Want a Promotion? Behave as if You've Already Got It - Guide to Workplace Etiquette

Want a Promotion? Behave as if You've Already Got It - Guide to Workplace Etiquette


The etiquette and manners of today’s younger generation has become much more relaxed than our previous generations. This not only gives the perception of a lazy and disrespectful group of young people, but it can also cause major snafus in the workplace. While the general etiquette of the 22nd century may not be quite as strict as past years, in the workplace there are many rules that still apply. Failing to follow these rules of etiquette can not only cause you to lose business, but it can also cause you to miss a promotion or lose your job altogether. For the younger generation coming into the workforce, it’s important to understand the general guidelines of how they are expected to behave if they wish to be successful.



Respect

Maybe your high school science teacher didn’t mind being on a first name basis, but in the workplace respecting your superiors is still expected. By addressing them using their first name only, you are implying that they are below or equal to you. In reality, they are your superior and have earned a certain amount of respect. Address them with Mr., Ms., or Mrs., followed by their last name. Using sir or ma’am is also recommended. While you may have a more laid back boss who exclaims that Mr. Smith is his father and insists that you call him by his first name, it’s always best to start out using proper etiquette unless you are instructed to do otherwise.



Phone Etiquette

Whether you’re chatting with your mom, roommate, or a client, a certain degree of phone etiquette is always necessary in the workplace. First of all, nobody wants to try to decipher your hand signals or read your lips while you silently mouth words to them with a phone attached to your ear. If your phone conversation can’t wait, then other conversations can. Not only is this rude and disrespectful, but it’s also a common cause of miscommunication. Also, nobody needs or wants to know your personal business. If you’re on a personal call, refrain from talking loudly and exposing everybody to your conversation. Speak quietly and discreetly, even in the elevator.



Consideration

If you work on the fifteenth floor with the Senior Vice President, that’s good for you. You must have worked hard to get there and you probably deserve it. However, behaving like you’re superior to the mail room clerk or the janitor who cleans your bathrooms isn’t okay. If you breeze into the mailroom and grab your stack of mail, acknowledge the people who get it ready for you. Don’t bark at the janitor that your bathroom is out of paper towels. They are people too, and chances are they work hard to make your job easier. Smile and acknowledge them, engage in small talk, and make an effort to make the people outside of your work bubble feel appreciated.



It goes without saying that please and thank you are still encouraged in the work place as well. Basic courtesies such as holding the door for a women or the person walking behind you are not just the ways of the past. In order to maintain a professional appearance and present yourself as an educated, competent person, you must adhere to these basic etiquette guidelines. It’s mostly common sense. Behave as a professional, mature adult and you’ll be well on your way to being one.



Steven Henning writes about investment opportunities for small businesses at http://creditscore.net.

Contributed by Josh Anderson

Nine Things Never to Say to Your Boss

Nine Things Never to Say to Your Boss: “Think before you speak” is always a good policy -- and at work it's even more important. Saying the wrong thing to your boss can do serious damage to your career -- and some of the things bosses don't like to hear may surprise you. We checked in with some managers and came up with this list of nine phrases they strongly dislike -- and we'll tell you what you should say instead:

How to dress for an interview or job application

It is not only important how you dress for an interview; but how you dress when you initially go in to apply for a job or even request an application.  As a former business owner, I almost always knew if I would be interested in hiring someone the first time they came in to request an application.
1.  Alway go in by yourself.  Do not take a friend, your mom or dad, or anyone else.  A business owner or manager wants to know you can do things by yourself.
2.  Dress one step above how people doing the work dress.  If you are applying for a construction job where you will need to wear jeans or another type of clothing for physical work, do not ask for an application in a business suit.  You want to dress clean and nice and one step better than those doing the job so that you can make a good impression; but also so that you could go to work right then if asked.

Degrees Employers Want - Yahoo! Education

Degrees Employers Want - Yahoo! Education: Planning to go back to school and want to know which degrees are linked to stellar career opportunities?
Let's look to the National Association of Colleges and Employers' (NACE) "Job Outlook 2012" survey for clues. The annual survey is a forecast of employers' intentions to hire new college graduates.
Each year, many of the same degrees - business, engineering, and computer science - make it to the top of the hiring list. But why?
"In some cases companies are looking for a specific skill set unique to a position," says Andrea Koncz, employment information manager at NACE. "Computer science, for example, requires a specific technical knowledge."

The Biggest Resume Mistake You Can Make

The Biggest Resume Mistake You Can Make: How can a resume betray a job seeker? It's not just typos or poor formatting. "The biggest flaw for a resume is when it fails to showcase a person's accomplishments, contributions and results, and instead spouts a job description of each position he's held,"