Social Media is a wonderful tool in gathering opinions and feedback. Two recent posts to FaceBook and Twitter asked for business etiquette wisdom. The results were insightful and valuable. The two most mentioned tips make a lot of sense; however, they are often overlooked.
- Write thank you notes.
- Stop texting and checking your cell phone.
Writing thank you notes after an interview will set you apart from others. Some HR managers admit that when they have narrowed a job search down to a handful of candidates, they’ll wait to see which one sends them a thank you note.
Once on the job, don’t forget to send thank you notes to clients, prospects, vendors and others who cross your path. It may seem old fashioned but it is definitely appreciated and helps to instill an attitude of gratitude.
Cell phones are a great piece of technology but sometimes we interact with them without thinking. In a 2011 survey of HR managers, the #1 unprofessional work behavior was: “Inappropriate appearance”. They were not talking about clothing. Instead they were referring to employees checking smartphones and texting; suggesting that they weren’t fully engaged at work.
When you check your cell phone, while in the presence of others, you communicate “This is more important than you.” Whether you do it during a boring staff meeting, a training session, or while grabbing lunch with a co-worker, it sends the wrong message and is considered rude.
