Business cards for law students - with poll Forum

[YCrevolution]

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[vanwinkle]

I personally think it's douchey, but if it turned out that it did help with job hunting, I'd do it anyway.

[Chuch]

Why would business cards be any less douchey in this economy?

[mallard]

As I understand it, this is so douchey that it's a meme.

[sanpiero]

insanely douchey, but if it works for you, who the hell cares.

[LoyolaLaw2012]

Why would business cards be any less douchey in this economy?

At first I thought it was a bit douchey. However, I saw how beneficial it was when attorneys asked for contact information at networking events.

[YCrevolution]

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[thecilent]

I think law students def need to carry them. So easy for when you meet someone and want to stay in contact (networking and whatnot)

[Chuch]

You guys are out of your mind. If everyone agrees that's its douchey, why would interviewers be any diff? If I'm ever interviewing law students, and one of them hands me a business card, its getting thrown in the trash along with his resume.

[thecilent]

You guys are out of your mind. If everyone agrees that's its douchey, why would interviewers be any diff? If I'm ever interviewing law students, and one of them hands me a business card, its getting thrown in the trash along with his resume.

Can't tell if your serious or not. If so, you're out of your mind

[mallard]

You guys are out of your mind. If everyone agrees that's its douchey, why would interviewers be any diff? If I'm ever interviewing law students, and one of them hands me a business card, its getting thrown in the trash along with his resume.

Can't tell if your serious or not. If so, you're out of your mind

This is the conventional wisdom; I'd love to see something that suggests otherwise, but law firm partners are just you and me (or in all probability versions of you and me who don't waste so much time that could be spent billing) in ten or fifteen years. We're bound to continue thinking it's douchey.

[romothesavior]

I'd say the best thing to do is to go to old-fashioned way; get THEIR card, email/call/write them, and show that you are capable of taking the initiative yourself.

[Sell Manilla]

What if it didn't have the school's logo, and was very plain & simple? I can't fathom how that's douchey. It's practical if someone wants your contact info.

[webbylu87]

What if it didn't have the school's logo, and was very plain & simple? I can't fathom how that's douchey. It's practical if someone wants your contact info.

That's exactly what I was thinking. What if you have it on hand for those that simply would like your contact information? Just your name and info, no school logo. I can see that being very useful actually.

[reverendt]

No.

About 8 of us did an internship last summer (Legal Aid stuff).

It was a mix of 1Ls & 2Ls.

One guy had business cards.
He was just about the biggest douche in the universe!

[thecilent]

What if it didn't have the school's logo, and was very plain & simple? I can't fathom how that's douchey. It's practical if someone wants your contact info.

This EXACTLY. Don't have to put the school on at all -- and just have school in the e-mail address you put on there

[eandy]

What if it didn't have the school's logo, and was very plain & simple? I can't fathom how that's douchey. It's practical if someone wants your contact info.

That's exactly what I was thinking. What if you have it on hand for those that simply would like your contact information? Just your name and info, no school logo. I can see that being very useful actually.

I plan on getting some very plain business cards in the fall. I don't want to attach them to resumes or give them out at interviews. That is douchey. I would much rather have a very simple, professional card with my contact information on it than to scribble out my email/phone # on a scrap piece of paper if someone wanted my information.

In short, if it is a situation where your contact info isn't needed or would be redundant, it is douchey. If it is really flashy, it is douchey. If you are using them as a professional, quick way to pass on your contact information upon request(or as part of a mutual exchange), it is fine.

[holydonkey]

Get them, just keep it simple. Name, phone, email, name of school and grad year.

...

Also, you should put an inspiring quote on it. For example:

[webbylu87]

Get them, just keep it simple. Name, phone, email, name of school and grad year.

...

Also, you should put an inspiring quote on it. For example:

I like the idea of adding the school and grad year without a logo. It says what you need it to say while being understated.

And +1 to all of eandy's points.

[270910]

Mega turbo hyper ultra double-plus douchey. You're a god damned law student, you have no useful skills. nobody needs to contact you for business.

If you wind up making a 'contact' then it will ALWAYS be in the circumstance of you potentially contacting them, and you can get their business card. There's an etiquette to these things.

Still, tons of schools sell them, so despite my (strong) preference it is not a universal rule. Much like the 1 or 2 pages on the resume question, many sides will have strong opinions and everyone just has to pick sides.

[romothesavior]

If you wind up making a 'contact' then it will ALWAYS be in the circumstance of you potentially contacting them, and you can get their business card. There's an etiquette to these things.

I strongly agree with this.

[miamiman]

Initially, I thought this was a horrible idea and reflected poorly upon the student.

I've since come around on it. Currently, my attitude is "meh".

[Brassica7]

I have had to write down my contact info on a piece of scrap paper before when I ran out of business cards at my job. It makes you look and feel like a toddler. Obviously, if someone goes around flashing their business cards thinking this makes them look cool...well, it won't. But I think having a concise, professional way to give your contact info is important.

[270910]

If you wind up making a 'contact' then it will ALWAYS be in the circumstance of you potentially contacting them, and you can get their business card. There's an etiquette to these things.

I strongly agree with this.

Exactly. To elaborate, it's farcical to conceive of a law student networking with an attorney and the attorney desperately wanting the student's contact info for future contact. I'm not saying it never happens - I'm sure it does - but the standard business etiquette has it going the other way around.

I suppose you could technically say it's a "doesn't hurt to have it" item in the one in a million event that somebody asks you for a card. But because the legal world assumes law students won't have cards, and operates in a way that law students simply aren't business contacts (there's a reason they're called business cards and not calling cards or hire my dumb ass cards)...

[romothesavior]

Mine will have a giant red, white, and blue eagle watermark and my name will be printed in Old English Text.