QR Codes, Get on Board

QR Codes:

Promoters and marketers are using QR Codes everywhere on advertisements these days, but I don't think people are using them to their full ability. Honestly, I am not positive that everyone even knows what they are. Simply put, they are two dimensional bar codes that link to some site. The picture search engine in the Google App and other code scanner smartphone apps can pick these barcodes up and use your mobile's internet to take you to the creator's desired site. This could just be simple text, a website or even a profile.

Recently, the Activities Board from the University of Evansville attempted to use a QR Code to connect students with a survey on what activities they should host and financially support. A great attempt at being tech savvy! Unfortunately, only a handful of the students knew what the weird box thing posted throughout campus actually was and the survey can pretty much be viewed as a failed attempt. Despite the average person's lack of understanding for the QR Code, this concept is slowly catching on.

Personally, I have created a QR Code that takes you to my LinkedIn profile. Looking for a job as a senior to graduate in May of this year, I decided it would be unique and cool to have a quick link to connect and network with people through my business card directly. In addition to this, I have a link on my profile that pulls up my full resume. So on this tiny business card, I have the ability to walk around and hand out my resume to pretty much anyone with a smartphone and who knows what the QR Code does. I ended up printing off about 50 of these cards and have been handing them out. Of course, not everyone is tech savvy; we experienced this with undergraduate students at the University of Evansville:  a group most people would think is up to date with their technology. Furthermore, many employers, at least in the Midwest, are behind the times when it comes to this kind of stuff.  And that really should be expected. However, for those who did receive a card and understood what it was and what it did, thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread. 

So, while it takes some time for these codes to catch on, utilize that time to create unique ways to benefit from it. QR Codes on business cards are a great idea, but I am sure that there are even better ideas out there.