Keep seeing people swap business cards before even saying hello at meetups

I went to a tech mixer in Buckhead last Tuesday and watched three different people shove cards at strangers mid-conversation without even asking what they do. Has anyone else noticed this kills the whole point of actually connecting with someone?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivan4622d ago

Honestly, that whole "cards before hello" thing drives me nuts. I had a guy at a downtown coffee shop last month hand me his card while I was still pulling out my wallet to pay, no name, no nothing. It's like they think the card does the talking for them, but it just makes you feel like a lead in their CRM instead of a person.

lisab322d ago

It's like everyone's in such a rush to network, they forget basic politeness. Just exhausting.

jennybailey2d ago

Right, but isn't the whole point of networking to be efficient about it? I mean, you say "cards before hello" is rude, but what's the alternative, small talk for ten minutes about the weather while you both know exactly why you're talking? That feels way more fake to me. If someone hands me a card right away, at least I know where I stand and can decide in two seconds if I want to actually engage. You're complaining about being treated like a lead, but aren't you there to network in the first place? Sounds like you're mad that someone skipped the fake dance and got straight to business.