Business cards are an essential tool for the unemployed.  You will be amazed at the opportunities you will have to hand them out.  When you meet people at job clubs, other networking events, or at your child’s ballgame, you will want to have cards to exchange.  Business cards are a way for people to remember you, recall the type of job opportunities to refer to you, and have access to your contact information to stay connected.

The information you put on your cards should include at least Your Name, Email Address, Home Address and Phone Numbers.  To maximize the value of your business cards, include the job title you seek and/or the industry you are interested in.  You might want to include a few of your strengths, certifications, or pertinent skills.  For example, if you are a computer programmer, you might want to include the languages in which you program.  Keep the information brief and relevant.  Don’t forget to take advantage of the space on the back of the card.

You can get free business cards at www.vistaprint.com (shipping charges will apply.)  Don’t forget to ask others for their cards and build your network.

The other day I ran across a discussion on LinkedIn about a job seeker who was thinking about hiring someone to send out 8,000 résumés for her.  Whoa! That is just crazy on so many levels!  First of all, the job seeker probably isn’t even interested in working at 99 percent of those businesses.  Second of all, any résumé sent this way would have to be very generic, which would generate no interest whatsoever.  And lastly, if a company did respond to an unsolicited résumé that arrives by fax or email and isn’t personalized in any way, it is doubtful that it would be a company anyone would want to work for.

I hear people say that the job search is a numbers game, but that can be a very misleading statement.  The more résumés you submit, the more people you talk to, or the more LinkedIn connections you make will not necessarily result in more interviews and subsequently more job offers.  A productive job search needs to be targeted and planned out.  The successful job seeker will know exactly what type of job she is looking for and have a list of companies she is interested in.  She will focus her time and effort on making quality contacts and asking questions that will move her toward her goal.  She will spend her time building relationships with a manageable number of key people, not making brief contact with many.  She will have better luck conducting 20 informational interviews at companies that interest her than submitting 420 résumés through the job boards.

While it is true that the more times you practice networking, interviewing, and your job search techniques, the more comfortable you will be and the better you will become; please be careful how you interpret the “numbers game” statement.  Don’t fall for the scam of the résumé blast.  If you feel like you need help, spend your money on a good career coach who can help you focus your job search.  And when someone tells you that you absolutely must tell everyone you meet that you are out of work and looking because you never know where a job lead might come from, you can mostly ignore that advice.  Tell your hairdresser because hairdressers always have great information, but skip the teenager bagging your groceries and the tollbooth operator.  It’s really less about numbers and more about taking aim at a well-defined target.

A reader writes:

I have a few companies I am targeting where I have a real interest and passion about their activities.  In mainly informational interviews, I think I have demonstrated my interest, passion, and qualifications for working with the company.  I continue to send relevant information to my connections within the company as a way to be a warm contact should they be hiring.  I have even written my own job description to demonstrate my potential value, even at their suggestion.

I know there is potential at the company as they have growth plans, even these days.

My question is, what is / isn’t appropriate to continue to stay in front of them?  How much is too much?  What could be relevant to continue to be a warm and interested candidate?  Is there a fine line between being interested and passionate about a company and “stalking” them?

My reply:

It sounds like you are doing everything right.  You continue to stay in touch by sending relevant information and you have written your own job description.  To answer your question, yes, there is a fine line between interested and annoying or, as you say, “stalking.”  One option may be to ask the person how often you should remind them that you are still interested.  You might say something like this, “I am very interested in contributing my talents to (state company name) and I would like for you to keep me in mind if a (state job title) position becomes available but I don’t want to be a pest.  How often would be appropriate for me to send you a brief email as a reminder?  Is every two weeks too often?  Is once a month better?”  If you don’t feel comfortable asking, I would suggest about every four weeks, but everyone is different as to how they perceive the passage of time and a show of interest, so that is just a guideline.

Here are some other options to keep your name in front of them:  (1)  Connect to them on LinkedIn and update your profile weekly so you show up in the LinkedIn updates they receive.  (2)  Follow them on Twitter if they tweet.  This may give you other insights as to how to connect with them.  (3)  Find out if there is an industry group that you can join or attend that they might participate in.  If they see you at meetings, they will realize how serious your interest is and you will have an opportunity to interact with them.  (4)  Do they write a blog or follow a blog that you can comment on?

The most valuable thing you can do whenever you are looking for a job is to immerse yourself in the industry that you want to work in.  When you become a participating member of an industry community, you will find all kinds of opportunities to connect with people.  You will stay current on the latest happenings in the industry, which gives you something to talk about with your contacts; and you will build a network that will provide multiple connections back to the people you want to stay in touch with.  Best of luck with your job search!

What methods do you use to stay in touch?

A reader writes:

I was recently contacted by an out of state recruiter about my resume for a position. We had a great phone conversation and they said they are sending my information to the next level for review. Are there any tips you can give to help make it to an in person interview when a recruiter passes your resume to the next level?

My reply:

There are a few different things you can do.  Recruiters look good when they present top-quality candidates.  To help your recruiter advocate on your behalf, you might want to send him/her some additional information that demonstrates your fit for the position.  For example, from your research or your conversation with the recruiter, you may have identified a particular need that you can address with an accomplishment story from your past experience.  You can write up your story and email it to the recruiter.  You can ask the recruiter if there is anything else you can provide to help him/her “sell” you to the hiring manager.

Another way to increase the likelihood of an interview is to find someone internally that can refer you to the hiring manager.  This technique always increases your chances of an interview.  You may have to get creative about finding internal contacts.  Use the Internet and social media to find people who work for the company and then look for a common connection, such as college, shared membership in an organization, a LinkedIn connection, etc.  Find an email address and ask them some questions about the company to establish a relationship, and then ask if they would be willing to pass along your résumé.

The third suggestion is to contact the hiring manager directly.  Again, you may have to get creative with your detective work to identify the hiring manager, but it can be done.  It may be a simple as calling the company and asking who is hiring for the position, or you may have to dig further.  Best of luck!

Other suggestions?