Do you get bored with the usual chat-up techniques? The old, ‘I’ll just dance closer and closer until the grinding begins,’ or ‘’’Scuse me, do you have a lighter?’… linger…’So, are you having a good night?’ Don’t get me wrong, it’s enjoyable enough, but just rather predictable.
Here’s an idea; mixing business with pleasure! I know what you’re thinking; it’s been done before. True. But this particular method is seriously under-played in Leeds. I recently went away to a charity conference weekend. The networking benefits of this weekend were fantastic. They would have been better – and more sustainable – however had I had a business card to swap with various professionals, young and old. In fact, my details hastily scribbled on a scrap of paper were met with furrowed brows, strained squints and then ‘you don’t have a business card?’ Well, no, I don’t. I’m a student and that would be pretentious.
“You really need a business card,” stated one suited UN lobbyist, offering me an internship in Geneva and New York. Ok, yes. Definitely. On it.
Now, away from all those charity conferences I tend to frequent (one), there doesn’t seem to be a huge demand for my business card.
Or, perhaps there is.
You may have noticed that Fruity attracts more than just rowdy students. Rowdy graduates clinging on to the Leeds student dream are also a-plenty. And why wouldn’t they be? Fruity is AMAZING. Seriously, the union really needs to bring out a season ticket. TONS of people would buy that. Anyway, my point is, after a particularly enjoyable Fruity last week, I was offered a business card by some guy who had ‘started his own business.’ Hmm, dubious, but nevertheless, it definitely mixed things up a bit. Later on, talking to my housemate, she revealed a certain business card game she and her course friends like to play on Call Lane. For those of you that have not yet ventured down Call Lane, and, like me, appreciate the bar scene – go have a gander! To name a select few, there’s a Vodka Rev’s to start you off with something familiar, Rock Bar proclaims itself to be ‘Ibiza in Leeds’ and seems to make its own drink sizes up (large wine? Think fish bowl), Smokestack is the infamous Jazz bar and Elbow Rooms is just cool, pure and simple. Denim is a must. So it makes sense; slightly less student-y, still fun and flirty. Perfect conditions. The rules are simple: get as many business cards as possible in a night.
Oh – light bulb moment – Wouldn’t it be great if you could improve your career AND boy prospects at the same time? If I had my own set of business cards, I could play the business card game and network. On a bit of a side note, I would white lie about my actual employment. So, I’m a student, but I also do a bit of writing and blogging on the side. Therefore my business cards would describe me as a ‘journalist/professional blogger.’ Get ‘professional’ in there if you can, by the way– it’s rarely questioned but highly rated. Whoever said honesty is always the best policy definitely missed a trick or two. Either that or they were the kind who flashed a smile and flicked their hair, only to find people feeding them grapes and doing their coursework. Ugh, hate them.
So, the scenario goes: guy at the bar. Prolonged eye contact. Maybe a smile. See what he does. If he’s interested he’ll make a move. You don’t want to make any more effort because if he doesn’t there is probably a pretty good reason – like a girlfriend. Now, remember, the aim of the game is to get the highest number of business cards, in competition with your friends. So basically, for those guys that you’re not too fussed about, simply adopt an engaging, yet professional attitude. After a bit of job-related chit chat, tell him it would be great to have his card in case that up-coming (probably fake) job interview goes ahead, in which case some advice would be appreciated. Add his card to the night’s collection but only present him with yours if you really do think it would help you career-wise. You never know, you might just get a job out of it!
For those guys who have more-than-just-business appeal however, the same opening job spiel can get him talking, and more importantly, get his card. Don’t lose yourself in those big brown eyes – you have a game to win too! Get flirting girlfriend, and DEFINITELY give him your card. Here is where your card comes in useful to your dating-life. Numbers put in phones on a night where the drinks are a-flowin’ can be forgotten and neglected the next day. He’ll come across it again a month later, unable to remember who ‘Fit Phoebs ’ is. However, a card found in last night’s chinos can spark a whole sequence of pleasant memories of that friendly photographer in Smokestack with the cute smile. Well, we hope, anyway. Happy card-collecting!