Job interviewers will appreciate it more if they had a business card that fit in their Rolodex.  If you make it convenient for them, this might be something they remember when considering whether to hire you a few days later.  And to think it would only take you a few short minutes to jump online and create a business card.

Custom Posters

Ever wonder where you can find cheap signage materials for your growing company?  Custom posters are a great way to advertise your message in a quick, efficient, and cheap way.  You can add company logos and/or photos, deliver your message in a simple yet direct way, and best of all you saved yourself money in the advertising with your online custom poster printing.  Call out sales, promotions, clearance events and you’ll find it easy to attract customers to your business!

It’s no secret that with today’s economy, job hunting is extremely competitive. When applying for jobs, you must do what it takes to gain one leg up on the competition. A personal business card promoting you is the perfect way. Create a professional and attractive card that says something about who you are and that will stick in the minds of potential employers. Have your contact information of the front of the card, and use the back to display some of your best attributes.

Distributing your well crafted cards at interviews will illustrate your organization, professionalism, and attention to detail.

A thank you card should be sent on the day after the interview and not sent any later than two days after it. If you’re mailing the thank you cards, get them in the mail as soon as possible after the interview. Then, also send a follow up email. You can repeat the same information in your email that you have in your card without using the same words. Polite persistence is a good thing when it comes to following up after a job interview. It shows excellent business communication skills.

Especially if the hiring process will be quick, you may even want to bring your thank you cards with you to the interview all ready to go except for space that you leave to add some specific details that occurred in the interview. For instance, if you were given a tour you could mention it and why you found it interesting or a good match to your interests. You could then finish the card at a nearby cafe before going back and asking the receptionist how you can get the card to your interviewer. You should also double check with the receptionist that you’ve spelled your interviewer’s name correctly. It’s a good idea to remember the receptionists name as well!

Get the Details Right

If you’re mailing your thank you card, do so immediately after the interview and make sure the address is correct and the company name is accurate. It won’t help you at all if you address the thank you card for your interviewer to Smith-Rite Solutions Inc. when the actual name of the company is Smith Ryte Solutions Corp. It may still reach him or her, but it won’t show you in a good light if you got the name wrong.

If more than one interviewer conducted your job interview, send one thank you card to each interviewer. Don’t create cookie cutter cards though, thank each person for something specific he or she added to the interview. If only one person actually asked you any questions or added anything to the interview, address the card to that person. If the others added to the interview in a minor way, you should mention their names in the card.

Be Professional and Sincere

Choose a professional looking thank you card. Make sure everything you write inside the card is clear and concise. It should be as polite and direct as:  ”Thanks for the interview yesterday that included the tour of the plant. I look forward to the possibility of being able to work on such a quality machine as the X230. Thanks again, Terry Stevens.”

Here’s another example of a suitable note to write inside a job interview thank you card.  ”Thanks for taking the time to interview me Wednesday morning. I’m still extremely interested in the position and hope to hear from you soon about the second interview. Regards, Jacqueline Smith.”

The best way to be prepared to sell your skills during a job interview is to start at least a few days ahead. Anticipate the questions you’ll be asked and plan some answers. Make sure you’re ready to be convincing about pointing out how your skills and experience make you the ideal choice for the job.

Bring a neat looking folder or case to hold any items you’ll need on the interview day. Don’t forget to bring a stack of business cards plus extra resumes. Even though you most likely submitted your resume before the interview, it’s still a good idea to bring extra ones. Interviewers see many resumes and you want yours to stand out even if that means giving it to the company twice. Besides, you may end up having more than one interviewer and if you are prepared to give each person your business card and resume at the interview you’ll seem very professional as well as organized.

One thing many job seekers forget is to be prepared with questions for the interviewer. Many interviewers form an unfavourable opinion about job seekers that don’t have one or two questions about the position. Have two or three questions prepared and adjust them during the interview to fit in with the particular discussion you have with the interviewer.

Sell Your Skill Set

You’ve made it to the interview stage, so presumably they’ve seen your resume and figured you looked good on paper. Now, during the interview, it’s up to you to promote your skills and background to let the interviewer see that you’re the right person for the job. Bringing extra resumes with you is a good idea because if all of the interviewers have your resume, they can ask you questions from it. You should be prepared to discuss anything on your resume in a convincing way.

When you get a question during an interview that you didn’t expect, your interviewer will likely be taking notes on how you react. Stay calm and poised and think before rushing to answer. Make sure to really listen to the interviewer and don’t be either too short in your answers or too long. If he or she discusses the job duties with you, be sure to mention why you’re the ideal person to handle these responsibilities. The interviewer’s job is to find the right person to do the work needed, so convince him or her that you’re the one.

Use Appropriate Body Language

You’ve probably heard it said many times how important it is to maintain eye contact in job interviews. There’s no getting around it. It’s very important. If you feel nervous about this, practice in a mirror or with another person. The idea is to maintain eye contact comfortably and naturally. Don’t stare the person down!

Posture is important too. Sit up straight during the interview, but don’t lean forward in the chair as this may be seen as aggressive. Keep from fidgeting such as wringing your hands or tapping your feet.

Be Ready to Follow Through!

In most cases, a few lines written inside a thank you card are enough to send to your interviewer the day after a job interview. You should thank the interviewer for his or her time and mention something specific from the interview such as a certain subject you discussed or a factory tour you took. Then you should express your continued interest in the position and add that you hope to hear from you soon. A simple regards, sincerely or yours truly before signing your name is enough.

In some cases, a letter written on your resume letterhead paper should be added inside the thank you card before you send it. You may want to write a detailed letter if you’ve had previous interviews or have gone through a special lengthy interview process.

Writing a longer letter on professional stationery may help you stand out from the other candidates. Just make sure it’s appropriate to send a thank you letter and don’t babble, two pages maximum is more than enough. All business correspondence should be clear and concise with a polite, respectful tone.

Be Specific and Voice Your Expectations

Remember that the way to start a thank you letter after a job interview is by thanking the person for their time. Don’t summarize the interview, but rather mention something special or interesting that stood out.

For example, if you were asked for your input on something and you feel that went well and could mean you got the job, you could add something like “Thank you for your interest in my thoughts on the XYZ case and how my experience in xyz relates to the job. I’m still very much interested in the position and look forward to having a second interview with you at your convenience.”

You could also let your interviewer know that you are expecting to be responsible for the job duties he or she mentioned. You could write something like this in your thank you letter or card: “Thanks for your detailed description of the job duties. After reflecting on these, I’m still very much interested in the position and I’m hoping I’ll have the opportunity to be hired and show you what I can do.”

Your business card should list your different phone numbers with the best times to reach you. Having a website address on your card is great if your website supports the image your business card promotes of you and further sells your skills and abilities.

In presenting multi contact options on your business card, you increase the convenience for hiring companies to get a hold of you. Make sure everything including your contact information is accurate on your business card. Never hand out old cards & keep your information updated.

You Make Yourself Look Like the Professional You Are

Having a business card sets you apart as a professional whether you own a business or not. Whatever your profession, announcing it on a business card with your contact information gets attention and promotes you as a serious expert. Keep the card tasteful and don’t be pretentious.

“Mary Smith, Floral Designer” is fine, but “Mary Smith, Award Winning Designer of Floral Fantasies” is way over the top, not to mention ridiculous-sounding. If you have won an award, you can explain that in a separate line under your title such as:  “Winner of the Connecticut Floral Association Design Award for 2009.”

If you’re involved in more than one profession, always have a separate business card for each one. “Jim Johnson, Professional Writer and Painter” just comes off as confusing and unfocused rather than professional. A business card that you hand out at a job interview identifies who you are to a potential employer, so be sure this identity is clear and professional-sounding.

You Look both Polished and Prepared

You may be surprised when you get to your job interview. Panel interviews with more than one interviewer are becoming more and more common. If you always carry a stack of your business cards with you, you’ll be able to hand out a card to each interviewer. This is likely to make a positive impression. By simply carrying extra business cards, you can appear both polished and prepared at your job interview.

Another way to be polished and prepared in a businesslike way is to be sure that all of your career communication tools form a cohesive presentation of who you are professionally. The contact information and image presented by your business cards, cover letter and resume should be supported by your voice mail, answering machine and website. Make sure all of your communications details are accurate and relevant.

Some job seekers think that if they thank the interviewer for his or her time before leaving the interview, they don’t have to send a thank you card. This kind of thinking can and has seen the job go to the candidate that sent the interviewer a thank you card the day after the interview. It’s not simply a matter of being polite.

While it’s true that thanking the interviewer for his or her time is the main point behind sending thank you cards, it also serves to let the employer know that you’re still interested in the position one or two days later. Of course, you should specifically state in the card that you’re still very interested in the job and hope to hear back from the interviewer at his or her convenience.

Sending a Thank You Card Can Make the Difference between Getting the Job and Not Getting It

Think of the situation from the interviewer’s point of view. In most cases, there is only one job, but many qualified applicants. Even after narrowing down the list and weeding out obviously unsuitable candidates the short list may not be that short. How does the interviewer choose the best person for the job if several applicants all seem to have the needed qualifications and a likeable, professional attitude?

At this point, the interviewer is likely to consider the applicant that seems the most interested and motivated “the one that goes the extra mile.” Sending a thank you card is often the extra mile that gets the job. It makes sense because taking the initiative and being self-motivated are qualities that many employers find desirable in employees.

Sending a thank you card after a job interview also shows the ability to follow up and the willingness to communicate. It also acknowledges the tradition of sending thank you cards as business etiquette. If the company you’re interested in working for seems extremely modern in its culture, simply pick a modern looking card. Then say something specific that you think the interviewer will respond to such as mentioning a particularly interesting detail he or she said to you about the job during the interview.

Sending a Thank You Card Gives You a Chance to Voice Your Expectations

Being sure to follow up the job interview with a thank you card gives you the opportunity to mention your expectations. After thanking the interviewer for his or her time, you can mention that you’re still very interested in the position and hope to hear back from the interviewer at his or her earliest convenience. If you’re sending the card after the first interview, you could express your hopes for a second interview by saying clearly that you hope the interviewer considers you for a second interview.

Being able to voice your expectations politely, yet in a compelling way shows excellent business communication skills. The ability to communicate well in all work situations is absolutely essential in today’s workforce in all industries and professions. Be clear and use plain, yet polite language such as “Thanks again for your time and I hope to hear back from you soon.”