Should He Use Networking Cards?

Darren writes: I read that I should have copies of my resume with me all the time. What do you think about networking business cards? What type of information would you put on a card?

I’m currently in the retail-grocery industry and would like to change careers. I’m looking toward working for an manufacturing company.

The Career Doctor responds: I think networking cards are essential for career changers and college students. A networking card is just like a business card — the same size and shape — and contains all your pertinent contact information, including your name, phone number, email address, postal mail address; and Web site address, cell phone or fax numbers (if you have them). In place of the name of the business and a job title, you should have your job objective and unique selling proposition.

You can get the cards printed at a local print shop, at numerous places on the Web, and even print them yourself using special business card paper and a template that most word-processing programs supply.

Keep your networking cards clean and crisp and bring them EVERYWHERE you go — to networking events (obviously), career and job fairs, social gatherings, holiday parties, weddings, and anywhere else you may run into potential contacts…everywhere. Keep copies of your resume handy as well, but there are obviously numerous times where a resume would simply be too awkward to handle.

And consider taking your networking card one step further by turning your networking card into what my partner Katharine Hansen refers to a Resume Highlights Card in her book, A Foot in the Door: Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market. With a resume highlights card, you can print your key qualifications (or summary of accomplishments) on the back of your networking card — giving you a mini-resume to distribute when carrying your regular resume is not feasible.

See our article, Networking Business Cards: An Essential Job-Search Tool.