Should I Have a Business Card If I’m Unemployed?

By on June 10, 2011 in Candidate Advice

You know that, as a job seeker, you need to have an up-to-date resume and portfolio. But what about business cards?

Many people think that business cards are meant for individuals who have a job already. But they are also useful in networking situations when you’re unemployed. It’s much easier to hand someone a professional-looking business card than trying to remember someone’s name or write down your email address on a scrap of paper.

Business cards are not just for those people who already have jobs. Since you need to be an expert at marketing yourself during your job search, you should have business cards as a part of your toolkit.

Your business card should contain the following elements:

  • Full name: How do you prefer to be addressed? Put your first and last name prominently on your card.
  • Email address: Make sure it’s professional and spelled correctly. The majority of people will contact you via email, as it’s easier to get in contact that way.
  • Phone number: Where can someone get a hold of you at all times? Preferably, list a cell phone number that is unlikely to change on your business card.
  • Online portfolio/personal website/blog: Where can this person learn more about you? If they are a potential employer, they’ll want to see previous work samples and writing skills. If you can, buy your domain name to have a website address that is easy to remember.
  • A professional tagline: Much like an elevator speech, give people something to remember you by. This can include your field, skills, expertise, etc. For example, “Marketing Guru,” or “Web Design Expert.”
  • Optional – a photo of yourself: Some people choose to put a picture on their business cards to help others remember their face with their name. Depending on your personal preferences, it’s an option to keep in mind.
  • Optional – a logo or graphic: Make your business cards visually interesting by creating a nice logo out of your initials. Or head into your local design shop and ask them to create a graphic that you could use across your marketing documents, such as your resume, online portfolio and business cards.

Business cards can come in handy in a variety of job search situations – from networking events, to conferences, to interviews – and help you land your ideal job more quickly. How have business cards helped your career and/or job search?

About Heather R. Huhman

Heather R. Huhman is the Career & Recruiting Advisor for Cachinko. She is also the founder & president of Come Recommended, the author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships: The Truth About Getting from Classroom to Cubicle (2011), #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.
View all posts by Heather R. Huhman →

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  • Chloe

    I think that you definitely SHOULD have a business card with you if you’re unemployed. Being unemployed doesn’t mean that you are unprofessional, and a business card can mean the difference between staying unemployed and making the vital connection with someone who can employ you. You will thank your stationery printers for it!

  • http://twitter.com/Jfelipe33 FelipeV

    Sure biz cards are good to use.  However, I think much of the “old school” info like fax and complete physical address should be replaced with IDs of your online (e.g. profile links, instant messaging id, etc.), a professional photo, and 2-3 short phrases that describe something professionally interesting about you that are “timeless.”

  • Anonymous

    Yes, agreed, a biz card is a good idea.  I am just a little concerned that having TMI on the card may work against a job seeker.  For example “Web Site Guru” says you are a web site developer.  What if you can also do a lot of back end stuff as well?  Anyone with your card may just say “He/she may be a web site guru but I need someone who can program lots of EJBs, etc.”  Also adding a picture may work for you if the person with the card likes what you look like.  What if they don’t?  There are a lot of double-edged swords I think with info on business cards.

    The advice I got on biz cards was just to list name and email, phone, no physical address (not necessary) and a general title or indication of your line of work.  That way, you are more likely to get an inquiry such as “Hey, got your card from when we met/got it from someone else.  Do you do XYZ?”  Then you can feel out the inquirer for their needs and see what you may be able to do for them, all without prejudicing their idea of whether you are of use to them by pigeon-holing yourself before they even have a chance to make a call to you.

    All this is just my $.02.  It’s what I was told by a different career-development/job-hunt advisor.

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  • http://twitter.com/csywang Christina Wang

    More than anything, I think that order business cards as a job seeker would encourage you to stay active in the networking scene. Most seekers browse job boards and apply online, but they often forget that you can make a much more positive impression in person.

    Previously, I’ve found myself on several occasions with excess cards after having complete the roles / internships. However, your personal information is not likely to change and you can continue using them in the future.

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