Five "Business" Card Ideas for Job Seekers

If you are a job seeker, you probably know that networking is a required activity. You can’t just sit around, wishing and hoping someone will fall in love with your resume and call you up, begging for you to interview—no, skip the interview, just take the job! If you believe that, I have some swamp land in Florida that I’m selling at bargain prices…

While researching job markets, I came across an article announcing last September’s Mega Career Fair networking event in Philadelphia. When they said Mega, they meant it! As the article stated, last September there were over 60 exhibitors in three separate pavilions and over 5,000 job seekers at the event! Mega events are great for job seekers, since you meet a variety of employers face-to-face in one location. But how do you stand out among 5,000 other job seekers? In those situations, your resume is your calling card. What about networking events? You can’t just go around handing out your two-page resume to everyone you meet at the monthly Business After Hours.

The employed already have business cards to hand out, but what about the job seeker? You can distinguish yourself by handing out personal information cards, a new use for an old custom when meeting new people.

1. The same size as business cards, they contain your name, contact information and, for job seekers, area of expertise, skill and education. Subtle, clean and professional, they take the place of a resume at a networking event.

2. They are a way to collect business cards with valuable contact information for potential employers. It’s easy to get a business card when you hand a contact one of your own. You can have contact information that can get your resume into the hands of the person who does the hiring or can pass your resume on to HR.

3. They are a confidence builder. I remember taking a job that didn’t merit business cards. I had been a manager at my previous job, but the new job was a staff analyst position, without much outside contact. It was tough attending business meetings when others were passing out business cards and I had none. Handing out your own card levels the playing field.

4. They are a curiosity and talking point. The card itself is unique, and shows some creativity and initiative. Instead of just blurting out your 30-second elevator speech, the card speaks for you, which may prompt the recipient to begin asking for more information.

5. No more “cold calling.” It’s easier to send a resume to someone you met who showed some interest in you than by blindly answering job postings. The clearer the target, the better chance of hitting the mark.

Have you used information cards in your job search? How have they worked for you? Share your experiences with other job seekers in the Comments section below.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for phillyjobs.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients reinvent their careers for today’s job market. You can read more of her blogs at phillyjobs.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com

Four Tips for Better Networking

Every week, professional organizations, civic clubs, community organizations and special interest groups hold meetings or networking events. Some are restricted to members, but many are open to the public. In the Philadelphia area, according to The Philadelphia Business Journal, there are over 50 networking events scheduled between September 13 and the end of 2011. These events are golden opportunities for job seekers to meet people from all walks of life and professions, make connections and find potential job opportunities. They offer exposure to business professionals at all organizational levels in a relaxed social environment.

You can make the most of these events with a little preparation, self-confidence and a sense of humor. Regardless of your job search situation and length of unemployment, your goal is not to put your not-more-than-two-page, flawless, professionally crafted resume into the hands of every potential employer present. Save the blanket resume distribution for the next job fair. Here are a few tips to maximize your effectiveness and leave a positive impression that invites inquiries.

1. Dress professionally. The longer you are unemployed, the more casual you may feel about getting dressed for a professional event. Men, a jacket is always correct, whether you’re dressing it up with a shirt and tie or down with an open-collared dress shirt or golf-style shirt. No jeans, sandals or running shoes, please. Women should dress conservatively, but with style. Again, jackets or jacket-style sweaters are always correct, as are suits, skirts, and dress shoes. Save the cleavage, bare arms, backs and bellies for the weekend at the beach.

2. Carry business contact cards. You can have these printed at an office supply store, on your home computer or from a variety of online sources, such as http://www.vistaprint.com/ for shipping cost alone. The card should be on a heavy stock paper, with no design or maybe just a simple graphic, and list all your contact information with credentials (MBA, PhD., SPHR). Hand them out as you would a company business card, after a promising conversation or by request.

3. Bring a few resumes, but keep them out of sight. You may find someone who is very interested and wants a resume to take with her for quick action. Bring a few in a portfolio for such a request.

4. Use a humorous introduction. With no company name to put on your nametag, try using “E.I.T” instead, which stands for ‘Executive in Transition.’ A guy used this at a networking event, and found it was a great icebreaker and humorous way to let people know he was looking for a job without actually saying it. It made everyone laugh, put people at ease and was a great way to bring up an otherwise embarrassing subject.

These are but a few networking tips to help you out at your next event. What are some great networking tips that you have learned during your job search? I would love to hear about them in the comments.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a consultant, blogger, motivational speaker and freelance writer for phillyjobs.com. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in Training magazine, Training & Development magazine, Supervision, BiS Magazine and The Savannah Morning News. When she’s not writing, she enjoys singing Alto II with the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and helping clients reinvent their careers for today’s job market. You can read more of her blogs at phillyjobs.com and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.

Are Men Better At Social Networking? LinkedIn Says "Yes"!

Are men really better at social networking?

Are you a woman? Do you use social networking sites like LinkedIn? If so, you might be part of a growing minority.

According to a recent survey conducted by LinkedIn, it seems that while most professionals know how valuable the professional networking site is when it comes to finding a job, many women still aren't “getting” LinkedIn.

LinkedIn's study compared the usage habits of both men and women on its site and compiled an extensive report. They found that on average, men are doing better at making connections and furthering their careers through social networking.

The site's study suggests that women are more reluctant to network out of a fear of being pushy or overly “schmoozey”. I am not sure that I would agree with their findings. Building a social network is all about connecting with people and building relationships before you need them, but what I don't understand is how they would measure what “effective networking” is.

As I looked into their criteria further, it seems that they measure successful networking by the percentage of one-way connections that men have versus the ones women have. Next, they look at the ratio of men to women on the site.

The thing is, out of all of the social networking sites, women seem to be joining LinkedIn in fewer numbers, even though they dominate other social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Here is a graphic of how the genders stack up across the world of social media:

As you can see, the LinkedIn is the only site where the majority is male. In an attempt to make their study a little easier to understand, LinkedIn has put together this nice infographic. Take a look:

My issue with the study is that comparing the way that men network with the way that women network is like comparing apples and oranges. Women in general tend to focus more on building actual relationships with others and care less about collecting business cards. Men are typically more straightforward when it comes to networking and are more direct with each other about the process. When women try to imitate this type of behavior, they are often seen as pushy.

Networking is important for any professional, and using sites like LinkedIn can certainly help further a career. They key is to network in a way that feels authentic to you, regardless of gender. And, for the ladies reading this, if you haven't gotten the hang of LinkedIn yet, get back on the site and get networking. If there is a shortage of professional women there, there are bound to be more opportunities.

Do you use LinkedIn? Do you think that men are better at networking? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for PhillyJobsBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.