The ART OF BUSINESS CARD DESIGNS

The art of the lasting impression begins with the printed business card.  Great Designs make you look good. Today's digital print shops can turn your idea into a reality-- at a low cost. I know, because I am working in a digital print shop, after coming from the tech world of computers. The marriage of digital printing and paper is very good. It fact it is good for journalism.
Journalism is moving away from  newspaper print and transferring itself into e-books and magazines, but communication is still bonded to the printed word ---  bonded to paper.

The zen of communication is painted on paper and packaging. It is a cultural must have. It is expected that all new things come gift wrapped.  It doesn't matter that new job candidate is a person.   The idea is that "the best of the best" come gift wrapped in a new suit, shiny shoes and a special resume. Plus, they will be remembered because they left a special calling card -- the Designer Business Card that pops out from the pile.

The Technology Edge is Here:

Software programs like Adobe Photoshop and inDesign , when matched with Professional Digital Printers has made it possible for individuals to create unique images for each business client.Today job seekers are creating unique resumes for each job posting, and tweeking their business cards for each unique business opportunity.

To make this easy, you can download business card templates from the internet. Use them as a starting point, then step back and think outside the box and think of the BIG IDEA.

Steven Whiteley, Builder, created a business card using a ruler border. It was simple, elegant, and unique. (see the picture at the top of this article.) That was his Big Idea and it works for him. You have your own ideas that work for you. Go for it.

There are so many possibilities --- yet so little design.

In the technology world it seems all of the standard icons and symbols have been taken. There is nothing new. In fact, the symbols of technology have aged and are no longer hip, such as the CD as a symbol, or the image of a desktop computer and keyboard. Everybody does it. Currently, the hip object is an image of a tablet or smart phone but that is aging too. Everything is moving from the desktop to the CLOUD - (remote services) and software as a service (Sass). It's like technology is in the ether and not physically there.

So what graphic symbols are really meaningful?  What will be hip 6 months from now?  The old flip phone with a visible antenna as a symbol looks ancient as an image on a business card.  At one time it was smart to put your skills set on the back of the card, but it would be dating yourself to put BASIC, WordPerfect, COBOL, or Windows 95. 

So the thing to do is go back to the basics. If you can't say it in words, then say in Color, Style, and Shape. Don't put your face on the business card. Your face is not ageless. Put your job title.  Remember the the engineering slogan.  It is all about FIT, FORM, and FUNCTION before design.

FIT = Who needs to see this? What industry or Service are you serving?
.
FORM = What is a business card?  Who says it has to look like a business card? What about a key chain doggle with your business card information on it? Why not a calendar poster? Why not a paper flyer? Why not a post card or magnetic sign?
This is the age of digital printers, You can print on anything.  Your choices are varied. Go for it.

FUNCTION = The purpose of a business card is to share your profile with as many people as possible. An attractive business card is the short list that your clients carry. It's a resume in your pocket. It's a link to your name, address, email, website, cell phone, and social media contact list.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK:

Show me your best business card design idea.  Tell me how it will work for you?  Share your thoughts Your ideas are welcomed.




http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/06/how-to-design-your-business-card/

New site for ACE park sought by CAMT.

The Denver Post reports that "The Colorado Association of Manufacturing and Technology is looking for a new site for a high-tech manufacturing business campus that has NASA as a partner."
(Read the story here.)
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20132619/new-site-sought-nasa-backed-park

In "an e-mail sent (03/08/2012) by CAM chief executive Elaine Thorndike said the Loveland property is no longer the future ACE Park site, adding, "We are currently identifying other potential locations in the Denver/Boulder area."  -- according the The Denver Post.

The question becomes where will the new site be? When will the reported 10,000 new jobs arrive in Colorado to support the ACE (Aerospace and Clean Energy) park?

The Tax Man Cometh: Where's My Refund?

 The number one question taxpayers ask is Where's My Refund? I know, because I work at a tax service and I get this question all the time. So I have compiled a list of websites that answer this question. Generally, electronically filed returns (efile) can take up to 21 days, according to the IRS ( but most likely 10 to 14 days). Paper filed returns can take 6 to 8 weeks.

To get your Federal Return status, go to the Federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website : www.irs.gov.

Navigate to the right column and press the Where's My Refund? button. It will open another page which explains the process.

1. You must wait at least 72 hours after e-filing a return.
2. You will need to provide a Social Security Number, Filing Status, and the Exact amount of your refund found on your tax return.
3. Next click the link to Get your refund Status or the“Where's My Refund? button and enter the information listed above.

To find the refund status at the State level, search (Google, Yahoo or Bing) with the following key words:

Search: +

Example: Colorado Where's My Refund.

Result: www:colorado.gov/revenueonline/_/#1

1. Click the Individual button.
2. Click the Where's My Refund. button
3. To check your refund status:
   Account Type:= Individual Income
   ID Type =Social Security Number
   ID =
   or PIN/Letter ID from the state letter sent to you.

------ Comment: The above example is for the State of Colorado. Your state's query maybe different but the basic idea is to enter your tax id and the refund amount to get your refund status.

Tips: The status message is only as current as your last query. The IRS may update the information with new information. Your projected refund date will be not be effected, unless there are processing delays or you owe federal or state back taxes, child support, or past due government student loans, etc.

Remember- If the Tax Man Cometh - you can run – but you can't hide. 
 

ACE real estate deal to close in mid-Dec. in Loveland

According to Timescall.com

 http://www.timescall.com/business/local-business/ci_19386496

"LOVELAND -- Prospective buyers of the Agilent Technologies Inc. campus in Loveland said Monday  (11-21-2011) they hope to close on the deal in mid-December, weeks ahead of a date specified in a contract with the city."

"Cumberland & Western Resources LLC of Bowling Green, Ky., intends to develop the ACE technology manufacturing park at the Agilent site, in conjunction with sponsoring agencies NASA and the Colorado Association for Manufacturing and Technology."

"An early closing on the real estate deal means that the developer and the Aerospace Clean Energy Manufacturing and Innovation Park can buckle down to the job of lining up tenants that will be matched with patents controlled by NASA and other federal laboratories."

"ACE plans call for as many as 80 companies to populate the site at the northeast quadrant of Taft Avenue and Southwest 14th Street, creating up to 7,000 jobs as they work to commercialize the government-held technology patents."

For more details see this link: http://www.timescall.com/business/local-business/ci_19386496

Denver Tech Professionals' Holiday Networking Gala

You are invited to the Denver Technical Professionals' Holiday Gala Networking Event, sponsored by LeaderQuest Education Services.  Discuss new job leads, business, and educational opportunities.  We will provide free refreshments, tours, and music.

 Bring a White Elephant Gift Exchange ( less than $15.00).

RSVP registration@denvertechnicalprofessionals.com

Bring your business cards.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012 - 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Where:6825 S. Galena Street,

 Centennial, CO 80112

View a detailed map:

http://goo.gl/maps/zDMxG

SEE OUR PRIOR EVENT PHOTOS:

http://thejobwatch.blogspot.com/2010/12/denver-technical-professionals-holiday_17.html

Women in the Workforce Then and Now.

Retro Government Work Poster 

Labor Facts: 

"In 2009, women who were full-time wage and salary workers had median weekly earning of  $657, or about 80% of the $819 median for their male counterparts. In 1979, the first year comparable earning data were available, women earned about 62% as much as men. After a gradual rise in the  1980's and early 1990s, the women's-to-men's earnings ratio peaked at 81% in 2005 and 2006", according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The ratio of female-to-male earning varied by place of residence

Ratio %  vs.  Location

96.5 District of Colombia

88.7 California 

88.4 North Carolina

88.2 Arkansas

87.2 Maryland

87.2 Oklahoma

84.7 Delaware

84.2 Georgia

83.9 New York 

83.6 Minnesota

82.8 Colorado

81.5 Hawaii

81.9 Vermont

81.4 Texas

81.2 South Dakota

81.1 Florida

80.7 Nebraska

80.7 Nevada

80.4 Iowa

80.4 Virginia

80.2 U.S.

80.2 South Carolina

80.1 West Virginia

79.8 Idaho

79.5 Mississippi

79.5 Ohio

79.4 Wisconsin

79.3 Pennsylvania

78.9 Tennessee

77.9 Kentucky

77.9 New Mexico

77.8 Rhode Island

77.3 Montana

77.1 Missouri

76.8 Oregon

76.3 Massachusetts

76.0 Arizona

75.7 Washington

75.3 North Dakota

75.2 Kansas

75.2 Utah

75.0 Connecticut

74.7 Illinois

74.5 Alabama

74.1 New Hampshire

73.5 Michigan

72.2 Alaska

67.2 Wyoming

65.0 Louisiana

Source: http://www.dol.gov/wb/equal-pay/equal-pay-toolkit-20110412.htm

Related Post: Equal Pay Day = ( Equal Pay for Equal Work)

 http://thejobwatch.blogspot.com/2011/04/equal-pay-day-equal-pay-for-equal-work.html

HP is back with a new tablet called the Slate 2

Hewlett Packard announced a new tablet product called the "Slate 2 Tablet PC".

" The HP Slate 2 Tablet PC is ideal for people with jobs that frequently take them away from a traditional desk, yet need to remain productive in a familiar Windows® environment," according to the HP website.

In other words, the HP Slate 2 is still a PC that runs Windows 7 Profession 32-bit operation system, x86 software, the Intel Atom 1.5 GHz processor (Z670), all in the form of a touch screen tablet.

It is priced at $699.00 for a system with 2 GB DDR2 on-board memory,  and up to 64 GB mSATA SSM Storage.

 This move will create an entry point into the mobile device market for HP, Intel and Microsoft.

See the specifications here:

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/pscmisc/vac/us/product_pdfs/Slate2.pdf

The product is only as good as the applications that run Windows 7, which is a limitation. Its competitors are Apple's iPad using the iOS, and other tablets using Android. Its selling price is higher than its competition.  Developers need to re-write software to fully take advantage of smaller touch screen mobile devices, otherwise this is a redesigned netbook PC that uses a touch screen keyboard.

The advantage of this product is it brings Windows to the mobile device market place. It's another chance for HP to recover from its uncertainty, when it killed the HP TouchPad, running the WebOS system. After a dismal product launch, it dropped the TouchPad price from $599.00 to a fire sale price of $99.00 and cancelled the product.
P.S. (11-7-11) I saw the HP TouchPad selling on Amazon.com from $234.00. See: http://www.amazon.com/HP-TouchPad-9-7-Inch-Tablet-Computer/dp/B0055D67HW.

HP has quickly regrouped and released an update of the former Slate 500 PC and hopes the new "Slate 2" will revise its chances in the mobile device market place.