Business Etiquette Basics » Business Etiquette

How to Look Chic at Social Events

Theresa Delgado — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 16:00:48 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRyhYsnc3Uo

Social events are great and usually a lot of fun. However, have you ever had to “juggle” your plate and glass around to free up your hand when you were being introduced to someone?

This easy technique will solve that problem forever and you’ll look chic at all your social events!

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Business Etiquette Tips: What is the Proper Handshake Etiquette When Seated?

Theresa Delgado — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:04:52 +0000

The image you project when you are meeting an individual for the first time is long-lasting. Your initial handshake is very important for making a great first impression.

So…

Is it OK to stay seated when you’re introduced and shake hands from a seated position?

No. It’s proper manners to stand when meeting someone for the first time.

In addition to standing, make sure to smile and make eye contact.

What if there is not enough room to stand?

If you find that there’s not enough room, then it’s OK partially stand and shake hands.

To add an extra bit of manners, say something like,

“Excuse me for not standing, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The individual will see that you are making an effort to be polite.

There are many ways to make a lasting first impression and taking the time to stand and shake hands always show great manners.

Business Etiquette Tips: What is the Proper Handshake Etiquette When Seated? is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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How to Write a Job Application Email That Gets Attention

Theresa Delgado — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Brush up your job application email skills and stand out!

If you’ve been out of the job market for a awhile, it’s a whole new environment. Not only do you have to contend with hundreds of other job candidates, but you have to brush up on how to present your job application, so it get the attention it deserves.

Today the internet has more or less taken over the job search market. When someone wants to find a job, they don’t go to the newspaper, but Craigslist, Monster or LinkedIn.

Because of this, it’s becoming increasingly more and more important for candidates to learn how to write job applications that stand out.

It’s important to remember that many of these job positions will receive dozens, even hundreds of applications, often within just a few days of posting their listing.

If you want to stand a chance of getting the job, you need to be able to cut through all that clutter and make an impression on the recruiter.

Here’s how to do that.

Start With an Attention Catching Subject

The first thing a recruiter’s going to do when he checks his email is scan through all the subjects. Your subject needs to jump out and grab his attention.

Try to highlight just one thing about you that might interest the recruiter.

For example, if you’re applying for a programming job, good subjects might include:

“Former Google Employee”
“Security Expert Fluent in 7 Programming Languages”
“Programmer Who Gets Things Done – Examples Inside”

The Body Copy

Your first sentence and your first paragraph is your most important chance to get their attention. Present the most powerful things you have going for you as quickly and concisely as possible.

If you have a reference or a contact in common, state that right upfront. For someone who’s getting a lot of emails, knowing someone they know can make a big difference.

Often times arranging your best points in bullet format will make reading easier than in paragraph format. Also, your paragraphs should be short, not huge block of sentences. Huge block are hard to read and people just don’t have time. More on this in the next point…

Keep it Short

It’s tempting to want to go into all kinds of details about yourself and why you’d be a good candidate. Refrain from doing so.

Have no more than 4 short paragraphs or 3 medium paragraphs in your email. Your whole email should be about half a page long, perhaps even less.

Remember: Recruiters are scanning many emails at once. They don’t have the time to read your whole email in depth.

Make it short and concise. If you get the interview, you can give all the details then.

Have a Visually Appealing Resume

What looks good on a computer screen and what looks good on paper are slightly different.

On a computer screen, you can use just a tad bit more graphics to spruce up your resume without it looking tacky.

Definitely use a PDF attachment rather than a DOC attachment. It just comes off much more professional. If you have a cover letter, just put it in the same document as your resume as the first page. Don’t use two attachments.

Quick Tip: How do you create a PDF?

Have your document open.

Select to Print. Select PDF (see image below).

Select Save as PDF.

Hocus-pocus, now your Word document is in PDF format!

When you combine all of these suggestions together, you’ll present yourself as a great candidate and your application will get the attention it deserves. The job search process is just that, a process. You will find a great opportunity, however, it requires persistence, consistence, and patience.

How to Write a Job Application Email That Gets Attention is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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3 Positive Habits for Ending Your Week

Theresa Delgado — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:08:24 +0000

Well, here’s a simple way to personal growth and accountability. As I reviewed this article at first I thought, these are 3 easy ‘to-dos’ to help you appreciate your week’s activities and accomplishments. But then I thought, why just just limit it to work??

To grow in your profession you need to grow personally too. So, why not expand these 3 habits to your personal “real” life. Yes, your 3 greatest accomplishments could all be work related sometimes. Or maybe you tackle a home project that you’ve never done before – that would qualify as one of your week’s accomplishments. And say you wanted to try cooking something you’ve never made before – that would make a goo goal for next week. You get the picture.

Following these easy end of the week ‘to-dos’ is a great way to show your appreciation, reflect on your accomplishments, and set manageable short-term goals for yourself. Have a super weekend! – Theresa

By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Andy Robinson

It’s Friday(!), and as the week comes to a close (for most of us), I wanted to share a set of habits that have become an end-of-the-week routine for me. This routine has been key to ending my week on a positive note and “teeing up” a great start to the following week for me.

Consider these three weekly habits each Friday before leaving the office or your place of work for the weekend:

Habit 1
Reach out with a quick email or (better yet) a short thank you note expressing gratitude for those that went out of their way to help you this week

Habit 2
Make note of what you believe were your three greatest accomplishments over the past week

Habit 3
What are your three most important goals for next week?

Click here to read article >> 3 Great Habits for Ending Your Week on a Positive Note!

Posted via email from Business Etiquette Basics

3 Positive Habits for Ending Your Week is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

Tipping Etiquette Guidelines

Theresa Delgado — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:02:30 +0000

Tipping – how much, when, who?? You want to show your appreciation for a service, but you don’t want to insult the person. How much is good? How little is insulting? You need a tipping guide.

The correct tip or gratuity for a service can be challenging at times. Your party might not realize it, but inside you may be doing a lot of guessing as you walk up to the Skycap or Valet. The challenge usually is not in everyday situations, but when you are taken out of your regular environment. If you travel only occasionally, travel tipping (hotel and airport) etiquette can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be once you have some general guidelines.

The following recommendations should help. If service is outstanding, then use your own discretion.

Restaurant Tip Guides:
Waiter: 15% of the bill; 20% for extraordinary service
Wine steward: 15% of wine bill
Bartender: 10–15% of bar bill
Coat check: $1.00 per coat
Car attendant: $1.00 – $2.00

Hotel Tip Guides:
Maid: $5.00 per night
Room service: 15% of bill
Bell Cap: $3.00 minimum (luggage brought to your room), $1.00 extra per bag
Lobby attendant: $1.00 for help with luggage or finding taxi
Valet: $1.00 to park car or bring car to you

Travel Tip Guides:
Skycaps: $2.00 per bag
Limo driver: 20% of fare
Taxi driver: 15% of fare
Tour Guide: $1.00 – $2.00 per person

Just in case these amounts might seem generous, keep in mind that a lot of service positions depend on tips to supplement their regular pay. People who have these positions work hard to make your restaurant, hotel, and travel experience pleasant. If they have done a good job, then show them your appreciation.

Hopefully these guideline help. If you have any additional guidelines post them in the comments section or send an email. Thank you for reading.

Tipping Etiquette Guidelines is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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Business Etiquette Tips: What is the Proper Handshake Etiquette When Seated?

Fashion Advice for Men: How to Dress Business Casual – Men

Theresa Delgado — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:23:17 +0000

When dressing business casual, a man should wear:

A jacket
Dress shirt
Comfortable shoes
Nice slacks

Dress business casual by keeping cuff buttons undone and not wearing a necktie.

Fashion Advice for Men: How to Dress Business Casual – Men is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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Basic Dining Etiquette – Using Utensils

Theresa Delgado — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:23:18 +0000

To view the next video in this series click: http://www.monkeysee.com/play/2253 In this video, etiquette expert Nancy R. Mitchell, The Etiquette Advocate, guides viewers through established rules and nuances of dining etiquette. Segments presented cover responding to an invitation; dos and taboos at table; navigating a place setting; use of utensils, including American vs. European styles of dining; eating various courses; toasting; and mastering challenging foods.

Duration : 0:5:20

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Basic Dining Etiquette – Using Utensils is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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Writing Your Resume

Theresa Delgado — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:23:19 +0000

Here is a video that takes the stress out of writing your resume. You’ll learn the 10 Rules for constructing an effective Resume. These rules will give you the confidence to write it quickly and more importantly, to discuss it effectively.

Duration : 0:3:36

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Writing Your Resume is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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Writing Your Resume Cover Letter

Theresa Delgado — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:23:20 +0000

Here is a video to learn the essential elements in preparing a really great Resume Cover Letter. You will also learn the four parts of a Resume Cover Letter, as well as a review of an actual Resume Cover Letter that gets the job done.

Duration : 0:3:24

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Interview Tips: Tell me about yourself. A GOOD answer / example.

Theresa Delgado — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:23:22 +0000

A woman, interviewing for a pharmaceutical sales position, answers the common interview question: Tell me about yourself. This is an example of a GOOD way to answer this question.

When describing yourself, you should give specific examples of your professional and personal qualities. Intertwine those examples with your character traits that make you who you are. Stay relevant to the job position and company culture.

Created by Fresno, California’s most respected Recruiting, Staffing and Human Resources consulting firm — Denham Resources.

Duration : 0:3:14

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Interview Tips: Tell me about yourself. A GOOD answer / example. is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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Office Etiquette PowerPoint Presentation

Theresa Delgado — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:23:23 +0000

Slides on why office etiquette is important, 6 rules for using your cell phone at work, 8 rules for e-mail etiquette, 8 slides on how to behave at office parties, 7 tips about eating etiquette, guidelines for using the office bathroom, 15 slides on office attire, important things for working in open and partitioned workplaces/offices, guidelines for bringing your dog into the office, 3 things you should know when you become a new mom, tips and guidelines about gift-giving in the office, 8 slides on telephone etiquette, 9 tips about twitter etiquette, 7 guidelines for sending business greeting cards, 9 slides on how to take teleclasses, 9 tips for business meals, and office etiquette for recent graduates.

Duration : 0:1:33

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Office Etiquette PowerPoint Presentation is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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Proper email etiquette with corporate comedian Greg Schwem

Theresa Delgado — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:19:09 +0000

Corporate comedian Greg Schwem http://www.comedywithbyte.com explains that it truly IS possible to end an email conversation

Duration : 0:2:0

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Proper email etiquette with corporate comedian Greg Schwem is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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Dining Etiquette – European vs. American Dining Style

Theresa Delgado — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:19:08 +0000

Did you know that there is a distinct difference between European and American dining style and etiquette? Image Consultant Kimberly Law explains how to master both.

Duration : 0:3:37

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Dining Etiquette – European vs. American Dining Style is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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Business Dress Gets Creative

Theresa Delgado — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:19:06 +0000

WSJ’s Christina Binkley talks with Schematic CEO WPP Trevor Kaufman about the new direction he is taking when it comes to Business clothing and how he presents himself. (Sept. 26)

Duration : 0:2:39

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Business Etiquette: 4 Key Cultural Basics

Theresa Delgado — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:48:58 +0000

Business Etiquette: Little Know Ways to Impress Those That Matter

Paris, Rome, Mumbai, Tokyo – the term “6 Degrees of Separation” is even more realistic today than ever. Our world has shrunk. Think of your Facebook Friends, your Twitter Followers/Following not to mention the people you work with, hang out with, on a regular basis.

The company you work for is most likely incredibly global. As you work to market yourself for that next promotion, one way you can set yourself apart from others is by showing you are aware of the business etiquette basics and customs of many cultures. People actually notice!

Four areas of huge culture differences are colors, gestures, introductions, and greetings.

1. Color

Color is symbolic of different meanings in different countries. Think of this when giving gifts. Never use black bag or wrapping paper in Asian countries, as it is associated with death. Red however is symbol of good luck.

2. Gestures

North American gestures might be inappropriate or have completely different meanings elsewhere. In the Muslim countries, the left hand is seen as “unclean” using it for eating would be considered improper. In North America nodding your head up and down means “yes” and shaking it back and forth means “no”. In Sri Lanka it is just the opposite.

3. Introductions

In North America a person is introduced first by their first name, then last name. In China the last name is first, then the first name. Other cultures are also more formal than we are in North America it is always better to address some you have just met by Mr., Ms., or their professional title until you have been ask to address them be their first name.

4. Greetings

In the business setting you probably will always greet someone with a handshake. However, it is still a good idea to be sensitive to tradition and religious beliefs. In India people will greet each other with a handshake or Namaste, that’s putting your hands together –as in prayer – below the chin and giving a slight nod of the head. Also, in India, public displays of affection are not proper. Here again, don’t use the left hand for greetings or waving goodbye.

Since English is the International business language, people from other countries are aware of North American terms and customs. It’s not like you have to “walk around on egg shells”, but you will impress those around you if you are aware of Business Etiquette Basics and cultural differences. It’s always better to be safe than incredibly embarrassed. Who knows you might even prevent someone crucial to your own upward mobility from making a big mistake. Now that’s a great way to market yourself!

Thank you for reading – Theresa

Business Etiquette: 4 Key Cultural Basics is an article from: Business Etiquette Basics. We invite you to stop by, we have more articles on career change and advancement.

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