How to use your business card when networking

A recent comment suggested the need for networkers to understand business card sharing strategy and courtesy. I asked George Fleming, career coach and SJN supporter, to offer his insights on how our business cards fit into those networking conversations.

Chris Vicari
Founder-Executive Director
Scottsdale Job Network-SJN


How to use your business card when networking
By George Fleming
yourcareercoach1@cox.net

The belief is sometimes held, mistakenly, I might add, that the more business cards you give out in your job search, the quicker you’ll land your next job.

Let’s take a step back, and think about why you got business cards for your search in the first place. You got business cards so that people who want to reach you can do so easily. On your card you have your contact information: telephone number and email address. You got tired of writing this information down on scraps of paper and realized that a card is quicker and more professional. Right?

Now you have a box of these cards – what to do with them? Remember what we said above: you got business cards so that people who want to reach you can do so easily. You’re at an SJN meeting. You chat with somebody, and the two of you decide further conversation is warranted.

So you exchange business cards. And you may write a note on the other person’s card about the reason for you following-up. It now is a reminder of a conversation that will take place in the near future.

Sometimes people attend these events and start passing their cards out as though they’re lottery tickets. And you wind up with cards from people you haven’t really talked to. And as you head for the door to leave…you throw those cards in the trash. They’re meaningless to you.

If you do hold on to them, a week later you throw them in the trash – delayed reaction, same result.

Think of your business card as being the punctuation to a networking conversation. “Call me, and let’s arrange to get together.” “Drop me an email, and I’ll give you the contact information for my friend at that company.”

In short, don’t distribute your business cards indiscriminately. People will not have a positive impression of you; your cards will go in the trash; and you’ll not get any positive assistance with your search.

A final note on business card etiquette: If someone gives you their card, promising a networking contact for your search, you are expected to follow up on getting that contact. Don’t wait for the other person to get back to you. The ball is in your court. Go for it.