The little card you need.

By Yameng Zhang

"Can I have your name and contact, please?"
"Sure, let me write down for you."
I can spend 20 seconds writing down my information at the sign-in table, but I should not let a recruiter spend 20 seconds watching how bad a person's handwriting can possibly be.

A career fair is a professional occasion for business, which gives you the perfect reason to bring out the thing called "business cards".

A business card says things about you.
If you got a business card having a person's name in Times New Roman, black and white, on a perfectly cut rectangle small thicken paper, what do you think? Professional, huh?
There is nothing wrong with being safe, but it is wrong to be boring. Imagine the people who got your business card will only go home with your card, so to those people, besides the memory you left after the interaction, what they got is just your business card, no matter how interesting you are, the boring card is a proof that says you are actually not.
If you are an interesting person, let your card show that as well.

Keep it simple.
It is still just a card, don't brag too much.
What you have done in the past, those should be on the resume, not on your business card.
Your name, present identity, address, phone number and email. Those are needed.
May be put one of your picture, maybe a motto related to your career of course, or maybe some appropriate decorative design, but that should be all.
Don't crowd your card with all words, leave some room, for notes, or just for a breath in case there is too much information.

Make it yours.
If you give out your card in a career fair, unless your card is on fire, it will be drowning in a pile of cards. I bet you have done learning how to let yourself standout in career fairs, but is your card ready to defeat the other business cards?
If you are an incredibly unforgettable type of person, make sure your card is the same type of business card.
Paper is not the only thing can be used for business card, how about metal, candy wrap, or glass? Too wild? If you prefer papers, pick one that has some texture, which is practical and durable, so people know that you are detail-oriented.
Rectangle is not the only shape for business cards. Try put your information in a circle, star, or at least you can try make a square business card. When the people who got your card are organizing all the cards they received from the career fair, your card would definitely standout because it won't fit. Your card may be left on the people's desk for a while, which will give you more chance to be reminded.

No matter what you decide to do about your business cards, at least don't let the little cards drag you down, if possible, do some work, let it tell some good things about you when you're not around.