Know Before You Go: Business Card Etiquette in Africa
Business cards are a large part of doing business and presenting yourself professionally. All over the world people use them for introductions, exchanging contact information and maintaining networks and developing professional links. Although the business card content is similar everywhere in the world, there are regional differences in both the content details and—more importantly—with regard to the etiquette of their usage. In most countries in Africa, business cards will typically display the company’s name, logo, webpage (if applicable), your name, position title, academic title,...
Read MoreHow To Do Business In Asia: Business Card Tips
Business cards are the primary tool of introduction, exchanging contact information in the business world, and maintaining networks and customer links. Business cards, in various forms, have been a part of society for over 400 years. Some sources claim that business cards originated in China in the 15th century, but the earliest recordable “visiting cards” were used in Europe in the 17th century. Business cards are used all over the world and there are basic expectations as to the content that should be on a business card. Nevertheless, there are regional—and often...
Read MoreGet Lost in Business Culture (Without Actually Getting Lost)
As Susanne Taylor points out in her blog post “Why Getting Lost is Good for You,” it can be helpful to “get lost” in the culture of another country. Not to “be lost,” as Susanne points out, but to “get lost” by observing the nuances of the country and its culture. Learning the business culture in your new host country is critical to making a strong first impression as well as demonstrating professional behavior to your peers, whether they are locals or expatriates. The nexus of culture and your job search is where you will ultimately achieve job search success. Almost everything you...
Read More5 Tips to Create a Country-Specific Résumé/CV
Every country has its own résumé/CV style. Passport Career offers members detailed and updated information about these different CV styles in our Country Portfolios. Our Country Portfolios will help you identify the general format and required information for each country. This article will provide a few initial tips to help you get started on crafting a résumé/CV for your destination country. When seeking a second opinion, be sure to speak only with mentors and contacts who are familiar with your destination country’s résumé/CV style and to conduct online research to identify...
Read MoreBusiness Card Etiquette in Latin America
Business cards are used all over the world and there are basic expectations as to what information should be on a business card. Nevertheless, there are regional differences in both the content details and most importantly, in the etiquette of their usage. Business cards in Latin America are the primary way in which professionals present their contact information to each other and potential clients. In the past, they were limited to professionals and high-powered individuals, but now many people use them to share their names and contact information. The general format for...
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