by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Here's what every job-seeker should know: the value of a strong and flawless resume and the power of networking in finding a new job. When you're job-hunting, take your resume with you wherever you go -- and you should use every opportunity to grow and strengthen your network of contacts. But what do you do in situations where passing out a handful of resumes is not feasible? Use networking business cards.

Networking business cards, which have the look and feel of a traditional business card, give you the opportunity to provide critical career and contact information with people you meet in social and professional situations.

Why Networking Business Cards?
Business cards are the currency of meetings, but if you're a typical college student you don't have any business cards, and if you're a career changer you probably don't want to use your regular business cards. For a minimal investment you can print networking cards.

If you are serious about finding a job, then you already know the importance of networking and marketing yourself. For a refresher on either of these subjects, please read Networking Your Way to a New Job and Using Key Marketing Tools to Position Yourself on the Job Market.

Keep your networking cards clean and crisp and bring them EVERYWHERE you go -- to networking events (obviously), career and job fairs, professional meetings, social gatherings, parties, weddings, and anywhere else you may run into potential contacts…everywhere. You should keep copies of your resume handy as well, but there are obviously numerous times where a resume would simply be too awkward to handle.

Designing and Printing Networking Cards
Networking cards are the same size and shape of business cards (3-1/2” wide and 2” high), contain key contact information like business cards, but instead of listing a company and job title, a networking card focuses on your job objective or unique selling proposition. Be sure to include all your pertinent contact information, including your name, phone number, email address, postal mail address; and Web site address, cell phone or fax numbers (if you have them).

You can get your networking cards printed at a local print shop, at numerous places on the Web (see list at end of article), and even print them yourself using special business card paper (Avery 3612) and a template that most word processing programs supply. (Word instructions at end of article.) When designing your networking cards, remember to keep the design and layout clean and simple, use “normal” fonts, use font sizes of 10-11 points, and stay with traditional colors of ink and paper. If you are interested in a job in a creative field, you can be a bit more creative, but for most job-seekers, keep the design and colors conservative (just as with your resume).

Once your cards are printed, be sure to purchase a business card holder to protect your cards and keep them clean and crisp. What's the point of going to all the trouble of designing and printing great networking cards if you let them become soiled or dog-eared? Remember that people are always making assumptions and that in job-hunting, impression management is critical.

We've developed a few sample networking cards (in .pdf) to help you as you contemplate your cards. These first two are examples of networking cards for established job-seekers, while these two are examples of networking cards for college students.

Resume Highlights Card
Consider taking your networking business card one step further by turning your networking card into what my partner Katharine Hansen refers to as a Resume Highlights Card in her book, A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market. With a resume highlights card, you can print your key qualifications (or summary of accomplishments) on the back of your networking card -- giving you a mini-resume to distribute when carrying your regular resume is not feasible. Remember to focus on your three or four key accomplishments (or qualifications) and not on past job titles or duties. (Read more.)

See an example of a Resume Highlights Card with a qualifications summary.

Final Thoughts
Remember that you networking business cards should not replace your resume -- you should still try to take your resume with your wherever you go -- but in situations where a resume is not feasible, networking cards are a great self-marketing job-search and networking tool. Always carry a stash of your networking cards; you simply never know when you're going to meet someone who may be able to help you in your job search.

Wondering about those less obvious networking opportunities? You can find the Top 50 Networking Hotspots -- and more -- in A Foot in the Door.

Networking Card Printing Details
So, how do you go about getting networking cards printed? You can have networking cards printed for you at a local printer or on the Web -- or, you can try designing and printing them yourself on your computer.

On the Web:

• VistaPrint.com

On your Computer, in MS Word:

• Go to the "Tool" menu from the top row.
• Choose "Envelopes and Labels" from the "Tools" menu.
• Under "Options," find the name of the paper manufacturer (Avery) and then find the correct product number in the lower left corner.
• Type in the information you want on your card in the text box and hit "New Document."
• You can then format the cards exactly as you want them to print.
• Print the final versions (on a high-quality inkjet or laser printer only)!

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

Dr. Randall S. Hansen is founder of Quintessential Careers, one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well CEO of EmpoweringSites.com. He is also founder of MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of Quintessential Careers Press, including the Quintessential Careers electronic newsletter, QuintZine. Dr. Hansen is also a published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Finally, Dr. Hansen is also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years. Visit his personal Website or reach him by email at randall(at)quintcareers.com.

Be sure to take advantage of all the career networking tools, articles, and resources found in our The Art of Career Networking section of Quintessential Careers.