In your search for a new job, you have your box of necessary tools: a resume, a cover letter, references and so on. But there are also some vital accessories, supplements to those tools, that can help you land a job. These are little things that will make you appear (hopefully because you are) more professional than your peers and competitors. Business cards, personalized letterheads, and your own website are three things that are relatively easy to do and go a long way towards impressing potential employers.

A good business card can present you as a very important, very successful person. Never mind that you can have them printed at Kinko’s, a well designed, well thought out card says a lot about you. It shows initiative, professionalism, and experience. It's also a handy way for a potential employer to keep your contact information and remember your name. Most business cards today are designed using Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign (or their non-brand name equivalents). If you are not familiar with these programs, put a want ad up on Craigslist. Offer a fair price ($100-200) to a student studying graphic design, and you'll have a business card in no time, hopefully with some spit and polish on it. Typically, you'll want the business card to display your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and any other pertinent information or skills. Your card should be well polished by the time you give it to anyone, and err on the side of simplicity, as complex designs are often too cluttered and poorly managed, which will reflect poorly on you. If you want a logo, that's fine, as a little original art never hurt anyone.

You can use that same logo, or an appropriate image, on your letterhead, which does not have to be anything fancy. In fact, a subtle letterhead would work best. This way, instead of taking notes on standard notebook paper during your interview, you can write on your letterhead. This is another subtle way in which you can show a potential employer that you've got yourself put together. Again, if you aren't that talented with Illustrator or InDesign (the programs you would use to create such a letterhead), find a starving college student. Don't feel bad about not being able to pay them as much as they're worth. You're out of a job, and the work can go into the student's portfolio (or perhaps even count towards an assignment), so it's win-win both ways. The letterhead is something you should try not to draw attention to, and in that way, it differs from the other elements in this article; let the employer notice it. And remember, just because he or she does not say anything does not mean it was not noticed.