Professional Etiquette
Meeting etiquette
- Be on time; arrive 15 minutes prior to your meeting.
- A firm handshake and good eye contact demonstrate confidence.
- Avoid filler words such as “uh,” “you know,” “like.”
- Dress appropriately for the situation, organization or activity; research or call ahead to ask about the appropriate attire.
- What you say, how you say it, and your choice of language matter; “please” and “thank you” always work.
Interview etiquette
- Follow up on each job application with a phone call or email.
- Honestly report your GPA, dates of employment, work experience, etc.
- Always send thank you notes after interviews.
- When offered a job or internship, it is better to ask for more time to consider than to accept the offer and decline it later.
- Once you have accepted a job offer, stop interviewing with other organizations.
- If you are interviewing with multiple organizations, inform all parties when you get a job offer.
- Do not forward communications without consent.
Telephone etiquette
- If you are not available to take a professional call, let it go to voicemail and call back when ready.
- When answering your phone, use a greeting such as “Good morning, this is Juan Rodriquez.”
- Set up your voicemail and use a professional greeting: “You have reached Sarah Smith. I am not available to answer my phone right now, but if you leave your name, number and best time to reach you, I will return your call as soon as possible. Thank you and have a great day.”
- Be sure to talk slowly, clearly and concisely, and return phone calls as soon as possible.
- Keep messages brief and remember to leave your name and phone number. Say the number twice.
- Arrange to have Skype interviews in a quiet, private location and dress professionally.
Email and social media etiquette
- Treat your email like any other business communication; watch your spelling, grammar and verbiage.
- Fill in the subject line and use formal greetings when emailing professionals.
- Use an appropriate email address for all business communication (firstname.lastname@ domain.com).
- Avoid all capital letters; capital letters indicate shouting.
- Text speak (i.e. thru, u, etc.) and excessive exclamation points are not for professional writing.
- Read what you have written before you send the email.
- Employment correspondence over email is legal and official.
- Set your Social Media profile privacy settings to high and keep any information posted online (Facebook, Twitter, Snap Chat, etc.) professional.
Dining etiquette
- Greet and introduce yourself to everyone at the table.
- Sit only after your host sits.
- Put your napkin in your lap and sit up straight.
- Keep your elbows and forearms off the table.
- Silence your phone or turn it off and do not place phone, keys or purse on the table.
- Begin to eat only after everyone has been served.
- Pace the speed at which you eat to those around you.
- Use “please”, “thank you,” and don’t talk with food in your mouth.