7 Reasons Why You Need Personal Business Cards, and 7 Facts to Include on Them

7 Reasons Why You Need Personal Business Cards, and 7 Facts to Include on Them A funny story I tell my workshop attendees Once, I ordered 250 personal business cards from Vistaprint only to find when I opened them that Id spelled my occupation wrong worksop facilitator.There went 250 business cards into the trash. Im ashamed to even type this, but Im making a point Spell-check your order before submitting it.That said, my point today is a bit bigger than that. The real message is You, as a job seeker, need your own personal business cards.7 Reasons WhyYou Need Business CardsNetworking festsPerhaps the most obvious reason why you need personal business cards is to make a good impression when networking. Most attendees of any given networking event will have them. Not havingyour own will separate you from the pack in a bad way.Job fairs A great way to introduce yourself to companies for which youd like to work is by going to job fairs. Impress company repsby attaching personal business cards to your resumes.Social gatheringsEven atcasualgatherings with friends and family, youll want to carry business cards.This will remind people that youre on the job search. That said, dont go from person to person shoving your cards in their hands. Only give out cards when it makes sense.You come across as professionalWhen you were employed, your company probably gave you business cards to help you represent it positively. Now, youre representing a company called Me, Inc.Theyre easier to hand out than resumesYou dont want to carry resumes everywhere you go. Plus, the people youre networking with will appreciate a business cards convenience over a full-size resume.They may create opportunitiesPeople dont remember everyone they meet at a networking event.Your personal business card serves as a good reminder and it tells them how to get in andeutung with you if they want to talk more.Theyre a call to actionWhen someone has one of your personal bu siness cards, theyre more likely to call you back. Similarly, when you have someones personal business card, youre more likely to follow upyourself. What to Include on Your Business CardsContact informationYour home address (optional), email address (make it professional), and telephone number (home or cell). No surprises here.Your social media accountsAlong with your LinkedIn profile URL, you can also list your Twitter handle, Facebook account, and website or blog, if appropriate.Major strengths This is one of the most important bits of information. A personal business card with only contact information is of little value. As a potential networker, Id need more information about you. Lets say youre in marketing.Your areas of strength might include social media, public relations, web content, and trade shows. Keep it short and sweet.A logo Im not a big groupie myself, but if you have a professionally designed logo that truly represents what you do, go for it. No cheap logos from Goo gle or templates from personal business card providers.A photoAgain, not a big fan, unless youre inan occupation where such a thing is standard (e.g.,real estate, modeling, acting). IT or finance or medical tech? I think not.A branding statementThis may work well if it is short and descriptive enough to show value. Something like, I fix things that break is not descriptive enough. Many job seekers do this. However, Creating marketing literature that generate sales and increases visibility is a much clearer statement of someones value.Leave the back blankYou might be tempted to provide more information on the back, but this is valuable real estate for networkers whod like to take notes aboutyou. Make sure to carry a pen with youin case your newfound connection needs one.This deutsche post ag originally appeared on Things Career Related.Bob McIntosh, CPRW, is a career trainer who leads more than 15 job search workshops at an urban career center.