Student Business Cards

[needanswers]

I'm curious about what both law students and professionals think about law students with business cards.

If you are in law school, does your school offer them? What do you think about them?

If you are a lawyer, what do you think about law students who have them?

[jacy85]

My school strongly suggested we buy them, and the student bar association took orders.  They suggest that we use them for networking in looking for jobs and things like that, since it's a bit more professional to hand someone a business card than scribble your email/phone number on a napkin.

[dft]

For purposes of networking, how do you think business cards stack up against plain old resumes though?

My school strongly suggested we buy them, and the student bar association took orders.  They suggest that we use them for networking in looking for jobs and things like that, since it's a bit more professional to hand someone a business card than scribble your email/phone number on a napkin.

[jacy85]

You don't carry around copies of your resume with you.  And if you do, you should stop.

Networking is more than what you're thinking, I suspect.  Networking happens anywhere.  If you go to a wedding over break (maybe you're cousin's wife's father is a partner in a firm), or your mom's best friend has a legal connection, or an old college buddy has some impressive legal ties, etc. etc. you'll want to leave them with something so they can maybe help you out.  You aren't likely going to have a resume on hand to give to these people if you run into them on the street or a wedding or something.

A business card is easier and more convenient for all involved.  I think the most common thing that happens is your contact will use the info you provide to give you the relevant info you need to send your resume along to whoever it is they know.

That, and let's just fact it:  Handing out resumes to random people you meet at bar/law school event, parties, weddings, etc.  is just retarded.

[Ajude]

"Handing out resumes to random people you meet at bar/law school event, parties, weddings, etc.  is just retarded."

As is handing out business cards when you don't have a business.  You might as well hand out notes that say "Please leave this in your pants pocket so it can be destroyed by your dry cleaner."  The better approach at such events is to ask for the business cards of the folks that you are talking with and follow up with an e-mail or a letter. 

[jacy85]

Not according to career services, and not according to many people who may come across a contact that might be useful to you, but have no way of getting in touch with you.

A business card isn't meant to sell your business.  It's an aid to sell yourself, and that's what networking is all about.

[CheezWiz]

$.02

If you are interested in having an additional resource then I would suggest getting them.  However, like any tool you need to know how to properly use them or you might as well not have them at all.

(1) Do not – DO NOT – go around giving your card to every tom male private part and firm partner you come into contact with.  The proper time to give your card is when you are ASKED for your information.  “Let’s talk, what’s your e-mail address” or “I’ll send you an application, where can I mail it?”

(2) Get as many business cards from OTHER people as you can.  Write a little something about them on the back.  Follow up.  You are a lot more likely to contact a practicing lawyer after a luncheon or a forum then they are to contact you.

(3) When you follow up with a letter and resume, add your business card.  Many lawyers will file or forward resumes as a matter of course but will give a business card to their secretary to add to their contact list.

(4) Just because you can get as many colors or pattern or pictures as you’re little 1L heart pleases for the same price please dear goodness remember your going to be a lawyer no granite backgrounds, no rainbows, no pictures (vanity kills), an no flashy colors.  Use one or two colors, a simply icon if you choose, a conservative font… if it does not look like something a firm would give out, you shouldn’t either

[dft]

I once went to a seminar on business cards. Couple of things they said:

1) Always use both sides, whether your a business or a student. They said you might as well make use of the other side, and they had several ideas of stuff to put on the back.

2) For students, one idea of what to put on the back was a mini-resume, which I thought was a pretty good idea (obviously use pretty small font).

Any dissent is welcome.

[Ajude]

My dissent:

MP: I am saddened by the fact that you attended a seminar on business cards.

Jacy: Your career services office is wrong.  Unemployed people should not have business cards. 

[dft]

i was in a "small business marketing" seminar course junior year in college. it was more of a practical experience than a real course. our primary assignment was to consult/advise a small business in the area and to write up a marketing plan for them. so chill.

My dissent:

MP: I am saddened by the fact that you attended a seminar on business cards.

Jacy: Your career services office is wrong.  Unemployed people should not have business cards.