Why do interviewers give you their business cards?

When you are going to interview for a job it is customary for the people being interviewed to bring their resumes, but also normal for the hiring managers or interviewers to give you their business cards in return.

This can be a bit confusing since business cards may seem a bit outdated.

So, why do interviewers give you their business cards?

Interviewers give you their business cards so that you will have their contact information in the event you want to send them a follow-up email after the interview.

You could say the business card is a bit of a test for candidates to see who will actually use the information on the card to their advantage.

Hiring managers want to see if you have good follow-up skills and will likely wait and see if you send a follow-up email to them thanking them for their time.

When you don’t get a business card

When you don’t get a business card from a hiring manager or interviewer it may be a bad sign that they don’t want you to get in touch with them if the interview did not go well.

This is more common at large companies that have HR departments that are very involved in the hiring process. The HR department will be your point of contact throughout the interview process and sometimes the manager you report to you will be speaking with them for the first time at the interview.

For competitive jobs, the hiring manager may be interviewing several candidates a day so they may only decide to give their business cards out to candidates that they have an interest in.

If the hiring manager doesn’t offer you their business card at the end of the interview make sure you do the following:

Thank them for their time
Ask them about what the next steps in the interview process are if you have an interest
Express interest in moving forward in the interview process
Ask them for a business card so you can follow up

This will show the hiring manager that you have great communication skills and you are proactive about trying to move along in the interview process. If a hiring manager is interviewing multiple people on the same day, little things like this along with a follow-up email or note are what helps some people stand out from others.

How do you know if a hiring manager likes you?

One of the best ways to know if a hiring manager likes you is if the time for your interview is going past the scheduled allotted time.

Hiring managers are busy and if they are engaging in conversation with you on a personal level or giving asking you if you have follow-up questions this could be a good sign.

Another good sign is them giving you their business card and telling you to call or email them with any follow-up questions you have about the job.

If you get a business card from a hiring manager make sure you take advantage of that and send a professionally written thank you email when you are done with the interview.

This will impress the hiring manager and show that you have good communication skills that can be used with potential customers if you land the job.

Should you ask for a business card after an interview?

If the interviewer did not give you their business card asking for the business card is a good idea.

If the hiring manager did not love your interview, your follow-up skills could change their opinion of you and help you stand out from the competition.

You really have nothing to lose when you ask for a business card and the upside potential is significant, so give it a shot the next time you are in an interview and you don’t get offered a business card and don’t have any way to get in touch with the hiring manager.

How do I Impress the hiring manager?

The best way to impress a hiring manager is to show up prepared with good questions. Hiring managers want to see people that have put the time and effort into learning about the role, the company, and the culture ahead of the interview.

Asking good questions is a great way to get in favor with the hiring manager as managers love to see skills from people that they are interviewing that they will need to use down the line as full-time employees.

Put yourself in the hiring manager’s position and ask yourself what you would be looking for. If you ask good questions and follow up quickly with a thank you email, you should have a good shot at landing your dream job.

How do I impress the hiring manager on the phone?

The best way to impress the hiring manager on the phone is to speak clearly and demonstrate why you are a good fit for the position by giving examples of your past experiences that would help contribute to the new company’s success.

Since you are on the phone one advantage you have is that you can prepare notes which should contain a list of questions that you prepare ahead of time. Having thoughtful questions and success stories prepared is a great way to stand out.

If a hiring manager asks you to name a specific time that you overcame a challenge and work and you are able to walk through a step-by-step example, this will impress the hiring manager and will show that you are able to think on your feet.

Think through some examples of success stories that you have at previous jobs and practice telling those stories to yourself or friends so that when you get in an interview you are prepared to walk through these stories and impress your manager.

Do you give your business card to an interviewer?

Yes, it is a good idea to give your business card to your interviewer to give yourself credibility and show that you actually work at where you say you do on your resume.

A business card is just an additional touchpoint that will help keep you in mind when the interviewer is done with the interview process.

If the interviewer or hiring manager interviews 4 candidates and you were the only one that gave them your business card, it may help separate you from the competition.

Leaving a business card will never hurt you in the hiring process and will only help your cause.

How do you ask for a business card in an interview?

If you aren’t offered a card during the initial introduction process, wait until you are done with the interview and toward the end ask for a business card from the interviewer.

The interviewer will be impressed that you are taking the initiative to ask for a formal point of contact for them and you should use the contact information to send a formal thank you email or thank you note.

When you are competing for high-level positions it is the little things that help separate a candidate from others, and doing little things like sending a prompt follow up can help you stand apart.

How do you know if the interview went well?

One of the best ways to know if the interview went well is if the hiring manager tells you details about the next steps in the hiring process.

If the interviewer does not think you are a fit, they may tell you something like “HR will be in touch,” or not discuss with you what the next steps are.

If you are a fit, the hiring manager will want to make sure you are aware of the next steps in detail so that you don’t go take another job in the meantime.

What should a business card say?

If you are unemployed and want to create a business card it is best to keep it simple with your name, email, address and phone number. You don’t want to overdo it by having a flashy business card with too many bright colors or fancy fonts.

The name of the game is trying to leave a memorable touchpoint with the person you are interviewing with and a business card is just another tool in your toolbox and shouldn’t draw too much attention to itself.

Conclusion

If a hiring manager or interviewer gives you their business card, make sure you take advantage of the information because not every interviewer does because they don’t want to be bombarded with calls or emails if they are interviewing multiple candidates. I hope this post helped you understand why interviewers give you their business cards and how you can take this small gesture and use it to your advantage in the future!