It is often said that time is money. One look out of the window can show you how true this saying is. You see the streets and sidewalks of the city, where drivers and pedestrians alike rush to where they need to go. Most pay no mind to any chaos unfolding around them, as they have no time to do so. A sword duel could break out on the street and they wouldn’t stop.

My point is that time is indeed money, especially in the professional world. People have deals to discuss, meetings to attend, etc. So they won’t have time to listen to your life story or anything like that.

That’s what business cards are for.

And, well, elevator pitches, but sometimes you might not even have time for those or maybe you won’t feel like you’ve practiced it enough. 

There’s also resumes, but it would be a bit awkward to hand those out to every single person you wanted to connect with. 

A business card is a quick and simple way to give important information about yourself to potential clients, peers, partners and employers! They are small cards that often contain your name, email, phone number and the company/brand you represent among other pieces of info. All you do is hand them to who you need to or want to and bam! You now have someone who knows who you are, what you do and how to get in touch with you for future career opportunities.

Now, you’re probably thinking: “I’m a student. Why the heck would I need a business card?”

Well, there are many scenarios where a student can benefit from having a business card. College itself is a prime location for making connections that will benefit your career life. And when connecting with other people, what could help more than a quick and easy means of giving your information. Imagine if you were to try and connect with a student that could help in a project of yours or something along those lines, but as you try to give them your information, they realize they need to be heading to a class soon. If you had a business card, you would simply hand a copy to them and let them be on their way. Otherwise, you might find yourself giving a sloppy explanation of who you are and what you do. This applies to more than just students. A business card will help give your information to professors or other professionals you wish to connect or work with.

Business cards can help in interviews as well! Mainly in-person ones. I can’t imagine giving one over a zoom call. I mean, how would that work? Would you just hold your card up the camera and be like “uhhh yeah, just write down this stuff on the card here”. But seriously, a business card will help interviewers by giving them quick access to your information at all times. While they may have your resume, that might be a bit too long of a read for them. So they may be more inclined to reach out and potentially hire an interviewee who hands them a business card over one who doesn’t. 

In short: Business cards are good because they give information quickly and efficiently. And in a world where time is money, quickness and efficiency are two highly-valued concepts.

Now you might be thinking: “Well, alright a business card sounds like a good idea, but just where am I supposed to get one?”

Good news! The Office of Career Success and Experiential Education here at New York Tech sells business card bundles for students! You can buy 60 business cards for only $10 or 120 business cards for $16. Be sure to stop by when you can and pick up a bundle for yourself. You won’t regret it!