Question Business Card Contents Questions

dfields916 · 3 Dec 2020

Good Afternoon,

After prowling the internet for information about Japan and business cards, I've come across many articles detailing proper etiquette (i.e. how to hand out your cards, receiving card, etc.). I've noticed a few missing details I hoped someone could enlighten me about. Being and ex-pat, what details should go on the business card not only in English, but also in Japanese? If you were currently teaching abroad, would it be seen as rude to offer a business card with a current employer listed as your company? Or would it be even more rude to not list the company you are currently employed at on your card when applying and meeting for an interview? Also, during this lockdown, are business cards still relevant for online interviews? Thank you in advance.

Majestic · 3 Dec 2020

Your company typically provides the business cards for you. Even in eikaiwa or JET, your company or board of education should supply your business cards, as you are representing their organization. The purpose of the business card is to identify you with your employer, not to announce you as an individual. The exception is if you are an individual entrepreneur, or an artist.

If, for some reason, your employer does not make business cards for you, you can make one with just your name and your occupation on it (and not make any association with the company or organization). For example, if you are employed by Interac (used to be a well-known eikaiwa agency...I don't know if they are still around) and they do not provide you with cards, you can make simple cards with your name and private contact details, with the occupation simply as "English Teacher" or "assistant English teacher" on it. No need to put anything else on them - just your name and contact details (yes, email included, and website if you have one and it is appropriate to your occupation). Qualifications are also OK (Phd and whatnot).

As you guessed, business cards are super-irrelevant in this age of remote learning, remote-working, remote-everything. But, yes, people still have them.

dfields916 · 3 Dec 2020

Majestic said:
Your company typically provides the business cards for you. Even in eikaiwa or JET, your company or board of education should supply your business cards, as you are representing their organization. The purpose of the business card is to identify you with your employer, not to announce you as an individual. The exception is if you are an individual entrepreneur, or an artist.

If, for some reason, your employer does not make business cards for you, you can make one with just your name and your occupation on it (and not make any association with the company or organization). For example, if you are employed by Interac (used to be a well-known eikaiwa agency...I don't know if they are still around) and they do not provide you with cards, you can make simple cards with your name and private contact details, with the occupation simply as "English Teacher" or "assistant English teacher" on it. No need to put anything else on them - just your name and contact details (yes, email included, and website if you have one and it is appropriate to your occupation). Qualifications are also OK (Phd and whatnot).

As you guessed, business cards are super-irrelevant in this age of remote learning, remote-working, remote-everything. But, yes, people still have them.

Thank you, so when applying for a job, and presenting your card for an interview, it would be best to give a generic card with your relevant details. If you were to do one side in English, and the other in Japanese, would it be rude to put your English name in Katakana, or would you just leave it in English?

Majestic · 3 Dec 2020

Usually you don't exchange business cards at an interview. Interviewees just have to show up with a copy of their CV and a good attitude and maybe one or two questions about the company you are interviewing with. It would be slightly weird, and perhaps slightly pretentious, or presumptuous, for an interviewee to pull out a business card, unless you are currently employed and have a bit of status attached to your current position. Your CV/Resume is the thing to bring in an interview. Don't worry about making or bringing business cards - it isn't expected, it doesn't score you any points, and it is meaningless as every relevant bit of info should already be on your CV. I've interviewed maybe a ton of people, and I've never had an interviewee present a business card. Again, the purpose of the business card is to announce not only you, but the company/organization you work for. In an interview setting, your CV does the work of announcing you.

Question Business Card Contents Questions

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