November 20, 2009

Quark offers custom-designed business and resume cards

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If you're looking for a job, odds are you don't have much of a budget for creating flashy promotional materials. But that doesn't mean you have to look unprofessional at your next networking event.

Desktop publishing firm Quark is giving job seekers another option to impress hiring managers with a new online service that allows individuals or small businesses to custom-design printed materials, such as cards, brochures and flyers, using hundreds of templates created by professional designers. Called Quark Promote, the service lets you add whatever text you want to their graphics templates, which can be mixed and matched online. A PDF is then created and sent to a local printer, where you can pick the cards up in person or have them mailed directly to you with three or four days at no charge.

Terry Welty, senior vice president of marketing for Quark, said Quark Promote can be used to not only create business cards but also mini resumes, including a brief work history and list of skills on the back side. Customers can choose from various types of card stocks to help leave a positive impression on hiring managers, and can also create tri-fold brochures with a lengthier explanation of your skills and achievements.

The service isn't cheap: $45 for an order of 250 cards, which puts Quark Promote "right in the middle of the market," in terms of price, Welty says. However, for the next few weeks, Quark is running an introductory promotion that gives you $20 off your order when you enter the promotion code "save" during your online checkout.

"Most card services are often done using a browser with rigid templates and a few design elements thrown in," Welty says. "It's pretty much 'your copy goes here' and you're stuck with whatever quality paper they give you. People want more than that these days."

Currently in "beta mode," Quark Promote is partnered with a few well-known printers, such as the Allegra Network, AlphaGraphics, PIP Printing, Signal Graphics and Sir Speedy. By the end of 2010, Welty says, Quark plans to have 1,500 stores in its network.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

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