guru," or, in my case, "Majordomo."
- Make a logo. Nothing says "professional" like a logo. You can make a nice logo with your initials, or if you can't you can hire someone to do it for you. I'll do it for $30, satisfaction guaranteed. I'm not joking. Try me.
Get business cards right this instant. Don't put it off. Every day without a business card is a day wasted! Even if you have a job, you should have a personal calling card. Why wouldn't you? It's cheaper than a pizza.
Oh, and one more thing about business cards that you may not have considered: When you hand yours to someone, they'll hand you theirs. That's how great Rolodexes get built!
- chuck's blog
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Comments
If you're in NYC, stop by
If you're in NYC, stop by Staples with proof of unemployment and you can get 20 free copies of your resume and 30 (I think) free business cards.
That's great info.
Thanks for sharing. That's what this blog is all about.
When life hands you sh*t, make fertilizer.
Great!
Yes. Sometime we forget the power of business card :)
Something so cheap,
small, and seemingly insignificant can really be a big help. What a strange world!
When life hands you sh*t, make fertilizer.
Great article
I agree with you. Now more than ever, you have to make yourself stand out from the crowd.
One thing that will make you differnt from eveyone else who has a card, is your's has a call to action on the back of it and theirs don't because it cost too much to do both sides.
Keep up the good blog
Jim Stiner
That is fantastic advice!
I'm going to do that in my next batch, put,
"Call me today for a free consultation!" on the back of the card.
Thanks a ton for using this site for its intended purpose -- collaboratively helping people to be more effective. I never would have thought of that.
When life hands you sh*t, make fertilizer.
Couldn't agree more!
Couldn't agree more with your post and the whole concept of job applicants having their own business cards. Not only does it make them look more professional right out the gate but I'm sure it actually leads to finding new opportunities when used for networking.
I've actually got a site on making your own business cards if anyone's interested, could save some money over paying Kinko's or Office Max to make some.
Nice write up though!
E Rivard
Nice site!
One warning about rolling your own, though: If you don't have the skills to make an impressive card (if your card looks cheesy) you're definitely better off spending ten bucks.
If you want to make your own, try Scribus. It's pro-grade desktop publishing software, and it's free. You can do anything with it: double-sided fancy-schmancy birthday cards, print ads, magazines. Scribus is teh awesome, and there is no doubt about that.
When life hands you sh*t, make fertilizer.
A business card means
A business card means a lot. With a business card you can deal with your client professionally and with confidence. And it's the fact that a well designed business card can silently promote your idea. Thanks for sharing such a nice post.
Trianz
As a resume
For some reason a lot of people fail to act on an obvious fact: A business card (or personal calling card) is just as important as a resume. If you are doing real business or hoping to connect with people in a meaningful way, you need to connect with them in the real world. A business card helps you do that.
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