w00kie's ramblings

Business card at a job interview

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by

w00kie
in ,

Expanding on my previous tweet, this is of course from a Japanese “business practices and manners” point of view…

american psycho - business card scene

When arriving at a job interview, as with any business meeting, your interviewer will usually give you his 名刺. It is considered polite in Japan to accept it with 2 hands, bow, place it neatly on the table and answer by giving out your own 名刺.

Note: to anyone about to work with Japanese people: always have at least 2 dozens business cards with you at all times!

But in the case of a job interview, should you present your business card if it is from your current employer? In a way, you are betraying your company by looking for a new job. Moreover, the guy already knows you, he has your resume on the table already…

I’ve always been confused with this and am not sure of the appropriate behavior. Maybe I should make myself a batch of personal business cards for such occasions where it is not acceptable to present yourself as your business-self:

Superman – associate @ SuperFriends

As opposed to:

Clark Kent – reporter @ DailyPlanet

Comments

3 responses to “Business card at a job interview”

  1. ed hardy Avatar
    ed hardy

    It is always good to learn new traditions and cultures. I am wondering why we don’t have such customs and tradition all around the world. I really like it.

  2. Wim Avatar
    Wim

    My guess would be the current employer businesscard since the person who will be interviewing you would already have all the information about your current job.

  3. Jon Avatar
    Jon

    I’m with you. get some ‘personal’ business cards. they may well come in useful on other occasions when you wish to leave details with someone who is not work related. As an interviewer (albeit never in Japan) I would never want to see any prospect who was anything other than courteous about and honest about his current or previous employers. My view, and many other interviewers, is that the behaviour would remain the same if they were employed by you. Giving away a business card, that would have been paid for and produced by the company for the sole purpose of facilitating new business, to a probable competitor in an attempt to secure a new job may be seen by some as improper. As you cannot possible know what everyone is thinking it is best to ‘play it safe’. So get some personal cards

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