Office etiquette is essential for advancement

Good manners are more please, thank yous, and sending thank you cards. While these are the basic building blocks a successful career is going to require more.

In Office Etiquette

Office Etiquette is simply respecting your coworkers in the same manner you would like to be respected. It is easy to get comfortable at work and forget manners, but this lapse is the major cause of interoffice disagreements.

Be sure to greet everyone as you come into the office, even the security. While it may not seem like much, this gesture carries a lot of weight. To your boss it says that you enjoy coming to work and prepared to put your best foot forward. To coworkers it means a drama free start today, the events of yesterday are in the past. Finally to the security it can mean the difference between them rushing to your aid or delivering an important message.

Also be sure to keep your office area clean, including your share of public spaces. Nothing is worse for an employer to walk into a cluttered office or by a junky desk. Take 15 minutes at the beginning of the day to tidy your work area. If there is a community refrigerator, ensure that your items are not left for more than two days. As well, take the time to pick up trash as you walk through the office place. No you are not the janitor, but you do work there.

Some people have manners; some dont

Social manners are most important when attending lunches with clients, networking events, or parties. No one may anything about your manners at the time, but they will leave a lasting impression.

When dining with clients or coworkers it is important to know what you are doing. Everyone knows not to put your elbows on the table, but there are other rules to dining. Be sure to brush up on your table manners.

It also never hurts to know food etiquette. Ensure that you are eating your dishes with the right silverware. Knowledge of what wine goes with certain dishes shows that you have class. Most importantly, make sure you are aware of what is considered garnish on your dishes. It can be very embarrassing to make this mistake.

Treat your servers well. While it may be their job to wait on you, it is still important to treat time with dignity and respect. Clients and employers will take a mental note of employers who are rude to servers or other waitstaff. Its a simple rational, “Is this how he/she will treat the lowest of my customers”

When at parties or large events, it is very important to use the words EXCUSE ME. Whether bumping into someone or making your way to the cash bar, it is vital to use these two words. The person you bump into may be a potential client or employer.

Greet everyone as if they are the VIP of the event and be sure to carry a conversation with everyone who initiates one. You may not want to, but it is even worse to be considered a snubber. Everyone is sensitive, so keep t

his in mind the next time Joe from accounting wants to talk about his kids…again.

Upon exiting the event, make sure to thank the event sponsor and producer. If you are the producer, ensure you are in place to thank all guest for attending the party. Don’t be afraid to ask if your coworkers need a ride, and never turn them down unless it is impossible to avoid.

Our manners and etiquette are a true reflection of what an employee values. The way you treat others is most likely the way your boss will deal with you.

The economic recovery is moving at a slower pace than anyone expected and every job is a potential pot of gold. For every one position open there are potentially 20-100 applicants. What is a job seeker to do?

Below are few ideas on getting out there where employers can find you.

Submit articles to publications in your field. Professional magazines and journals are always a good place to showcase your writing and talent. Ensure that your topics are well researched and of current interest. Give yourself the freedom to explore topics from a unique prospective and be prepared to explain how your article will be different from previous authors. Writing for these organizations adds an extra sense of expertise to your portfolio. As well, you may tap into a network that may have been closed off to you before.

Volunteer for a Local Charity or Professional Group Volunteering is a great way to fill in time gaps on your resume. Seek volunteer positions that are relevant to the type of work you want to pursue. If you have a particular skill ask about being able to offer free workshops or seminars. This provides you with an opportunity to keep your skills fresh while helping others. Volunteer organizations also provide leadership opportunities. One day you could be a volunteer, the next treasurer or board member.

Develope a Searchable Online Portfolio

Attend Professional Events This should be a no-brainer. However, most job seekers rarely attend the meaningful events in their community. Events sponsored by local Chambers of Commerce, Rotary Clubs, and other professional societies are the prime place to rub elbows with the HIRERS. Attending these events lets employers know that you have your finger on the pulse of your industry and that you are able to handle yourself around other industry professionals.

Public Speaking Offering yourself as a free motivational speaker can do wonders for your professional profile. Start by speaking at local school career days and other community events. As your reputation spreads, begin to offer your speaking services to more industry specific organizations. Who knows you may be asked to join a Speakers Bureau.

Start a Blog, Online Newsletter, or Publication This has the easiest way to get noticed online. Online publications are easy for employers to search for online. They also provide a better look at you as a person and potential employee. Ensure that your online publication is well written, proofread, and of current industry interest. No employer wants to read about your daily eating habits or what is grinding your gears. Monitor your online presence to ensure that there is nothing there that would turn off a potential employer

Make a list of your skills and develop them.

We have all heard about skill assessments, but how many of us really do it. It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking we are proficient at a specific task.  All the while, we may be intermediate or sometimes really beginners.

When developing your skills inventory it is important to be honest. If you do not believe that you can be honest with yourself ask others to assist you.

Start your skill assessment with three categories: Good, Okay, and Bad

Good: These are skills that you are proficient in completing when given an assignment. Proficient means that you can perform this skill in your sleep. A good test of Good Skills is to see if you can talk someone through the process via the phone or if you are really daring via chat. If the person is able to follow your directions and achieve the goals without any questions you can list this skill in the Good column.

If you are still unsure about your Good Skills, submit some of your past work to a professional in the field for an evaluation. Submitting your material to a professional provides an added advantage, it may result in gaining an important contact and future reference.

Once you decide what Good Skills are, write them on note cards. For each Good Skill in this category list at least four ways you can use these skills in the work place. Also list two ways Good Skills can be improved.  Never get comfortable with your Good Skills.  There is always someone who can do it better.

Okay Skills: These are the skills that you need to brush up on.  Your Okay Skills maybe some that you haven’t used in a while or just never really got the hang of.  Once again try the phone test.  If your participant is able to achieve the task but with a lot of questions: this is a skill that you can list in the Okay column.

Many of us have Okay Skills that, if developed, would be very marketable. Write these on a different color index card. List four ways these skills can be improved. Also, write out four specific dates that you will accomplish those improvements.  Post these cards on your mirror or wherever you will see them everyday.

Pushing yourself into a time-line insures that you achieve your goals. As well, those Okay Skills you develop become more timely. Skills that are fresh on your brain are easier to express in an interview. Plus, you will feel better about yourself as you learn more.

Bad Skills: These are skills that you know where you know the basics, but are not very well, or are just beginning to learn. List Bad Skills and beside them list the level of interest in them from one to five.  After rearranging the  Bad Skills next rate how likely these skills are to transfer to the type of positions you are seeking.  Example: Skills like spray-painting may go in this column but how likely are you to use it in your career pursuits.

Any Bad Skill that you rate less than three on the transfer list put to the side. Why work on them now if they are not going to assist you in getting a new position. Bad Skills that rate three or higher put them on one large poster board and hang it above your bed or doorway.  This will remind you of the need for improvement and motivate you as well.

This is probably the last thing most people do when looking for a job.   Join a support group.

Who knows more about who is hiring than those actively looking for work.  Why sit around sending out blind resumes. A support group allows you to get an insight into what is working now at specific places.  If a certain employer is not hiring young people, this is good to know before you waste your time and gas.  These groups can provide insight into a companies background that no ABOUT US page could ever provide. Group members offer information on the coworkers, office layout, and plenty of other useful stuff we often take for granted.

By coming together as a group, you can pool your resources.  Joining a group also widens your access to the HIRER. No longer are you a resume in the basket, but now you may be a friend of a friend.  This increases your chances of being hired almost 100 percent.  We all know its who you know that counts, so why not get to know every positive person you can.  Group members can also provide support by giving rides, printing out resumes, or simply calling you to remind you about an appointment.   Imagine getting a text from thirty people every time they saw a job posting somewhere that matched your skills.   A bit overwhelming, but a lot of help.

A group also provides a private and safe place to express your frustrations and hopes with those who are in the same situation.  Just as those who have been alcoholics make the best AA counselors, the same is true for the unemployed. Groups members bring stories of past failures and successes that provide motivation and education.  A support group like this also offers a place to unload non-job hunt stress that may be affecting your job search.  Getting home life your chest in a 1 minute blurb at the beginning of a group session clears your mind and allows you to focus on the task at hand.

Lastly, a Job Search Support group is a place where you can make life long friends.  People who need people usually make the best friends and, if you are really sharing and giving, these people will be there for you for anything you need. Can’t work a P.M. job because you have no babysitter? No worries, Jill from the group knows how that feels and is willing to help out.

Relationships are the key to getting a new job and forming a lasting career.  Remember this and your job search will be a short one.