January 17, 2012

• Here's my card...

  I went to a magazine launch the other night to support a friend of mine, and found out I really need a business card. I knew it to be something I would eventually have to do, but I can't afford to get cards printed up right now. Yet isn't that the catch? It is hard to talk up possible employers without a card to give them, but you can't get cards made unless you have a job so you can pay for them *oy*

  I bumped into a professor of mine and was asked how things were going... Unfortunately, he is a friend of someone who works at a nearby store where I left a resume and she asked if he knew me. Ugh, can it be more obvious I need any job? It kind of looks like I'm not good enough to get a job in my field *wince* Anyways, I mentioned that while it isn't enough to pay my rent yet, I was doing some freelance editing. He mentioned he might have some work for me, but not until March and asked if I had a card. 

  Nope.

  I got his card though, and will be in touch with him later, but it just felt horribly unprofessional. He told me that one of my classmates has been designing cards for other classmates and that I should see if she could do one for me as well. I contacted her to find out how much it would cost and got some rather surprising news... 

  For someone who designs business cards, why the heck would I have to provide the image? I know what I want and can explain it, but I have not seen it exactly as I picture it anywhere. And isn't that the point, to have something original? Plus she doesn't print the cards either, she only uses the image and information you provide and lays it out in a pdf for you to take elsewhere to print. I thought I would be paying her to actually create the design I want!

  Admittedly, the "dream card" I imagined would be a bit too expensive to print since it involves colour and gilt/foil, but I was willing to do a more matte version for now. If I wanted to put together the design myself I would need to purchase Photoshop and/or InDesign, and if I did that I could just make the card myself. Sadly, I don't think any of my friends have design skills or I would just ask one of them to create cards for me. 

  It would be cheaper and easier just to use the company my friend did for her cards even though they are far from unique. It would cost half as much to get them printed up than my classmate was going to charge me just to design the blasted things. How cracked up is that?! Ah well, it's not like I can get them right now anyways. 

  SUMR

   

  • 10:33 pm
  • 3 Comments