"You only have one chance to make a good first impression.

Telephone Manners

• Respond promptly.
• Try to identify a convenient time to call the person.
• Identify yourself and your reason for calling at the beginning of the call.
• Always ask if this is a convenient time for the person to talk with you.
• Speak clearly.
• Present requests or facts in logical order.
• Work from written notes if that will help you.
• Listen and repeat important facts to show that you understand.
• Ask questions as necessary to be sure that you understand.
• Thank the person for his/her time.
• Be sure that you know what is expected of you next.
• Tell the person what you intend to do and when.
• Follow the telephone call with appropriate action(s) in a timely manner

Personal Contact Skills

New business acquaintance

• Be mindful of your attire and your personal appearance.
• Offer a firm handshake.
• Remember the importance of your posture/body language.
• Confidence and openness are critical to good communication.
• Use eye contact.
• Use your listening skills - participate in two-way conversations.
• Show interest in others.
• Store names and facts in your memory for later use.

Co-workers All of the above PLUS:

• Be friendly, but not too friendly. Do not depend on your co-workers to be your base of friends outside of work.
• Leave personal life outside of the office.
• Try not to get pulled into listening to others' tales or problems.
• Do not be a part of the office gossip; be aware of what is being said, but do not pass it along.
• Stay apart from office politics; again, be aware of what is happening and who the players are, but do not become embroiled in it.

E-Mail

Rule of thumb: Write nothing in an e-mail that you would not mind seeing tacked up on the office bulletin board.

• Be careful about mispellings and incorrect grammar.
• Use spell-check before you send any e-mail.
• Do not use slang.
• Use jargon sparingly.
• Be cautious about who will receive each e-mail.
• Think before you push the SEND button.
• Set each e-mail up in proper format - memo, letter, report, proposal.
• Respond promptly to all messages.

Voice Mail

• Respond promptly to all business messages.
• Record a clear, business-like message with an alternative person to talk with if the caller needs to speak to someone right away.
• Stay away from background music.

Business Dining

Good manners are a necessity that should come naturally, since you will need to concentrate on the business at hand.

When meeting clients or co-workers for a meal: 

• Be punctual. Arrive at least 5 minutes early.
• Greet all with a firm handshake and a friendly, confident manner.
• Follow your host's lead to the table. If you are the host, lead your guests to the table.
• Help the woman to your right with her chair.
• Remain standing until women are seated.
• If you are the host, allow your guests to order before you order.
• If you are a guest, order moderately.
• Be careful to order food that is not too messy to eat politely. Order food that is easy to eat while carrying on a conversation.
• Stay away from alcohol.
• Do not smoke at the table.
• Turn your cell phone off

Purchase an etiquette book for easy reference.

BUSINESS MEAL ETIQUETTE QUIZ
Would you know what to do?

QUESTION:

Should you take a briefcase/folder to the table?
Is it proper to order a glass of wine?
You eat your large meal in the middle of the day. Is is proper to order a large entree at a business lunch?
Who orders first?
When do you begin talking business?
Where do you put your hands?
Where is the best place for you to put your cell phone so that you can answer it quickly?
What should you do if my knife or fork falls on the floor?
What should you do if the check is placed in front of your guest?
Can you remove your suit coat while at the table?
What should you do if you get food stuck between your teeth?

For the answers to these questions about business etiquette, see pages 44-46 of Power Etiquette: What You Don't Know Can Kill Your Career in the Career Services office.

Table Manners

• Place your napkin in your lap when you first sit down at the table.
• Eat with your free hand in your lap.
• Do not place arms or elbows on the table during the meal.
• Use silverware from the outside first. If you are in doubt, watch what others do.
• In the United States, meals are served properly from the left and cleared from the right.
• If the bread tray, the butter, the salad dressing, the salt and pepper, the cream and sugar are in front of your place at the table, you should start passing these to all at the table when each might be needed - beginning with the person on your right.
• Put your silverware down on your plate between bites.
• Make sure to converse with the people to your immediate right and left, but also be aware of the general conversation at the table.
• At the end of the meal, do not stack your plates. When you have finished eating, place your fork and knife parallel to each other across the top of your plate, knife above fork.
• When the meal is over, fold your napkin and place it on the table to the left of your plate before you stand.
• If you are the host, thank your guests for coming. If you are not the host, be sure to thank the host for the meal at the conclusion of the meal.
• If you are not the host, do not stand until the host has begun to stand.
• Help the woman to your right with her chair.
• Push your chair in to the table.
• Lead or follow your group from the table, depending on whether or not you are the host.
• Shake hands with your host or your guests as they leave and thank them again.
• It is always correct to send a written thank-you to your host.

Business Travel

• Be sure to leave the number(s) and addresses where you can be reached while you are away.
• Keep receipts for all of your expenses.
• Be conservative in your spending, especially as a new employee or prospective employee.
• Remember that you represent your organization to all you meet.
• Plan to be early for all meetings. Allow for delays and changes to travel plans.
• Keep alcohol to a miminum. (Some organizations do not reimburse for alcohol.)
• If you have to check out of your hotel before your meetings are over, find out in advance from the Concierge or Bell Captain where you can store your luggage in the interim.
• Make arrangements to get from the airport to your hotel and from your hotel to the airport well in advance.