Career Networking and Business Cards Diving in further #3 - Hallie Crawford

Career Networking and Business Cards Diving in further #3 Youve successfully exchanged business cards at your networking event whats next? Business Card Tips and Etiquette 1. Look at the card before you put it away. When someone passes you their business card, thank them and acknowledge that youve been handed a gift of sorts. You may feel nervous and want to slip the card into your pocket right away so that you can rush right into the conversation. However, the person with whom youre about to speak will be much more impressed if you take a moment to observe and comment on their business card. Looking at their card is a kind of acknowledgement of them and your new connection. This will also give you a chance to remember their name during your conversation. Sometimes people get nervous when theyre at a networking event so they tend to rush through things. Take a breath and take your time. Go with the flow of the conversation and interaction. Youll do much better and make a better impression. By the way just as I suggest you visualize how you want to behave to prep for an upcoming interview you can do the same with a netowrking event. Picture how you want to act, how you want to feel, what you want to say and the ideal outcome. Itll be more likely to happen that way if you do! 2. Tell them youll be in touch. Sometimes there can be a little confusion over who will be doing the contacting. Did Joe say hed call you or were you going to email him instead? To avoid this problem, always take the initiative. Once youre handed the business card, tell them, Ill give you a call before the week is over. Or, if you have no real reason to speak to the person immediately, say that youll be following up with an email at some point and then do that. Always make sure you do what you say you will, enough said. If you want this connection to be a positive and beneficial one, you need to demonstrate that youre a reliable person. I also like to initiate the follow-up because it shows initiative; that youre a pro-active person whos willing to get out there and do what you need to do to land your next position. Knock their socks off at your next networking event! Hallie college grad career coaching