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**Business Cards: A Job Search Tool**

\- Prepared by the CTC staff for the June 2004 edition of the CTC
Newsletter

**[Purpose]{.underline}**

Business cards serve several purposes. They don't just provide contact
information, although their primary purpose is to allow the recipient to
contact the giver with ease. *The Chronicle of Higher Education*'s Ms.
Mentor says that a well-designed business card proves that the giver is
"responsible and reachable." A business card is also an invitation for
contact in the future. In "Don't Leave Home Without It," Kari Larson
calls a business card "an invitation to a relationship, and
relationships yield business." According to marketing expert Diana
Ratliff, you are marketing yourself in a job search and your business
card "should be an integral part of your marketing arsenal." You can't
carry your resume everywhere, but you can carry your business cards.

**[Impression]{.underline}**

Your business card is part of your professional image. Your business
card gives the recipient a sense of who you are and what services or
products you provide. Aleigh Acerni of *The Charleston Regional Business
Journal* says your business card "speaks for you when you are not
present."

What impression do you want to project with your card? You want your
card to reflect your professionalism, your confidence and ability, and
your good taste. You don't want your card to lead recipients to believe
that you are disinterested, unorganized, and tacky. Avoid fluorescent
colors and stupid slogans. Don't use cards with old or incorrect
information. Never cross out wrong information and pencil in the correct
information. Order new cards!

**[Design]{.underline}**

A well-designed business card should have a positive visual impact. The
fonts, paper, and color should be balanced in a compatible style.
Coordinate the style and graphics on your card with your or your
company's publications (including internet) in order to build company
recognition. Use similar "signature files" and "virtual cards" on your
e-mail messages as well.

The card can be set up horizontally or vertically, according to your own
tastes and style. The most common format is horizontal as that is the
easiest to file in a rolodex.

Cards can be printed on both sides. If you are working in an environment
where another language is spoken, one side of your card can be in
English and the other side can offer the same information in the other
language. Depending on your business, you could also offer useful
information on the other side -- your business hours, a metric
conversion chart, a calendar of special business events, etc.

Whatever you want printed on your business card, keep the text to a
minimum, including only the essential information. The card should not
appear cluttered, it should look simple and elegant. Most importantly,
it must be legible. The font must be easy to read \-- even by the
bifocal bunch! If yours is a company card, then the company name should
be the first thing the recipient notices. If it is your personal card,
then your name should stand out first. The font for your name and/or the
company's name should be size 12 to 14. The remainder of the information
should be printed in font size 9 to 11. Be sure the font color is easy
to read against background color.

Keep your design and colors conservative and simple -- no flowers and
cute pictures. "Unless you're in an artsy field, such as theater or
painting, Ms. Mentor advises against peculiar colors, weird wording, or
hard-to-read flourishes." The logo should be the largest element on the
card and it should be eye-catching. According to the
*smallbusinesstown.com* website, the logo is the most memorable part of
a business card. A very few writers on business etiquette advise a
photograph on the card for folks with gender mysterious names.

White card stock is always good choice for a business card, but another
color may help it stand out. Use heavy paper stock so the card doesn't
get bent easily in pockets and briefcases. Avoid unusual shapes that are
hard to file and easy to lose. Stick with the standard 2 x 3.5 inches
(89mm x 51mm). Be careful about using cards you have made on your home
computer. These cards are often made on easily bendable stock and show
the perforations around their edges.

**[Text]{.underline}**

The text on your card should definitely include:

-   your name,

-   your company name (if applicable),

-   and your telephone number.

Other options include:

-   Title

-   Education and/or other qualifications

-   Company logo

-   Company slogan

-   Cellular telephone (if you don't want anyone to call you on it, then
    don't include it!)

-   Facsimile number

-   E-mail address

-   URL

-   Toll free telephone number

-   Address (not everyone is comfortable with e-mail)

-   Summary list of products and/or services

-   White space for handwritten product information or appointments

In you have more than one business, have more than one card and keep
them in different sides of your card case so you can find the one you
need easily.

**[Networking Cards]{.underline}**

Nowadays, some career coaches and counselors encourage their clients to
use "networking" cards which are the same size as a standard business
card and include the job seeker's job objective, unique selling
proposition, critical career information, and/or qualifications summary.
Key qualifications can be printed on back of card to make it a
mini-resume. Focus on 3 to 4 key accomplishments or qualifications; not
on past jobs, titles, or duties

As with all job search topics, opinions differ. Mac Saddoris, Senior
Career Counselor & Executive Coach in State Department's Career
Development Resource Center correctly states that, "The common glue of
effective networking is not a card but shared interests and expertise.
If you don't have that, no card is going to add to building an
interaction. Only your personal skills in communication will work."

On the "pro" side of this issue is CTC Counselor Berri Wells Wilmore: "I
think the cards are a great idea. The reader gets a snapshot of the
candidate in a format that is easily stored and retrieved." Another CTC
Counselor, Dr. Jeanette Kreiser states, "they would be helpful, in that
they offer an easy way to get your name out and remembered. I often find
that I have collected cards at an event and then can't remember much
about the person or why I have the card." Career & Life Coach Tanya
Bodzin likes the idea of a networking card, but suggests limiting the
information to a skill set.

On the "con" side is CTC Counselor, Terri Williams, who states, "this is
NOT the way that civilized folks connect. It kind of reminds me of the
title of a book I use, [Can I Fax You a Thank You Note?]{.underline} and
the answer is no!" Counselor Robert Minor cautions that networking cards
may make the job searcher appear a little desperate. Counselors Fred
Hecklinger and Soonhoon Ahn also recommend traditional business cards
with contact information only.

**[Practice]{.underline}**

Always carry a good supply of business cards with you. Come especially
well prepared for networking events, conferences, and job fairs. It is a
good idea to carry your cards in a case so the cards stay clean and
unbent. The case should be leather or silver \-- anything but plastic!

Keep your cards where you can access them easily. You shouldn't have to
search or dig for them. (Remember those receptions at the Ambassador's
residence when you had to give and receive business cards and shake
hands while juggling a beverage and a plate of food?)

Exchange cards openly and directly. Don't leave your card in someone's
chair or plate like those irritating vendors who put flyers under your
windshield wipers in parking lots. Present it personally.

Hand your card to the recipient with the writing facing them so that
they can read it immediately without having to turn it around. If your
card is printed on both sides, present the side with your name on it
first. If your card is printed in English on one side and a foreign
language on the other, present the side with the recipient's language on
it.

**[Presentation]{.underline}**

Ms. Mentor says, "the art of card giving is a delicate dance." Here are
some basic steps to the dance.

A business card can facilitate introductions or be a parting gesture.
Some say to introduce yourself with the card; others say to give card at
end of conversation or whenever you've established a reason for further
contact. Some say it's rude to give someone your card unless they
request it, but opinions differ on that, too. Do make the presentation
of your card an act of respect. Don't just toss it at the recipient. Ask
"May I give you my card?" Whatever you do, don't pass your cards out to
everyone like a blackjack dealer because people will think the cards
(read *[you!]{.underline}*) are less valuable. On the other hand, don't
appear stingy with them.

When you go to appointments, you should leave a card with the secretary
of the person you are seeing in case s/he is making the next contact for
the boss. In a meeting, give out your card at the beginning of the
meeting. You can also include a business card with a business letter.

Many business etiquette gurus say that a person of higher rank must ask
you for your card. The [Etiquette International]{.underline} website
explains it like this, "Before you cry foul, think how often you've
encountered senior executives from major corporations who 'just ran out
of cards' or 'forgot to bring them'? Do you really think these people
became captains of industry by not having business cards? The truth is
that they don't want to give you a card because they know you'll
harangue their secretaries for weeks trying to get through to them."

If you are with a group of people and you don't want to give your card
to all of them, wait until you are alone with the person you want to
give the card to or give a card to everyone in the group. If you give
your card to only one person in the group, you will be snubbing the
others. Be sure to give your card to anyone who wants to send you
something by mail or e-mail. Never present your card to someone during a
meal.

In a social setting, the general rule is to give your business card only
if requested. You can also ask permission to contact the person at work
or send him/her a note with your card enclosed after the social event.
Never attach a business card to flowers sent to a co-worker who is sick,
just had a baby, for death in the family, etc.

If someone asks you for a card and you have run out, don't ask them for
one of theirs in order to write your information on the back of it.
Write your information on a piece of paper, then mail them a card later.

**[Receipt]{.underline}**

Ask for someone else's card if you want to contact him/her later. Always
receive the card with respect; don't just glance at it, then shove into
your pocket. When receiving a card, handle the card by its edges, thank
the giver, and read the text on the card thoroughly. Pronounce the
person's name to allow them a chance to correct your pronunciation, if
necessary. To show your interest, you could also make a comment about a
positive experience you have had with their company. If seated, keep
card on table in front of you for easy reference. Don't write any
reminders on the card until you are away from the giver (unless, of
course, they tell you to do so).

Some business etiquette gurus advise you to send a follow-up e-mail to
everyone who has given you a card. Use your own judgment as to whether
that is appropriate. You can send your regards, your thanks, and a
nonchalant reminder of you and your work.

**[Miscellaneous Notes on Business Cards]{.underline}**

Develop a reliable card "storage" system for networking events. For
instance, you can designate one jacket pocket for your own cards and the
other pocket for cards received. At a networking event, never discard
cards you don't want at the event, wait until you get home to throw them
away. How would you feel if you found your own card discarded on the
buffet table?

Many people write reminders on business cards -- often a memory jogging
description of person or the event and date where you met them. It is
always a good idea to wait until you get home to do that! If it falls
out of your pocket, you don't want anyone to see "skinny blonde yuppie
hockey player who knew my roommate at Harvard" or "frizzy redheaded
environmental activist" written on the card!!