A few weeks ago Sydney fashion designer Lang Leav invited me to the opening of her first solo exhibition at the Kinokuniya Gallery, located in The Galeries Victoria. Lang is well known for her design work, and the Akina fashion label which she created in 2005.

Her business card is almost like a small sample of her work, and I thought I would feature it in a short post.

It is a great example of how something like a business card, that is commonplace and usually taken for granted, can with a little imagination, still be functional and useful, while also making a statement at the same time.

I realise, by the way, that not everyone has the same artistic talent as Lang, so I’m not attempting to set any sort of benchmark here.

Still, as a promotional tool, I think there are a few tips and some inspiration, that can be drawn from her design concept, in much the same way as the letter box drop campaign I mentioned last month.

Since I have been writing about networking in the last few days I thought a mention of business cards was apt since they are a requisite part of most networking activities.

There are several features of Lang’s card that catch the eye at the same time, due to its unique design.

While most cards tend to have a landscape, or left to right, orientation, Lang’s is portrait, or top to bottom. This obviously suits its movie ticket style of design, which initially made me think it was actually a ticket of some sort, rather than a business card!

If you look closely at the above photo you will notice that perforations have been stamped into the card, which further add to the vintage style movie ticket feel.

All up it’s a novel and eye catching way to make an impression, and in a world that loves something that is a little different, and stands out in the crowd, a business card with some unique design elements, and theme, will certainly get people talking about you and your card.

As I say not everyone is a designer, and rather than using a self made logo or image on your cards, you could instead consider using a thumbnail of an unusual, or otherwise interesting photo of yours for example.

Lang’s cards make my relatively new business cards look very plain in comparison, and when the time comes to reorder I think I’ll be making a few changes to the design!

Yesterday I discussed the promotional and networking benefits that blogging can have for career changers.

To keep the networking theme continuing today I thought I’d relate an anecdote from a few years ago, once more about my web design career transition.

As I mentioned yesterday, the quirky nature of my personal website had garnered quite a degree of unexpected, but welcome, attention from a number of professional web designers locally.

As an aside, the researcher at the disposable razor blade company I mentioned yesterday, was but one of my web “identities”. Another “character” was a web designer, who featured in an on-going series of fictional stories that chronicled his various up and downs socially, personally, and as a freelance web designer.

I would subtly allude to various aspects of web design in these stories, using knowledge I was gathering about the workings of the web industry as I was going along.

As a result I would literally meet people who already thought I was a web designer, and was simply producing the fictional series as some respite from a hard day’s work designing websites!

I was able to deploy my expanding knowledge in more purposeful ways however, and it was one conversation in particular with the director of a design studio that resulted in a web design job offer coming my way.

It’s no secret web designers like to party, meaning there were always regular gatherings and social events around town, which I’d often get myself along to. It was not only a way of doing some serious face-to-face networking, but also of having some fun at the same time.

At one such function I met, for the first time, a studio director I had been corresponding with by email for the past few months. He went on to tell me about some of the projects he was working on, and a particular problem he was having with one website that was being produced to a very tight deadline.

Without having to think, I immediately ventured a possible solution which he was very interested in. A few days later he emailed, thanking me for the suggestion, and told me it was working perfectly!

I replied back telling him I was happy to have been of service, and partly humourously, to consider me for any job vacancies he had. I was surprised when he wrote back saying that while he had no openings presently, he had mentioned me to the Creative Director of another design studio who was looking to hire.

About ten days later I was starting work as a web designer, having virtually been head-hunted into the role!

And a large part of my success in this regard had been the way, albeit slightly creatively, that I had managed to build up name for myself, as someone who knew what he was talking about when it came to web design.

While you don’t have to go creating multiple identities, or writing works of fiction to get yourself noticed, there are a still some lessons that can be learnt from this experience.

Firstly, avail yourself of every opportunity to network face-to-face with people doing the sort of work you would one day like to.

As I mentioned yesterday, a blog (or personal website) is a great vehicle with which to introduce yourself, and go about creating a network of professional contacts, but it’s not the be all, and end all, of the process.

It’s the personal, or face-to-face, meetings that can really make the difference though, and often the value of putting a “face to a name” is often under-appreciated.

Also, keep you finger on the pulse. Be “up to speed” with the industry buzz. Subscribe to industry newsletters, blogs, and magazines. This will also give you some conversation starters at networking functions, and allow you to make knowledgeable contributions to the discussion.

And some informed conversation might be all it takes to bring about the job opening you have been looking for.

Elevator statements are usually the domain of marketers and small business owners, but with a little adaption can also prove useful for career changers as a self promotional and networking tool.

Far from being some sort of presentation you make to the occupants of a lift (though I could imagine one or two would be stand up comedians, or politicians, relishing such a captive audience), an elevator statement is in-fact a way of effectively conveying information quickly, and where time is short.

Such as the brief amount of time you are in an elevator.

Here’s how it works. You walk into a lift and another occupant nods at you, and you nod back. By the time you have reached your floor, they have introduced themselves and explained their company provides various training and motivational courses for small to medium size enterprises.

You marvel at how, in the space of what seems like ten seconds, you have the lowdown on the services offered by the business of a complete stranger whom you are sharing an elevator with!

In a way an elevator statement is like a small pitch for business, and in a competitive marketplace such a simple device could be all it takes to snare a deal.

Despite the name though, they can be used in any situation where an opportunity to mention your work, or business, arises and time is very short. This could be in the queue at a bank, a taxi rank, or a chance encounter with a former associate as you are hurrying along the street to an appointment.

And while being great for those in sales and marketing, the concept can also be used by career changers as a way of networking and generating job leads.

Now I’m not suggesting you devise a self promotional spiel and then start eyeballing everyone you meet in an elevator. Rather, what you can do is prepare a short statement outlining your career change ambitions, that can be dropped into everyday conversation.

And sometimes just the simple fact that you are looking for something new is going around the grapevine can be enough to bring opportunities your way.

So think of your “elevator statement” as being more of a way of networking and spreading the word, like a mini press release if you like, that summarises your career change intentions.

Now it’s time to get to work. What’s the best way to describe the sort of work you are looking for, while being descriptive and also concise? How much could you say in the space of 20 seconds? In ten seconds?

Time yourself, you’ll be surprised at just how much information you can convey in that sort of a time frame, if you think it through carefully.

Try this “elevator statement” as a starting point:

“I’m a photographer but have spent the last few months doing IT courses, as I would like to do some web development work going forward.”

You are not only clearly expressing your intentions to become a web developer, but also conveying your commitment by mentioning your studies. Now start telling people, anyone, family, friends, neighbours, whoever you come into contact with.

It may only take the single instance of a say a neighbour, to hear that a business colleague is looking for a web developer, to set things in motion!

Here’s a summary of the benefits of a career change elevator statement;

1. Not only are you creating an elevator statement for public consumption, you are also composing a personal “mission statement” of sorts, as it put your objectives, and the way you intend achieving them, in clear focus.

2. Getting word about your career change intentions around through interpersonal networks just may generate the job lead you are looking for. Remember personal recommendations are often highly regarded, we all like hearing a “good word” about something, or someone, from a person we know or trust.

3. Also, bear in mind that only a quarter to a third of jobs are ever advertised, meaning the rest are filled by other means. Having word going around the streets you are after work can therefore only be a good thing.

4. Crafting a personal elevator statement is relatively quick and simple, and there is really nothing to lose from having one, even if nothing comes of it.