Let's be honest - etiquette is mostly common sense. You don't chew with your mouth open, say please and thank you, return phone calls in a timely manner, etc. These are basic things most students and professionals are expected to know. The problem is, like it or not, there is a startling deficit of common sense in the world. And the lack of common sense - and etiquette - is readily apparent in business and industry. What does this mean for you as a business student or professional? It means that practicing some everyday etiquette will set you apart from your colleagues and give your career a boost (it does help to be good at your job, too).
Business etiquette is a timely subject as the Fall recruiting season kicks into high gear. Yesterday was the annual Career Placement Office Etiquette Luncheon. It's a fantastic event with a genuine English butler and a four course meal here on campus. Students had the opportunity to sit at tables and learn about etiquette alongside representatives from Slattery & Holman, Simon Property Group, Somerset CPAs, Brightpoint, Cummins, Gilchrist & Soames, Target, Ace Holding Company, Blue & Company, BKD, Ameriprise Financial and Aldering & Company. That's an impressive list, in addition to the fact that the entire lunch was free for students. It's no wonder we pack the room with 100+ students each year. Our next etiquette related event is part of the CPO's growing Issues in the Workplace series.
While yesterday's luncheon focused on etiquette at the dinner table and formal social functions, it's the everyday etiquette (or lack thereof) that gets noticed on a daily basis. Here are 3 quick examples of workplace etiquette that regularly trip people up:
1) Email signatures. If you have never worked in a corporate environment, this may not seem like an issue, but if you have, you know exactly what I mean. All I really need to know is who sent the email, what company you work for, your position/title and a way to get in touch with you. No inspirational quotes or personalized graphic are necessary. The worst offenders: smiley faces (emoticons). It's always best to err on the side of professionalism and nothing screams unprofessional like a bright yellow smiley face. Check out this Wall Street Journal article on the rise of what the author call "MeMail" and some examples of signatures gone awry:
2) Cell phones. Cell phones are great - I can't imagine leaving home without my Treo - but they have an off button for a reason. When you are headed into a meeting, whether it's with the board of directors or to discuss plans for the holiday party with two of your colleagues, turn off your cell phone. In all honesty (excluding those individuals who use their phone all day every day for business purposes), how many phone calls are truly urgent? A loud ringer going off in the middle of a meeting shows a lack of respect for others in the room, answering the call is worse, and having a conversation (though it happens) is the worst! Would you believe that we have had students answer their cell phones during job interviews here in the office? That's right, students - meaning more than one.
3) Personal conversations. A topic closely related to cell phones is personal conversations in a work environment. Granted, it is impossible to completely avoid personal conversations considering the amount of time most of us spend in the office, but anyone who has ever had to work in a cubicle or shared office environment has a story of a neighbor who's content to share her half of every phone conversation with the rest of the office. While your cousin's love life may be a soap opera worthy of a prime-time reality show on E!, remember that your co-workers don't have the option of changing the channel.
Just know that others do notice these behaviors. Your colleagues and supervisors notice them. Your professors notice them. And if you use some common sense and practice some etiquette, know that this will be recognized as well - and it'll likely pay off in the long run.
