Three New Ways to Get Hired

April 17, 2009 — -- Steep competition for opportunities that are few and far between has forced job seekers to get creative when trying to get their foot in an employer's door.

Click here to visit Tory Johnson's Job Club web site.

New York-based Nova Graphics created a fold-out business card featuring a mini resume.

I'm a fan because it's not always appropriate or even comfortable to hand someone your resume — you're not about to whip it out when you bump into an old neighbor in the grocery store or while riding the subway — but it's never really awkward to offer your card.

These particular ones leave a lasting impression since they feature much more detail than just your name and number.

At Nova Graphics, 100 of these particular cards come with a price: $75 to $300 depending on size and color. The benefit, however, is having a pro handle the design and printing for you.

To save money, try creating them yourself.

Click here for a downloadable template and instructions to get you started on your own.

VisualCV.com allows anyone to create a free media-rich online resume, which means lots of bells and whistles and much more information than you could ever fit on a single piece of paper: employment history, education, awards, letters of recommendation, writing samples, articles, artwork — whatever is applicable to your background.

The site is easy to use without any technical expertise; if I did it, anyone can. You can check out my VisualCV.

Another bonus: Having a VisualCV shows prospective employers that you're up on the latest technology. Once you create your own, you have a link to share with every contact during your job search. It's also great for building freelance and consulting work. Other sites that provide a similar service aren't nearly as robust.

One caveat: Even though I posted my photo, I don't recommend that for a job seeker because it can lead (and, sadly, does) to discrimination — even subconsciously — before you even get your foot in the door. VisualCV makes it optional, so leave it out.