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.

TUES., NOV. 17

NurseWeek Career Fair - Calling all nurses: Find out what's happening in one of the most in-demand professions, with 20 exhibiting companies and continuing education seminars. Visit with local and national recruiters and bring your resumes for a free review. When: 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Exhibit Hall open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Where: Washington State Convention Center, Seattle. Admission: Free.

Interview Empowerment Class - Speaker Tom Washington, author of "Interview Power, Resume Empower" and founder of Career Management Resources, will provide tips on how to overcome nervousness and interview effectively, regardless of your experience. When: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Where: Newport Way Library, Bellevue. Admission: Free, but registration is required.

WED., NOV. 18

Business and Professional Women, Bellevue -- At this November Event, hear organizational experts Maulitta Brown of Clear Intentions and Debbie Rosemont of Simply Placed discuss ways to increase your productivity, focus your career goals and better manage your time at this "Plan for Success in 2010" luncheon. When: 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Where: The Harbor Club, Bellevue. Admission: $25 for members; $35 for guests.

THURS., NOV. 19

Eastside Networking Event - Last month, 85 job seekers showed up at the first of these Bellevue events. Today, more than 180 networkers have signed up for casual conversations, cocktails and contact gathering. Expected attendees include engineers, developers, product managers, accountants, controllers, finance managers, marketing directors and many others. When: 6 to 9 p.m. Where: Rock Bottom Brewery, Bellevue. Admission: Free.

Seattle Job Social -- Hosted by Volt Technical & Creative Communication, this regular networking event is expected to have 28 employers and more than 200 job seekers in attendance. The visiting companies will be recruiting for roles in finance, accounting, marketing, communications/public relations, software development, hardware systems and other technical backgrounds. When: 6 to 8 p.m. Where: Twist, Belltown. Admission: $5. Send resumes with your RSVP.

This kind of pop-culture "My Name is Earl" karmic philosophy is the basis for most networking events. You get out into the market, make friends, offer support where you can and then hope some of that good will eventually bounce back to you with a job offer.

Yet, in light of the recession and high unemployment rate, networking events have too often become stressful affairs, says Sandy Jones-Kaminski, a business development specialist and networking expert. "You tend to see a lot of bad, rude behavior," she says. "People may talk to you, but they keep looking around for the next title on nametags. It makes you think, 'I'm boring,' so you feel uncomfortable. That's why many people don't like networking."

Determined to do something about it, Jones-Kaminski and her consulting firm Bella Domain came up with a new approach to networking, called Pay It Forward Parties, or "PIF Parties," for short. Rather than going to a networking meeting looking to make connections for themselves, the attendees at a PIF Party have one objective: to offer whatever help they can to whoever asks for it.

The idea, Jones-Kaminski says, was to make sure that people were approaching others without agendas or ulterior motives. "You might not get help yourself, but that's not the point," she says. "About 80 percent of the attendees I talked with said they got some kind of help. But the point is to connect with others on some level. You don't need it all coming back to you."

From the first PIF Party in November 2007, the events were not necessarily job-search functions. They were mostly a place were people could simply pay kindness forward to others in any way they could, be it referrals, advice, mentorship--even a date or two between single attendees. While only half of the attendees were looking for work, she estimates, some were able to find new jobs or business opportunities.

"You get offered a job from people who are trusting of you," she says. "There's a hidden job market out there, but you have to be willing to be open and giving to be part of it."

The last PIF Party Jones-Kaminski hosted through Bella Domain was in November 2008, after which she pursued a few other business ventures. This coming week, however, the PIF Party is being resurrected by the Puget Sound Chapter of the American Marketing Association. On Thursday, Nov. 19, PSAMA will hold a PIF Party, called "Thankful for Your Network," at the Local Vine restaurant in Belltown from 6 to 9 p.m. The admission fee will be $10, but PSAMA members can get in for free.

Jones-Kaminski will also be there as co-host of the event, and will speak about her new book, "I'm at a Networking Event--Now What???" about navigating the difficult networking scene. She says she hopes these new versions of PIF Parties will continue "sort of every other month" if all goes well, but she doesn't want to be the focus of every event. "I'm always encouraging others to host their own PIF Parties," she says. "Even if you have a job, this is the kind of activity people should be doing all the time."

What really struck me about this horrific incident was that the 13 people killed and 29 injured were just waiting in line to receive medical processing before their redeployment. These men and women who are trained to face injury and death on the battlefield found it instead in the military equivalent of a civilian DMV line--the most mundane of places in the heart of what they thought would be the safest spot in the world: their home base.

I couldn't help but think how the incident was also some kind of metaphor for the difficulties many returning veterans are finding on the civilian job front. After putting themselves in harm's way, many vets are coming home to find a different kind of battle to find a job in a country with more than 10.2 percent unemployment. According to sobering stats from the Labor Department, total unemployment among vets reached 11.3 percent in early September. A March 2009 report pegged the average jobless number at 14.1 percent for the 18-to-24 age group that has served since the 9/11 attacks. This demographic represents the youngest soldiers, who have had the least chance to develop employment networks during their tours.

As dispiriting as these numbers sound, there is reason for hope for a brighter future, says Matt Murphy, senior vice president of sales and business development for military-to-civilian recruiting firm RecruitMilitary. In a recent blog post, Murphy wrote that there are still thousands of companies that are looking to hire veterans through his company's database, with more than 140,000 positions currently available nationwide. "Employers value veterans not only for their skill sets, but also for their personal characteristics such as leadership, initiative, self-discipline and a strong work ethic," he wrote.

One of the primary obstacles that many veterans face in during their job searches, however, is "learning how to 'translate' military skills into civilian counterparts and near-counterparts," Murphy wrote. For example, helicopter mechanics could look toward civilian auto repair jobs. Those with combat experience are "prime candidates" for law enforcement or private security jobs. "Describe your tasks in the military, and emphasize the units and numbers of personnel you led, your people skills, whatever experience you might have had in improving the performance of a unit," Murphy added.

Locally, there are a couple of upcoming job fairs in Western Washington that are specifically targeted toward finding employment for military vets. On Friday, Nov. 13, WorkSource Vancouver will host a Veterans Hiring Event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Next week, on Thurs., Nov. 19, RecruitMilitary will hold a Veteran Opportunity Expo at the ShoWare Center in Kent, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more help with job placement and career advice, vets also can turn to the Employment Security Department's Veteran Services page or the Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs.

To all returning vets in Western Washington, how difficult has it been to transition to the civilian job market? As we salute your service today, I'd like to continue the dialogue and hear more about your own personal stories.

In honor of this historic event, I urge Hire Ground readers to follow in the example of the "Peaceful Revolution" of 1989 and take your career into your own hands. The Wall did not come down of its own accord; it was preceded by months of demonstrations and a committed effort by a weary populace to affect change. In a similar way, a job search cannot be conducted from home or online. You must get out into the job market, meet new contacts face to face and develop a network of people who can alert you to new openings.

OK, perhaps it's a stretch to compare the fall of Communism with landing a job interview. But in this economy, it can sometimes feel like you need a grassroots political campaign behind you to reach hiring managers. To help inspire you to create you own career revolution, here are a few free networking and career development events this week.

Tonight, Nov. 9 -- Microsoft's Professional Development and Recruiting Event. Hear Microsoft executives discuss their latest business challenges and mingle with recruiters at this mixer, sponsored by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Keynote speakers from Microsoft will include Kirt Debique, general manager, office productivity applications, and Shane Kim, corporate vice president, strategy and business development. When: 6 to 9 p.m. Where: The Commons Mixer, Microsoft Studios West Campus, Redmond.

Tues., Nov. 10 -- Seattle Career Fair. Dress for success, bring your resume and meet face-to-face with hiring managers from top local companies. Participating firms include Vertafore, Madden Industrial Craftsmen, Macy's, Interstate Bankers Corp., Guardian Security, Emerald Queen Casino, Prudential and many others. When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Where: Seattle Center Northwest Rooms.

Wed., Nov. 11 -- Get 'Er Done Event. Got too much on your plate? Need a kick in the pants to jump-start your job search? Well, don't look for sympathy here. Join career counselor Laila Atallah in a session devoted to focusing on organizing your plans to find a new job. Atallah will be on hand for an hour to circulate among the group and provide one-on-one consultation. When: 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Where: Mosaic Coffee House in Wallingford.

Thurs., Nov. 12 -- Inside the Business Journal: Bellevue Career Search Seminar. Join business development expert Elizabeth Case in a discussion about how to stand out in a crowded job-search market. Find out tips about how to use the Puget Sound Business Journal as a helpful tool in your job search. When: 3 to 4 p.m. Where: Union Bank, Bellevue.