Transcript Business Etiquette

Business Etiquette
Parma City Schools
ABLE/ESOL
Business Etiquette
 Basic manners – bring them into your work
environment

“thank you” “excuse me”
 60% of people are visual communicators

How do you want them to perceive you?
Perception = Reality
 What is your “personal brand”?
 What is your “professional image”?
 Two stages:


Initial Perception – immediate
Sustained Perception – over time
Initial Perception?
Sustained Perception?
Sustained Perceptions
“The King”
Or
“The Traitor”
Business Etiquette
 Dress
 Greeting
 Business Card/Resumes
 Business Communication (Phone Etiquette)
 Email/Social Media
Dress
 Does Dress impact decision on interview?


Yes- 93%
No – 7%
 Does Dress impact promotion potential?


Yes – 96%
No – 4%
Dr. Thomas Clark, Xavier University
Dress
 Grooming







Clean and well-groomed hair and nails
light cologne or perfume
Limited jewelry
Conceal tattoos/body jewelry
Belts on pants
Don’t smoke before an interview
Don’t chew gum
Dress
 Wear professional attire regardless of the position you are





applying for. Wearing a suit to the interview shows you are
taking the interview seriously. If you are unsure, ask someone
in that profession.
A two piece matching suit is the best and safest choice.
Conservative outfit and colors (black, dark gray, navy) are safe.
Everything should be clean and well pressed.
Don’t confuse club attire with business attire. If you wear it to
the club, you probably shouldn’t wear it as the interview.
Shop at Discount stores and Thrift stores to save money on
professional attire.
Greetings
 Quiet and understated
 Mirror gestures of person you are meeting
 Use formal titles (Mr., Mrs., Dr.)
 Go alone to the interview. Do not bring your
friend, spouse, etc.
The Handshake
 Pumper
 Dead Fish
 Squeezer
 Two-Handed (how can this be
misinterpreted?)
 Equal, with direct eye contact
 Be aware of “business culture” when shaking
hands
Handshake
 Do you initiate a handshake?
 Do you wait for the handshake to be initiated?
Introductions
 How do you introduce yourself?
 How do you introduce yourself to a
secretary?
 How you introduce others to each other?
Introductions
 Hi, I’m Joe Smith (vs. Mr., Mrs., Miss)
 Hello, I’m Jane Jones. I’m here for my 9
o’clock interview with Mr. Smith
Introductions
 Mention authority figures first and introduce
others to them
 Introduce a younger person to an older
person
 Always stand up (unless you are ill or
disabled)
 Include information about the person when
introducing
Introductions
 Mr. Smith, I’d like you to meet Joe Jones.
Joe recently started taking classes for a
nursing degree at Tri-C.
 Mrs. Smith, may I introduce Jenny Jones.
Jenny and I worked together last year.
Punctuality
 BE ON TIME!
 If you are running late, call to reschedule
Business Cards
 Free business cards


Vistaprint.com (you will just pay shipping)
Describe your skills on the back
Resumes
 Samples can be found online
 Submit WITH application, not instead of
application
 Bring copies to your interview
Business Communication
 Phone Calls and Voicemail
 Thank you notes
 Cell Phones
Phone Calls and Voicemails
 Making a phone call





Identify yourself
Ask the person if he/she has time to talk
Return calls the same day
Never put someone on hold without asking
(just don’t unless it is an emergency)
Don’t do other work while on the phone
Phone Calls and Voicemails
 Know what you want to say prior to making
the call
 If no one answers, identify yourself and leave
a brief message and callback number (allow
one-two business days for a return phone
call)
 If they answer, identify yourself, stick with
your original message and purpose, and
thank the person at the end of the call.
Phone Calls and Voicemails
 Voicemail
 Identify yourself and your callback number
 Be brief and to the point, repeat your name and call
back number at the end of the call.

Record your own voicemail
 Be concise and upbeat.
 If you use your number for both professional and
personal purposes, be aware of your professional
perception
 This includes ring tone that the caller hears (music
instead of ring tone?)
Phone Calls and Voicemails
 Your voicemail
 Start with an upbeat greeting (Hi, you have reached
the voicemail of Jenny Jones.)
 Indicate how the caller can get a response (Please
leave your name and number and I will return your call)
 Close on a positive note (Thanks and have a great
day!)
 KEEP IN MIND
 Your phone is for both professional and personal use
 Do you want to have music playing in the background
or on your ring tone that may affect your professional
perception?
Phone Calls and Voicemails
 Answering the phone
 Sound upbeat
 If the number is unknown, keep in mind it may be a
professional phone call.
 If you are busy or sleeping, decide whether you can
answer in a professional manner.
 Do not put caller on hold without asking permission (if it
is a professional phone call, avoid this unless it is an
emergency)
 If hesitant, ask the caller to identify themselves. (avoid
“who is this?”, instead use “may I ask who’s calling?”
Thank you letters
 Send thank you letters after interviews.
 These can be short and hand written.
 Send the same day as the interview.
 Local Restaurant


Four years, no thank you letters.
Would it make a difference when choosing
between two candidates for the position?
Cell Phones
 How might your cell phone affect your
professional perception?
 Have them on silent or turn off
 Do not have cell phone visible
 If your phone accidentally goes off, quickly
apologize and ignore the call. Do not answer
calls or check text messages
Social Media
 GOOGLE yourself
 Facebook/Myspace/Social Media




Be cautious when accepting co-workers
Know about privacy settings
Don’t accept people who don’t know or hardly
know
Pictures you post are part of your “personal
brand”
References
 Smith Career Center,
http://www.career.vt.edu/Interviewing/Intervie
wAppearance.html, retrieved 23 August 2010.
 Stacey Houston-Banks, “Business Etiquette”
powerpoint, as presented 16 August 2010 at
Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma
Heights Branch.
 Dr. Thomas Clark, Xavier University,
http://www.slideshare.net/Tom45207/busines
s-etiquette-powerpoint-slides, retrieved 23
August, 2010.